If you’re like me, when you think of George Washington you think of cherries. So in honor of his birthday, I decided to whip up one of my favorite cakes – Cherry Crown Cake.
You don’t need to chop down a cherry tree for this recipe. You don’t even need to make the cake from scratch.
Yep, that’s right. I used a cake mix. But believe you me, with the cherry topping and creamy frosting, no one will ever know you used a mix.
Here’s what you’ll need for the cake:
1 vanilla cake mix and ingredients for baking
2/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 cups sweetened coconut
1 can cherry pie filling
And what you’ll need for the flour frosting:
1 cup milk
4 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
First, preheat the oven according to the cake mix package directions.
Grease and flour or coat two 9″ round pans with cooking spray. Sprinkle 2/3 cup of coconut in each pan.
Prepare cake mix following the package directions (I used Betty Crocker French Vanilla cake mix).
After mixing the cake batter, stir in the chopped walnuts.
Then pour the batter into the prepared pans over the coconut.
Sprinkle 1/3 cup of coconut on top of the batter in each pan.
Bake the cake as the package directed (probably about 30 minutes).
While the cake bakes, start working on the frosting. This frosting is one of my favorite frostings; it’s the original frosting for red velvet cake (yes, people, cream cheese frosting is NOT the original for red velvet cake). It’s creamy and not nearly as sweet as powdered sugar buttercream. It’s also easier to make than meringue buttercreams and tastes just as good.
First, whisk together the milk and flour in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until it thickens, stirring constantly.
When it’s the consistency of pudding, remove it from the heat. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. If you’re impatient like me, you can set the saucepan over ice in the sink or, if it’s wintertime, you can plop it outside in the cold air for 10 minutes.
Don’t forget about your cakes! Remove them from the oven when they’re done baking and let them cool. Yum…smells like toasted walnuts and fluffy cake-ness.
Back to the frosting. Cream together the butter, shortening, sugar and vanilla. Beat these ingredients for at least five minutes.
When the gloopy flour mixture is cool, add it to the frosting mixture. Then beat the heck out of it. If it doesn’t look right or seems to be separating or grainy, just keep on beating it. That’s why I like this frosting…it always comes out right if you beat it long enough. Eventually it will look like thick fluffy whipped cream.
Time to assemble the cake! When the cakes are cool, flip one layer onto a serving platter. Spread cherry pie filling on top of the bottom layer.
Then remove the second cake layer from the pan and place on top of the cherry-topped bottom layer. Spread remaining cherry pie filling on top layer to within one inch of edge.
Then slather the frosting on the sides and top edge. Don’t be stingy with the frosting…the recipe makes plenty, so feel free to pile it on.
Ta-da! A cake worthy enough for any president. Happy Birthday, George!
