A Fabulous Cake

I can't believe I haven't posted a recipe yet. After all, I love all things Paula Deen, Ina Garten, and Ellie Kreiger. Can 3 women have more different cooking styles?! But I love them ALL!...and I love to cook. So I am always on the lookout for GREAT recipes, and the blogging community did not disappoint with this absolutely divine Strawberry Coconut Cake. I must give credit where it is due. I found this recipe at Dear Daisy Cottage. While there, I found out that Kim got it from Nancy at her Southern Lady blog. Nancy got the recipe while visiting Lulu's Tea Room in Powell, TN. So thank you Kim, Nancy, and Lulu. Here's my finished product:

Is that not one yummy looking cake? I made one small change to the original recipe. I was about half a cup shy of the amount of coconut the recipe called for, so I just used the amount that I had. It still turned out great, just not as coconutty. I think the filling/frosting would have been a little stiffer with the correct amount of coconut, though.

Here...I cut you a slice. Dig in! Hubby and I like it best with lots of fresh strawberries on the side.

If you're looking for a cake that's a real winner look no further. Happy baking!

Strawberry Coconut Cake

Cake:
1 -1/2 boxes of white cake mix

5 eggs
2 cups water

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 box (3 oz. size) strawberry jello
1/2 cup of chopped strawberries (I used fresh)

Icing:

1 - 16 oz. container sour cream

1-1/2 cups granulated sugar (you read that right, it's not confectioner's)

1/2 box (rest of the 3 oz. one) strawberry jello

1 - 7 oz. bag of sweetened, flaked coconut

1/2 cup of chopped strawberries (I used fresh, again)

1 - 8 oz. carton of Cool Whip, thawed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients for cake with an electric mixer. Pour into 3 (8 or 9 inch) round baking pans sprayed with cooking spray (I also lined the bottoms with parchment paper). Bake 22 minutes (mine took about 5 minutes longer until cake was set) . Let cake cool completely before icing.

Mix all ingredients for the icing, excluding the Cool Whip. Place one layer of cake on a platter and cover the top with 1/3 of the coconut mixture. Add the second layer and cover that layer with another 1/3 of the mixture. Take the remaining 1/3 mixture and add the 8 oz. carton of Cool Whip. Add the third layer and cover the entire cake with your Cool Whip mixture. Garnish with strawberries.
Recipe Courtesy of Lulu's Tea Room