Coconut Cake

For the longest time, even before becoming vegan, I've had the hugest craving for coconut cake. Coconut cake is very sweet and high calorie, so I tried to avoid it. I tried and tried to ignore it, I really did, but some cravings need to be indulged before they can be put to rest!
Sometimes, a girl just wants cake. So the other day, I set off to create a yummy, moist, deliciously vegan, oh so sweet coconut cake.

Recipe For The Coconut Cake:

***Dry Ingredients:***
1 1/2 cup unbleached flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
***Wet Ingredients:***
1 cup coconut milk (canned, every grocery store sells it, usually in the asian foods section)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 or 9 inch baking dish. In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients together. Add wet ingredients to the dry and mix with a fork whisk until well combined. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for about 30 minutes (or until a fork poked in the center comes out clean. Keep an eye on this, I checked it often, and mine only took about 25 mins to bake).
You can double the recipe to make a beautiful layer cake. I didn't this time, but if you feel up to the task, go for it! Nothing is more enticing than a giant layer cake covered in fluffy coconut.

For The Frosting:
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup margarine
1/4 cup coconut milk

Also, set aside 1 c. coconut, flaked or shreds, whatever your preference is.

Whisk or blend together all ingredients until icing is smooth and creamy, adding more powdered sugar or liquid as needed.

After the cake has COMPLETELY cooled (don't jump the gun and attempt to ice it before it's cooled, I've done this before and it turns into a mushy mess, trust me...) frost it with the coconut frosting, followed by sprinkling the coconut shreds on tops and pressing it against the sides of the cake. I took little handfuls and "threw" it against the sides, making it stick. You want the entire cake covered.

And then the best part, enjoy!