Now the food will be fairly simple. Hot dogs and hamburgers, baked beans, cole slaw, pasta salad, and desserts. I am fortunate enough that all the family wants to help, so Hubby and I will provide the meats, condiments and drinks, while family will be making the side dishes listed above and some sweets.
I have to make some type of dessert though, I can't help it. I have a sweet tooth, and Love desserts. So really you can't have too much dessert! I have to share the following recipe with you.
I love a few things from Richella's site.
This cake recipe which she calls the cake that will make you famous, and who can argue, it is a big hit on the blogosphere.
Here are the ingredients you'll need:
You'll also need eggs, oil, and water. Mix up the white cake according to package directions. You can use any cake mix that makes you happy (or, if you're like me, you'll use the one that was on sale).
Prepare two round cake pans; divide batter evenly between the pans. HINT: If you have a food scale, use it to make sure your batter is divided evenly. Otherwise, just eyeball it.
Bake layers according to package directions. Allow the two cake rounds to cool thoroughly.
Meanwhile, make your filling/frosting by combining
1 lb. powdered sugar, sifted
8 oz. sour cream
2 6 oz. packages frozen coconut (find it in the frozen fruit section of your grocery store), thawed
Mix thoroughly.
When cake layers are completely cooled, cut them in half horizontally. You'll be creating four layers. I use a long serrated knife for this process. Don't worry if the layers aren't perfect.
Place one layer, cut side up, on a cake plate. It's best to use a plate with a lip, since your filling/frosting will be fairly runny.
Spread 1/4 of your filling/icing on the first layer. HINT: Again, if you have a food scale, use it to make sure you're using 1/4 of your filling for each layer. You'll have 36 oz. of frosting, so use about 9 oz. per layer. If you don't have a food scale, just eyeball it. . . but if you do have a food scale, it's useful for making this cake just right!
Continue stacking each layer, cut side up, on top of one another, topping each layer with 1/4 of the filling.
When you've stacked the last layer and spread the last bit of filling on top, you may want to sprinkle a bit of flaked coconut (I like Baker's Angel Flake) on top just because it looks pretty.
Now here's the most important part. Cover the cake well (I cover it with plastic wrap first, then also with foil) and refrigerate it for at least TWO DAYS before serving. Three days would be fine, too. But it needs to sit for at least two days to give plenty of time for the yummy filling to sink down into every crevice of the layers--the layers that you placed CUT SIDE UP, remember? After two days the cake will be moist and cold and absolutely irresistible.
I also love her idea here of using a beverage dispenser. It is July after all and it will be HOT, and even though we have a large home, we know we need overflow space outside. And will need lots of cool drinks to keep everyone hydrated. I think this looks So sophisticated, and even something as simple as water with some fruit added for flavor looks So much nicer!
