Pina Colada Cake

 Coconut Cake:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 13.5 ounces coconut milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract

Pineapple Filling:

• 20 oz can crushed pineapple
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch

Coconut Cream Frosting:

• 8 oz. cream cheese 
• 2/3 cup icing sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
• 2 cups whipping cream

Instructions:

Coconut Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottom of two 8'' pans with parchment and spray with cooking oil.
2. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. add coconut milk and extract and mix.
4. Gradually add in dry ingredients.
5. Beat egg whites in separate bowl until stiff peaks form.
6. Fold into batter.
7. Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
8. Remove from oven.  Cool for 5-10 minutes.  Then invert onto cooling rack.

Pineapple Filling:

1. Combine all ingredients in saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened. 
2. Cool. Store in fridge until ready to use.

Coconut Cream Filling:

1. Combine cream cheese, sugar and extract in mixer and whip until smooth.
2. Add whipping cream and whip until thickened.

Assemble:

1. Cut each cake layer in half horizontally.
2. Place one cake layer on serving plate.  Spread with half the pineapple filling.
3. Top with second layer. Spread with cream filling.
4. Top with third layer and spread with remaining pineapple filling.
5. Top with last layer, and frost with coconut cream frosting.
6. Sprinkle the outside with toasted coconut.
7. Garnish with mounds of whipped cream and maraschino cherries.

*If you are garnishing with extra mounds of whipped cream, you may need 1 1/2 times the cream filling recipe.

Chocolate Chip Granola Bars ~ GF and Peanut Free

With a granddaughter who can't handle wheat or peanuts, I came up with some granola bars that she can enjoy!

• 4 ½ cups GF rolled oats (used Red Mill)
• 3 cups Rice Chex cereal (crushed to make 3 cups)
• ½ cup butter
• ½ honey
• 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips (Chipits)
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted for drizzle.

1. Combine oats and rice cereal in large bowl.
2. Heat butter, honey and brown sugar on stovetop until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 2 minutes, while stirring.
3. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract.
4. Stir sauce into dry ingredients and stir until everything is coated.
5. Add chips and stir to combine.
6. Press into 11” x 17” pan, lined with parchment paper.
7. Refrigerate for 2 hours (or speed up process by putting in the freezer for a bit).
8. Melt chips for drizzle in microwave on high for 90 seconds (stirring every 30 seconds).
9. Drizzle over bars. Return to fridge (or freezer) until chocolate drizzle is hard.
10. Remove bars from pan to cutting board and cut into bars of desired size.