I am really proud of this cake and just realized that I never shared it here! When my sister in law got engaged in Disney World, I knew I had to make her a Mickey Mouse themed engagement cake. But how do I make it look elegant? After many internet searches I came across these Mickey Mouse shaped sprinkles. They come in a variety pack of black, white, and red sprinkles. I made the bottom tier white, quilted it, and added black Mickey sprinkles. Then I did the opposite for the top tier. I finished off the cake with gum paste fantasy flowers that I made up as I went along. They are made from different sized scalloped round cutters. For the centers I used a flower cutter and added some black Mickey sprinkles to tie the whole theme together. They loved their cake and most people didn’t even notice the hidden theme at first. Mazel tov Miriam and Tuvia!
Pineapple and coconut is one of my favorite flavor combinations, so for my favorite holiday, I combined the two into the perfect pina colada hamantaschen. My favorite hamantaschen of all time are the prune flavor I make with my classic recipe. Yet, classic hamantaschen are kind of boring lately. So in the past I shared my recipe for peanut butter jelly hamantaschen that were a huge success! I had this cookie idea for Purim last year, but I never got around to testing it out. I’m glad I planned a little early this year, because here it is!
The cookie is crispy, yet tender and soft, and full of coconut flakes. I added coconut extract for double the flavor and intensity. The homemade pineapple filling is so easy and delicious, you won’t believe it! I know a classic pina colada cocktail is supposed to contain rum, but I skipped it to keep it simple and kid friendly. If you are missing it from this recipe, try adding a rum icing over the top of each cookie. Simply mix 1½ cups powdered sugar with 3 tablespoons of rum until smooth. Then drizzle a little bit of icing over each and enjoy!
1 tsp. coconut extract (I like the Lorann Coconut Bakery Emulsion)
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 ½ cups flour
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut, slightly ground
¾ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
3 Tbs. pineapple juice
Pineapple Filling:
1-20. oz can crushed pineapple with juice
½ cup sugar
3 Tbs. corn starch
pinch of salt
Instructions
Prepare the filling:
In a medium pot, combine the canned pineapple with the juice, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Stir to make sure the sugar and cornstarch are combined. Heat the mixture on medium heat for 3-5 minutes until thickened and clear; no longer cloudy. Make sure to stir frequently so the pineapple doesn’t burn. Remove from heat, cover directly on the surface with plastic wrap so a skin does not form, and chill in the refrigerator until cool, at least 3 hours. Filling makes 2 ½ cups and can be make a few days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
Prepare the dough:
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the shortening with the sugar and coconut extract until light and fluffy. Add in the egg and egg yolk and mix until combined. Add in the flour, ground coconut, baking powder, and salt and slowly mix on low speed. Pour in the pineapple juice and mix until a dough is formed. You can use the dough right away. If the dough is too sticky, wrap and chill in the refrigerator for a half hour.
Form the hamantaschen:
On a lightly floured surface, or on a floured sheet of parchment paper, roll out a piece of the dough until thin. Use a round cutter (2½ to 3 inch in diameter) and cut out circles of dough. Fill each round with a tsp. of filling and pinch the seams together to form a triangle. Transfer to parchment lined baking sheet and bake in 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool and enjoy!
This cake was based on safari cake I made 2 years ago! I love coming up with new ways to create similar cakes, I hate making the same cake twice. Since then, I got a new camera and I think my photos have gotten much better! My cake skills have also gotten better, my fondant work looks so much more polished. To give the cake more interest, I used silicone texture mats to give the bottom tier an alligator skin look. The polka dots on the top tier got a classic leather look. To keep the cake fun and childlike, I added some fondant stars and fondant ribbon curls all over the cake. The colors are really non-traditional and I love that about this first birthday cake.
The cutest touch about this cake is the fondant swirled candle that tops off the birthday cake. There is something so festive about it. Happy first birthday William!
