Coconut Italian Cream Cake

Ingredients

• 5 large eggs, separated
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1-2/3 cups sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1-1/3 cups sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• FROSTING:
• 12 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2-1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 5-2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 to 4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 1/4 cup toasted sweetened shredded coconut, optional

Directions

• Place egg whites in a small bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of three greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease paper.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Fold in coconut and pecans.
• With clean beaters, beat egg whites on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold into batter. Transfer to prepared pans. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely.
• For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar and enough cream to reach spreading consistency. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with pecans and, if desired, coconut. Refrigerate leftovers.

Editor's Note: To toast pecans and coconut, spread each, one at a time, in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 5-10 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

www.tasteofhome.com

 

Costume jewellery made out of polymer clay

 

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Hand made jewelry

 

Leonard Cohen - Dance Me to the End of Love (Official Video)

WHIPPED RICOTTA TIRAMISU CANNOLI

 

INGREDIENTS

1½ CUPS (360G) RICOTTA

1 CUP (250ML) THICK (DOUBLE) CREAM

1½ TABLESPOONS STRONG ESPRESSO COFFEE

¼ CUP (40G) ICING (CONFECTIONER’S) SUGAR, SIFTED, PLUS EXTRA FOR DUSTING

8 LARGE CANNOLI SHELLS

2 TABLESPOONS FINELY CHOPPED CHOCOLATE-COATED COFFEE BEANS

METHOD

Place the ricotta, cream, coffee and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until thickened. Place in a piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm star nozzle. Pipe the ricotta mixture into each cannoli shell, sprinkle with the coffee bean and dust with the extra sugar to serve. Makes 8.

 www.donnahay.com.au

Let me tell you this: If you meet a loner, no matter what they tell you, it’s not because they enjoy solitude. It’s because they have tried to blend into the world before, and people continue to disappoint them.

I used to think that the worst thing in life was to end up all alone.

It's not. The worst thing in life is ending up

with people who make you feel alone.

Robin Williams

I love to be alone. I never found the companion that was so compatible

 as solitude.

Henry David Thoreau

We're born alone, we live alone, we die alone. Only through our love 

and friendship can we create the illusion for the moment that we're

 not alone.

 Orson Welles

In order to be open to creativity, one must have the capacity for constructive

 use of solitude. One must overcome the fear of being alone.

Rollo May

The best part about being alone is that you really don't have to answer to anybody.

 You do what you want.

As I get older I'm more and more comfortable being alone.

People in general disappoint me.

I don't want to be alone, I want to be left alone.

I had already found that it was not good to be alone, and so made

 companionship with what there was around me, 

sometimes with the universe and sometimes with my own

 insignificant self; but my books were always my friends,

 let fail all else.

Joshua Slocum

Without great solitude no serious work is possible.

Pablo Picasso

If you are afraid of being lonely, don't try to be right, or tell the truth."

You cannot be lonely if you like the person you're alone with.

Wayne Dyer.