Actually I have a lovely coconut cake. We've been home from our trip for several days now, so yesterday we spend making food. We made tabouli, potato salad, and, of course, I made my cake. I found a recipe here, decided it was easy enough to attempt, and got to work. I'll post the recipe (from the website) at the end of this post. However, they say to back it 45 minutes, but after 35 mine was totally done. Also, I added the cream of coconut to my cream cheese frosting.
Picture
Picture
Here is the coconut stuff I used. I guess it usually comes in a can, but this was all I could find. It is available in the drink-mixing section of most grocery stores.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
The verdict: The cake is pretty good but a little dry. I'm not a huge tons-of-frosting fan, but a lot of frosting really helped. Also, this cake involves folding in a egg. I had no idea how to do that, so I watching this video. It wasn't too hard!

Coconut CakeWhat you need...
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup canned sweetened cream of coconut (such as Coco Lépez)*
4 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
Pinch of salt
Cream Cheese Frosting
4 cups sweetened shredded coconut
*Canned sweetened cream of coconut is available in the liquor section of most supermarkets nationwide.
What you need to do...
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. 
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl to blend.
Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter and sweetened cream of coconut in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla extract. 
On low speed, beat in dry ingredients and then buttermilk, each just until blended.
Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites with pinch of salt in another large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold beaten egg whites into batter.
Divide cake batter between prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on rack 10 minutes. Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely.

Place 1 cake layer on cake plate. Spread 1 cup Cream Cheese Frosting over cake layer. Sprinkle 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut over. Top with second cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle remaining coconut over cake, gently pressing into sides to adhere. (Coconut Layer Cake can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours before serving.)
 
     We used to play this game with my dad on long trips. You start out by saying "I'm packing my suitcase, and I'm going to take my ___" and list and item you want to take. Then the next person must repeat the sentence and add their own item with yours. Eventually, the list gets very long and it's a matter of memorization. 
     Today I'm packing my suitcase and I'm going to take my camera, my computer, clothes, books, iPod and DVDs.  Where am I going? Check up on the travel tab this week to see! 
 
Yesterday was a lovely, warm, Sunday so we decided to get to work planting a few veggies for the summer. Since we had the trees in the back yard chopped down last year, this allows enough sunlight that tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers are now a possibility. We installed a basic raised planter, as well as used a small window-box type planter for a variety of herbs. 
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
For the herb box we planted mint, lemon balm, and two types of basil, and in the veggie box we planted two types of tomatoes, yellow peppers, red peppers, salad cucumbers and plain cucumbers. 
 
My last final was Wednesday night at 6:30, and it was Geography. Thank goodness he made it open note (It was six chapters and about 400 pages). Luckily, the questions were in order just like they came on the notes, so I was out of that test in 45 minutes and on the road! I got home around 10:30 and unloaded the car. Yesterday was spent unpacking and reorganizing.... everything. I am going to finish that today. More to come soon!