The Tasty Cheapskate: Coconut Lime Cake

Updated photos: Hurrah Hurree!

Apparently there's a big sporting event happening tomorrow. Well, how about that. Who knew? Okay, fine I did know. It's just that I...well, how can I say this... football and I, we don't understand each other. Many big men in big pads and helmets go out onto a field. They run and throw for, say, 2 minutes. And then somebody gets knocked down and the games stops for approximately 8 hours (and 79,000 commercials) and then there's a huddle and we repeat.

Truth be told, it's a bit too much like everyday life for me, minus the big men part. For me, it's a bunch of little folks. They run and play for, say, 2 minutes. And then somebody gets knocked down and the game stops for quite a while and there are some huddles and perhaps a penalty flag or two. And then sometimes the referee has to get in someone's face and even give a time out. And then, eventually, the game resumes and we repeat. It's a lot of work, football, especially for the referee. So perhaps you can understand why I don't want to spend 4 hours on a Sunday watching something I can see any time I wish in my living room.

Okay, fine, you don't understand and you think I'm a moron. I can live with that. Fortunately, this recipe will work for a regular old Super Bowl Sunday--the kind people spend with a television and a platter of wings. As well as for real time Super Bowl Every Day--the kind people spend with short-limbed, rosy cheeked individuals who don't look where they're going and crash into things. Either way, it's a little sweet something at the end of an emotional day. As for me, I gave the little cupcakes to one of my dear friends on her birthday. That worked too.

This cake is sheer deliciousness. The flavors and texture are wonderful. The crumb is delicate and moist. You eat it as a treat, but it won't feel heavy or guilt-inducing. Originally it was created as a bundt cake. I think it'd make a great sheet cake or layer cake as well. And yet I must tell you this: if you make this as a cupcake or a loaf, you won't get the right rise. It'll still taste great, but your muffin tops will be flat as graduation hats. And don't ask me why or how to fix it. (If you know, however, why or how to fix it, be sure to pipe up, you little food chemists, you).

Coconut Lime Cake

adapted just barely from something swanky

Makes 1 bundt cake, 24 muffins, 2 loaves, 2 layers, or 1 9x13 inch cake

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes for cupcakes or about 50 minutes for the bundt cake or a loaf (the sheet and layer cakes I haven't tried. I'm guessing they'll fall somewhere in between and suggest you start checking at about 20 minutes).

Cost: $2.50

butter: 1.00, sugar: .25, limes: .30, eggs: .20, sour cream: .50, coconut: .25)

Note: I can't help but thinking that if you want this more coconut-y you could use a coconut extract in place of the vanilla extract. I haven't tried it yet, but I might next time. If you do, let me know how it turns out.)

1 C unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 C sugar

zest of 2-3 limes

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

2 C all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 C sour cream (plain yogurt will work too)

1/2 C sweetened flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour your bundt pan (or a 9x13 inch pan or 2 layer pans or 24 muffin tins or a couple loaf pans).

Combine sugar and lime zest until pretty and fragrant. Add butter and cream it all together until it's light and fluffy (a couple minutes). Add vanilla. Add eggs, beating well.

Combine dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda). Add about half of this to sugar/butter mixture and beat. Add sour cream and beat. Add remaining flour mixture and beat.

Fold in coconut.

Spoon your beautiful batter into your pan.

Bake in bundt pan for about 50 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean.

This cake is good plain. However, if you really want to make it awesome, you can glaze or frost it. If you've made a bundt cake or a loaf or even these muffins, you can glaze it with this lime glaze (what I did, because I love glazes with my whole soul).

1 C confectioner's sugar

5 Tbsp heavy cream (or coconut milk)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

lime juice from those limes you zested

You can simply mix these for a thin glaze. Or you can beat them for a slightly thicker glaze (beating them will whip the cream and give it more body and make it look whiter).

If you've made layer cakes (or maybe the cupcakes or 9x13 inch cake), you'll want to go for a more traditional lime frosting. Try this:

1 stick butter, very very soft (or even a bit melted)

4-5 C confectioner's sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

lime juice from those limes you zested

as much milk or cream (or coconut milk if you like it coconuty) as necessary to get your frosting to a spreadable consistency

Beat until smooth and creamy.