You CAN Have Your Cake & Eat It Too!

In high school, I was fortunate to work at our local bakery which is STILL the best hands down even after years of closing.  They made the BEST of everything; pastries, breads, pies, and cakes!  I have never tasted anything that compares to their baked goods in over 20 years... THAT is how good they were!

I have had many requests for my cake recipes - at least my take on what I think is in the cakes.  So... to put your mind and taste buds at ease, friends, here is my version, my Semi-Homemade version, of my absolute favorite cakes!  Do not fuss over the cake itself. As long as you prepare according to the box, you'll be fine:)  Thank you Guava Rose for the images, they are beautiful!

CHANTILLY CAKE

Cake 

2 German Chocolate Cake

Prepare cake according to instructions on the box.  Let cool.  Make sure cake is even at the top.  If not, use knife to make even and reserve crumbs in a bowl.

Frosting

2 13 oz can evaporated milk
3 C sugar
1 1/2 C butter
8 large Egg yolks
3 tsp Vanilla extract
1/2 C chopped macadamia nuts

Combine milk, sugar, butter, and egg yolks. Cook stirring constantly, over medium heat for 12 minutes, until mixture thickens. (Make sure that it's thick, or it will slide right off your cake!) Add vanilla extract. Chill 1 hour covered with a piece of plastic wrap directly on surface for proper spreading consistency.

Cream Filling (Optional, but it's good!)
1/4 cup white sugar
4 tsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 cup whole milk
11/2 tsp butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract 

Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add egg, blend well. Stir in milk slowly. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Add butter and vanilla. Chill for 30 minutes. Spread a third of the mixture between each layer

AssemblyI usually prepare only 2 box cake, one for each 9"X13" pan so that I have two layers.  If I make sheet cake for luau, then I multiply by 6 or 8 times.  

1. You know the best way to serve cake is luau style.  What is luau style?  Use cardboard wrapped in foil to put your cake on top so everyone can see you entire cake:)  Place your first layer down on foiled cardboard.
2. Frost with cream filling or Chantilly frosting.
3. Add next layer of cake.
4. Frost entire cake.  Don't worry if frosting is more runny than you thought cause once you're done, freeze it and the frosting will be thick!
5. Once you've frosted the entire cake, add cake crumbs on all four sides, and chopped macadamia nuts.  Add choke (A LOT) of macadamia nuts!  Freeze your cake for 2-3 hours before serving.  Buggah is ONO!

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HAUPIA CAKE

Cake

1 pkg white cake mix (for a 9X13" pan)

1 cup coconut milk

2/3 cup water

2 egg whites

Prepare cake mix according to package directions using 2/3 cup of the coconut milk, the water, and the egg whites. Cool cake, remove from pan and split carefully into 3 layers. Reserve top layer; spread haupia filling on the remaining layers. Chill layers until filling is set.

Frosting

1 Tbsp unflavored gelatin

2 cups heavy cream

6 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp lemon extract

shredded coconut to taste

While layers are chilling: soften gelatin in remaining 1/3 cup coconut milk; dissolve over hot water. Cool. Whip cream; fold in gelatin mixture, sugar and extract. Stack chilled cake layers; frost with whipped cream mixture. Sprinkle cake with coconut.

Haupia Filling

(you can do this part while the cake is baking)

2 cups coconut milk

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

3 Tbsp cornstarch

1/2 cup water

1 tsp vanilla

In a sauce pan heat coconut milk (do not boil). Mix sugar, salt, and cornstarch with water; stir into hot coconut milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens (cook over low heat to avoid curdling). Stir in vanilla and cool.

NOTE: It is best to chill the haupia until it is somewhat thick, but still spreadable; otherwise it kind of goops up when you try to spread it on the layers. Chill the frosting, too, before you spread it.

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CHOCOLATE LUAU SHEET CAKE

THIS is my favorite cake of all time.  It's my version of our neighbor's Chocolate-Butter Cake that is served at practically EVERY party, wedding, and funeral in Laie.  This cake is to die for.  I don't know Mata Kamae Kaio's recipe and I can never do her cake justice but living in da 801, we gotta make do with what we get, no?  I get da BEST neighbors everrr!

SORRY, I change my mind about sharing this recipe:(  But, if you're ever in my town and like grind some of dis cake, hollah:)

Thank you for reading,

♥ Faga