Coconut Cream & Fruit-Topped Vanilla Cake

Coconut Cream & Fruit-Topped Vanilla Cake

From: Diabetic Living Magazine

This delicious fruit-topped vanilla cake with coconut-cream frosting is perfect for a birthday or holiday party.

Ingredients 

Vanilla Cake :

• ¾ cup fat-free milk
• ¼ cup butter
• ½ vanilla bean
• 3 eggs
• 1¼ cups sugar (see Tips)
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Coconut Cream Frosting :

• 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened refrigerated coconut milk
• ¼ teaspoon coconut extract (optional)
• 1 cup frozen light whipped dessert topping, thawed

Honey & Fruit Topping :

• 1 tablespoon honey (see Tips)
• ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
• Pinch ground cardamom
• 1 cup assorted fresh fruit (such as raspberries, halved strawberries, coarsely chopped mango, coarsely chopped pineapple, and/or sliced kiwifruit)
• 2 tablespoons large flaked unsweetened coconut, lightly toasted

Preparation

1. In a small saucepan combine ¾ cup fat-free milk and ¼ cup butter. Using a small sharp knife, split ½ of a vanilla bean lengthwise in half. Scrape the seeds from the halves into the milk mixture. Add the vanilla bean halves to the saucepan. Heat over medium heat until butter is melted and milk is steaming, stirring occasionally (do not boil). Remove from the heat.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Meanwhile, grease and lightly flour two 8-inch round cake pans. In a large bowl beat 3 eggs, room temperature, with a mixer on high about 4 minutes or until thickened and light yellow in color. Gradually add 1¼ cups sugar (see Tips), beating on medium speed 4 to 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt. Beat on low to medium just until combined.
3. Remove the vanilla bean halves from the milk mixture; discard. Add milk mixture to batter along with 1½ teaspoons vanilla, beating until combined. Divide batter between prepared pans, spreading evenly. Bake about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans for 10 minutes. Remove layers from pans; cool on wire racks.
4. In a bowl beat 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), softened, with a mixer on medium until smooth. Gradually beat in 2 tablespoons unsweetened refrigerated coconut milk until smooth. If desired, beat in ¼ teaspoon coconut extract. Fold in 1 cup frozen light whipped dessert topping, thawed.
5. In a bowl stir together honey, ginger and cardamom.
6. To assemble, place one cake layer on a cake platter. Spread with half of the Coconut Cream Frosting. Repeat layers. Toss fruit with honey mixture and arrange on cake. Sprinkle with coconut. Serve immediately.

• Tip: If using a sugar substitute in the Vanilla Cake, use Splenda® Sugar Blend for Baking. Follow package directions to use product amount that's equivalent to 1¼ cups sugar. Nutrition Per Serving with Sugar Substitute: Same as below, except 125 cal., 17 g carb. (8 g sugar).
• If using a sugar substitute in place of honey, Nutrition per serving with Sugar Substitute: Same as below, except 166 cal., 22 g carb. (11 g sugars).

Nutrition information

Serving size: 1 slice each
Per serving: 189 calories; 6 g fat(4 g sat); 1 g fiber; 30 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 42 mcg folate; 48 mg cholesterol; 19 g sugars; 258 IU vitamin A; 6 mg vitamin C; 61 mg calcium; 1 mg iron; 148 mg sodium; 76 mg potassium
Carbohydrate Servings: 2
Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 other carbohydrate, 1 fat

 

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/262337/coconut-cream-fruit-topped-vanilla-cake/