Coconut Cake

Baking is another way to relax for me. While I am fully engaged in this activity, it is like a form of meditation. I am not a professional baker, but with the right tools, nearly everyone can make a simple cake at home. Making cake at home will give the cook complete control of fat and sugar content, and each cook knows exactly what all the ingredients are in the cake. The easiest ones are muffins, cupcakes, and coffee cakes, and from these easy cakes, the adventures continue to go on and on. Today's recipe is making coconut cake, which can be cut into bars and served at breakfast or eaten as a snack on the go. The sweet coconut and orange juice pairs together very well. I always have cake mix on hand, but I will make this cake with self-rising flour, and it still turns out just perfect.

Ingredients:
2 cups self-rising flour (recipe follows)
3 tbs soft butter
1 tbs soft butter for greasing the pan
2 tbs coconut oil
2 tbs chia seeds gel (1 tsp chia seeds with 2 tbs water)
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
Finely grated orange rinds
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sour cream or nonfat yogurt
1 cup sweet coconut flakes (dried baking coconut)
Light frosting:
1 egg white
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup coconut flakes, lightly toasted
2 tbs orange juice

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9x13 inch  cake pan with parchment paper and grease with 1 tbs soft butter. Set aside.
Cream the butter, chia seeds gel, and coconut oil until light and fluffy. Gradually add eggs, one at the time. Stir in orange rinds, orange juice, and sour cream. Fold in the flour and sweetened coconut flakes using a spatula.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the surface. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.

To make the frosting:
Spread the coconut onto the baking pan and bake for 10 minutes or until the coconut is lightly toasted
In a mixing bowl, lightly beat the egg white with an electric hand mixer to very soft peak. Stir in confectioners' sugar and orange juice to mix into a thick smooth paste. Spread over the top of the cake and sprinkle with toasted coconut. Let set before slicing into serving portions.

To make self-rising flour:
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Combine all the ingredients and mix well. You can double or triple recipe as well