ATLANTA—Holidays are for traditions and nostalgia. Whether it’s a favorite activity or a cherished recipe, we love sharing these with friends or family.
Many who remember Rich’s department store have a special place in their hearts for its Bakeshop’s coconut cake, which isn’t just delicious but also looks like a huge snowball.
Since Rich’s closed in 2005, there have been a few variations of the popular dessert floating around, but we have the recipe featured in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution back in 2008.
Rich’s Bakeshop Icing
Ingredients- ½ cup vegetable shortening
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 pound confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons powdered milk
- ½ cup water (for dissolving milk powder)
Rich’s Bakeshop Yellow Cake
Makes three thin 9-inch layers or two thicker 9-inch layers. Rich’s traditionally prepared a three-layer cake with two layers of coconut filling, but if you don’t have three pans of the same size, two will work just fine.
- Shortening and flour for pans
- 2¼ cups cake flour or White Lily all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon powdered milk
- ½ cup water
- ⅔ cup liquid milk (low-fat or whole)
- ¾ cup vegetable shortening
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cake pans by lightly greasing with shortening, then dusting with flour.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside. In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir the powdered milk into the water and mix until dissolved. Combine the liquid milk with the powdered milk/water mixture and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the shortening and the sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add about half the flour mixture, beating until just incorporated, and then half the milk mixture, again beating until just incorporated. Repeat this step, adding the remaining flour with the remaining liquid, and beat until just smooth (about 1 minute). Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowls once or twice during the mixing.
Rich’s Bakeshop Coconut Filling and Cake Assembly
Ingredients- 2 pounds frozen unsweetened shredded coconut
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
In a large bowl, thaw the frozen coconut. Set aside. Take 1½ cups of the coconut and place in a smaller bowl. Combine the water and sugar and pour over this smaller bowl of coconut. This should be very moist but not soupy.
Place one layer of the yellow cake on a cake plate and spread with icing. Spoon the moistened coconut over that. Place the next layer on top and spread with icing, spooning the moistened coconut over it. Continue this process until all your layers are filled; however, don’t put the moist filling on top of the last layer, as it will be iced.
Next, cover the entire cake with the icing. Be sure to use a thick coating of icing on the cake to keep any of the cake from showing through. Take handfuls of the dry, thawed coconut and press the flakes into the icing. You may want to put a tray underneath to catch any coconut that falls. Continue pressing dry, flaky coconut all over the cake until it is completely covered. Chill for about one hour to set (it helps the coconut to stay put) before serving. Serves 16.
Per serving: 612 calories (percent of calories from fat, 52), 5 grams protein, 71 grams carbohydrates, 50 grams total sugars, 5 grams fiber, 37 grams total fat (22 grams saturated), 37 milligrams cholesterol, 400 milligrams sodium.
