coconut key lime poke cake

     I work in the bustling kitchen of a large church. We prepare lunch for staff pastors each week. Don't tell them I said this, but they are our guinea pigs... We love to try out new recipes on our willing test subjects. And hey, these guys love to eat! If a dish meets with their approval, we may brave cooking it for larger crowd.

     Today's new recipe was a hit. My boss found it in a magazine that uses cake mixes as a base for a FAB dessert. (If you ever see a cookbook or magazine like this, go ahead and buy it!) The temperatures here in coastal Georgia are hovering just below ninety and it isn't even JUNE, yet. Gee whiz!

     Anytime someone mentions Coconut-Lime anything, what do you think of? SUMMERTIME, right? This is a simple recipe using a yellow box cake mix. Don't you just love cake mixes? They are the Cinderella of desserts... so simple to dress up and take to the ball!

What you will need:

9x13 cake pan

pan spray (I love, love, love coconut oil spray)

cake ingredients, such as eggs, oil, water

oven

large bowl

whisk 

rubber spatula

wooden spoon

stand or hand mixer

zester or microplane

look at that creamy topping dripping off the corner!

Ingredients

1 yellow cake mix

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 cups canned coconut milk (full fat, not coconut water or refrigerated)

10 T. key lime juice, divided*

2 c. heavy whipping cream

1/4 c. powdered sugar

1 c. toasted coconut

zest of a lime

*I use Joe and Nellie's Key Lime juice, found on the fruit juice aisle of most groceries

Directions

Bake cake, prepared in a 9x13 pan according to package directions. While cake is baking, blend 1 c. coconut milk, 6 T. key lime juice and can of condensed milk together. When cake comes out of oven, poke holes in it with the handle of a wooden spoon. (The more holes, the better.) With cake still in pan, pour the sauce slowly over warm cake, allowing it to sink into the holes. Continue until all of sauce is on cake.

Cover with a lid or foil. Refrigerate for at least four hours... eight is better and overnight would give the flavors even more time to get well acquainted! MMMM!

Before serving, whip together remaining cup of coconut milk, 4 T. key lime juice and 2 c. whipping cream with 1/4 c. of powdered sugar. Wait until you see that glorious whip!! It comes together into stiff peaks very quickly. Spread over top of cake and sprinkle lime zest and toasted coconut over. Be generous with the coconut. It gives a nice crunch.

The only thing missing is here is a tiny paper umbrella and ukelele music. Stay Cool, Y'all.