Coconut Cake

If I could have only one kind of cake for the rest of my life, it would be coconut cake.  But not just any coconut cake will do.  I don’t care anything for a cake that’s covered with the dry coconut that you can buy in a bag at the grocery store.  That’s like eating cake with shaved wax sprinkled on top.  I want fresh coconut cake, made with a fresh grated coconut and the coconut milk poured into the cake.

I’ve had the best, made by my great grandmother, my Grandma Berry, my mama, and my precious wife.  For years, that has been my favorite part of Thanksgiving and my birthday.  My mama always made it for my dad’s birthday, which coincides with the Thanksgiving week, and Cheri makes one for my birthday.  My son, Tyler, has also inherited the love for coconut cake, so Cheri makes another one in April for him.

For some reason, in recent years, we haven’t been able to buy good coconuts.  We’ve tried to find them at Kroger, Publix, Harry’s, Fresh Market, and Trader Joe’s, but no matter where they come from, when we open them, they’re black and moldy inside.  For the past few years, I’ve waited in suspense as Cheri cracks the coconuts (she always buys two, just in case), to find out if I get my favorite cake for my birthday.  And for the past few years, I’ve had to settle for the backup plan, German chocolate cake.

My next door neighbor, Pam, came to my rescue earlier this year.  She introduced me to the Pepperidge Farm coconut cake.  It’s not the same as the fresh cake that Cheri makes, but it’s a close second.  We have one in the fridge right now, and it’s calling my name.  It’s not my birthday, but I don’t care.  It will do for now, but I’m still hoping for one of Cheri’s fresh coconut cakes in January!