Dessert Lovers Are In for a Treat This Wednesday / Julie Jones Killer Coconut Cake at the Senior Center

If you love dessert, you need to pay attention to what is happening over at the Tri-County senior center. A group of cooks are vying for bragging rights in a dessert competition to provide the dessert that earns the greatest raves from the lunch crowd.

In the past six weeks they’ve baked up gourmet pies, sheet cakes, fruit cobblers, fruit tarts, decadent chocolate chip cookies, and the Magnolia Restaurant, Manhattan’s creamy banana cream pudding – and delivered it to the senior center for the lunch.

“The competition adds a bit of fun to the lunch program,” said Terry Noonan-Ruyle, Senior Center administrator.  “It’s starting to make dessert at the senior center something to talk about.”

This Wednesday, Aug. 3, diners will enjoy a repeat of the hands down favorite in the competition: Julie Jones Killer Coconut Cake. It’s super moist, super coconutty and is beautiful on the plate.

Julie said she honed her dessert skills because as the mother of six she never allowed herself to splurge on store bought cakes and pies. She became a whiz at home made desserts. Her specialty is flakey pie crust and killer coconut cake.

The public is invited to come by and sample it, order it for take out. Or, if just like your own home made dessert, the recipe is attached so you can make it yourself. 

The entire Wednesday lunch menus is Cheesy Ranch Chicken, Rice, Green Beans and Coconut Cake. Homemade blackberry cobbler on August 24.

Cost is $5 for diners 55 and older, $6 for 54 and under. Diners are asked to call the center by 9:30 a.m. for lunch reservations or to order takeout. Lunch is served at 11:30. And Take out orders can be picked up then.

Julie’s Moist Coconut Cake

Ingredients

1 white or yellow cake mix

1 small box vanilla instant pudding

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup oil

4 eggs (room temperature)

1 tsp vanilla

1 can coconut cream (not milk)

1 can Eagle brand condensed milk

1 cup coconut.

Directions

Step 1

Mix all together. Pour in 9 x 13 greased pan. Bake at 350º for 30 to 33 minutes.

Step 2

Remove from oven. Mix coconut creme and Eagle brand condensed milk. While hot poke holes with fork or wooden spoon handle and pour mixed coconut creme and condensed milk over hot cake.

Step 3

When cool, place in refrigerator overnight. Next day, top with 8 oz Cool Whip (or real whipped cream) and 1 cup coconut (toasted if desired).