A writer. Someone so gifted with the English language and so creative with their stories, that they capture your attention in the first few sentences of a novel. Someone who has the ability to give characters real life, the kind of author that can turn the written word into a real true range of human emotion; that is somebody with talent.
A Nurse. That could be very rewarding. A good nurse is always the one you remember. They can help with fear, the pain and anxiety, and share in the joy. The fact that I can't even watch a needle pierce the skin could be a really strong indication of why I didn't take that path in this life.
Some sort of investment manager or stock trader. Who wouldn't benefit from financial planning? I love numbers. I don't wish to be a famous one, just a really good one. One who is extremely financially successful would be the emphasis here. Some people say money is the root of all evil but I don't find that true at all. Perhaps it's the love of money that is construed as evil, an entirely different statement. Money in and of itself is amoral. The "money isn't everything" mentality surely can be seen from many perspectives such as health, happiness, and love being more important and I whole heartedly agree. At the same time lets not kid ourselves, money is simply an increase to our lives and a lot of it would be necessary to achieve my philanthropic ideas.
Philanthropy. A big word that has a lot of variations to it's meaning. I don't mean a tribute or self-aggrandizement, or the kind with the civic emphasis that always start out in theory focusing on improving the quality of life, but seem to end up as reform movements. I mean good 'ole fashion one on one. To have the ability to stop and do something at that very instant you see a need. To afford the opportunity to help others strive to increase their quality of life. How rewarding would that be?
A chef. I have zero creativity. My mind works more mathematically. A chef requires a certain amount of creativity that seems above my ability. I am actually a decent cook, but it requires me to follow a recipe to the "T". I think it's generational and I got skipped. My mother and my daughter are both creative and have the ability to take any food group and turn it into a fantastic dish. Heck, even my son takes on creativity in the kitchen. I on the other hand lack in the creative gene department, a little of this and a little of that does not work for me.
It seems cooking may not be as rewarding if you had to do it as a job. I figure I don't have to wait to be reincarnated as a Chef. I think I will just strive to be one in my own kitchen. How fun is that! So I made a cake....
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| Coconut Layer Cake |
Coconut Layer Cake Recipe
Makes one 9-inch, 4-layer cake
Cream of coconut is often found in the soda and drink-mix aisle in the grocery store. One 15-ounce can is enough for both the cake and the buttercream; make sure to stir it well before using because it separates upon standing.
Ingredients
- Cake
- 1 large egg
- 5 large egg whites
- 3/4cup cream of coconut
- 1/4cup water
- 1teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1teaspoon coconut extract
- 2 1/4cups cake flour (9 ounces), sifted
- 1cup granulated sugar
- 1tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4teaspoon table salt
- 12tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cut into 12 pieces, softened, but still cool
- 2cups packed sweetened shredded coconut (about 8 ounces)
- Buttercream
- 4 large egg whites
- 1cup granulated sugar
- pinch table salt
- 1pound unsalted butter (4 sticks), each stick cut into 6 pieces, softened, but still cool
- 1/4cup cream of coconut
- 1teaspoon coconut extract
- 1teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- 1. For the Cake: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with shortening and dust with flour.
- 2. Beat egg whites and whole egg in large measuring cup with fork to combine. Add cream of coconut, water, vanilla, and coconut extract and beat with fork until thoroughly combined.
- 3. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mix on lowest speed to combine, about 30 seconds. With mixer still running on lowest speed, add butter 1 piece at a time, then beat until mixture resembles coarse meal, with butter bits no larger than small peas, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes.
- 4. With mixer still running, add 1 cup liquid. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 45 seconds. With mixer still running, add remaining 1 cup liquid in steady stream (this should take about 15 seconds). Stop mixer and scrape down bowl with rubber spatula, then beat at medium-high speed to combine, about 15 seconds. (Batter will be thick.)
- 5. Divide batter between cake pans and level with offset or rubber spatula. Bake until deep golden brown, cakes pull away from sides of pans, and toothpick inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes (rotate cakes after about 20 minutes). Do not turn off oven.
- 6. Cool in pans on wire racks about 10 minutes, then loosen cakes from sides of pans with paring knife, invert cakes onto racks and then re-invert; cool to room temperature.
- 7. While cakes are cooling, spread shredded coconut on rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until shreds are a mix of golden brown and white, about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times. Cool to room temperature.
- 8. For the Buttercream: Combine whites, sugar, and salt in bowl of standing mixer; set bowl over saucepan containing 1 1/2-inches of barely simmering water. Whisk constantly until mixture is opaque and warm to the touch and registers about 120 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes.
- 9. Transfer bowl to mixer and beat whites on high speed with whisk attachment until barely warm (about 80 degrees) and whites are glossy and sticky, about 7 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-high and beat in butter 1 piece at a time. Beat in cream of coconut and coconut and vanilla extracts. Stop mixer and scrape bottom and sides of bowl. Continue to beat at medium-high speed until well-combined, about 1 minute.
- 10. To Assemble the Cake: Follow illustrations in chart below. Cut into slices and serve. (Wrap leftover cake in plastic and refrigerate; bring to room temperature before serving.)
Step-by-Step
Assembling the Cake
- 1. With a long serrated knife, cut both cakes in half horizontally so that each cake forms two layers.
- 2. Put a dab of icing on a cardboard round cut just larger than the cake. Center one cake layer on the round.
- 3. Place a large blob of icing in the center of the layer and spread it to the edges with an icing spatula.
- 4. Hold the spatula at a 45-degree angle to the cake and drag it across the surface to level the icing. Repeat steps 3 and 4 with remaining cake layers.
- 5. To ice the sides of the cake, scoop up a large dab of icing with the tip of the spatula and spread it on the sides with short side-to-side strokes.
- 6. Sprinkle the top of the cake with coconut. Then press the coconut into the sides, letting the excess fall back onto a baking sheet.
