Read The Sweet Magnolias Cookbook Online
Authors: Sherryl Woods
The Sweet Magnolias Cookbook (42 page)
FROSTING
Using an electric mixer, blend together cream cheese and butter.
Add remaining ingredients, and beat until smooth. You may need to refrigerate icing to firm and reach desired spreadable consistency.
Spread between cake layers and on the sides and top.
Cover, and refrigerate up to 4 days before serving.
SERVES 16â20
Coconut Cream Tart in Pecan Shortbread Crust
CRUST
3 cups pecan sandie cookie crumbs (the size of bread crumbs or slightly more coarse)
½ cup confectioners' sugar
½ cup melted butter
FILLING
1 (15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (4-serving) package coconut instant pudding
1 cup cream of coconut (such as Coco Lopez)
1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1 (3½-ounce) can coconut, divided
CRUST
Combine crust ingredients, and mix well. Spoon mixture into a 9â10" tart pan with removable bottom. Press mixture firmly and evenly up sides and in bottom of pan. Refrigerate to firm up and fill later, or proceed.
FILLING
In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except canned coconut. Beat with an electric mixer until mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in
2
/
3
can of coconut. Spoon filling into tart shell, and sprinkle on remaining coconut. Refrigerate until serving time.
SERVES 8
Southern Cream Cheese Pound Cake
3 cups granulated sugar
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1 cup (2 sticks) butter (not margarine)
6 large eggs
3 cups lightly measured cake flour
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon pure almond extract
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Note: 1 hour before making pound cake, remove butter, cream cheese and eggs from refrigerator, and let stand at room temperature for only 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Using a bit of butter and flour, grease and flour either a 12-cup 1-piece tube pan or a 12-cup Bundt pan.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed or a standing mixer on medium-low speed, cream together sugar, cream cheese and butter. Blend about 5 minutes.
Add eggs, 1 at a time, blending well after each addition.
Sift flour 3 times. Add flour in 3 additions to batter, scraping sides and bottom of bowl after each addition. Do not beat batter. Blend just briefly until all flour is incorporated.
Stir in extracts and lemon zest.
Pour batter into pan. Drop pan onto countertop to level batter and to help remove any air bubbles.
Place in center of oven, and bake about 90 minutes, until wooden pick or cake tester inserted into center comes out clean.
Remove from oven, and place pan on cooling rack. Let cool 10 minutes.
Remove cake from pan, and place on cooling rack. Let cake cool thoroughly. Slice and serve. Store airtight at room temperature.