Rich's Bakeshop Coconut Cake

[norgeway]

Donald loves old dept store stuff, so he , the greatest coconut hater in the world, asked me if this looked good, I had to make it, it took a while to do, but it sure looks good...Rich's was a downtown Atlanta department store for many years, known for the best service anywhere, they were equally as well known for their bakeshop, as they called it, and the Magnolia Room, a favorite destination for hungry Atlantans for years..
First, prepare 3 9 inch cake pans by greasing and flouring, preheat oven to 350
Yellow cake
2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
1 tsp salt
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 Tablespoon powdered milk
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup whole milk
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
Sift together flour, salt and baking powder, set aside..
in a small bowl, mix the powdered milk and water, add the whole milk, set aside.
In mixer bowl, cream shortening and sugar until fluffy, add eggs one at a time, beating well between each.
Reduce mixer speed to med or a little slower, add 1/2 of the flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated, then add 1/2 the milk, repeat with remaining flor and milk, beat only until smooth, about 1 minute,
divide equally into the prepard pans, bake for 20 to 30 minutes, just until top springs back when touched, dont bake until very brown, just barely beginning to brown but done., remove from oven, cool 10 minutes, turn out on rack to cool completely.
While cake is cooling have 2 pounds of frozen coconut thawed.' It called for this much, but I only managed to use about 3/4 of it/
In a small bowl prepare the "Filling",
take out 1 1/2 cups coconut from the above, in the small bowl, pour over the coconut 2 TBSP water mixed with 2 TBSP granulated sugar, mix well and allow to stand.
When the cakes are cold, make the icing.
In mixer bowl,combine
1/2 cup vegetable shortening,
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
Beat well and gradually add 1 pound powdered sugar.10X.until a very thick mixture is formed, in a cup, mix 2 TBSP powdered milk with 1/2 cup water, add gradually to the powdered sugar mixture until a light fluffy icing is formed.

To assemble cake..
Place one layer on cake plate, I put it bottom side up, spread a thin layer of icing on, then 1/2 the sweetened coconut "filling"
Repeat, dont put filling on the top layer, but spread the top and sides with the icing, then press the bulk of the remaining coconut onto the top and sides..This is a very involved recipe,and it took a while to make, but it sure is pretty, Ron Jones is coming for a visit tomorrow, so he will have a suprise.

 

[norgeway]

Oh Yeah..!!!!

According to the recipe, one slice has 802 calories....LOL!

 

[mikael3]

I've been planning to make this cake for a while, ever since the "original" recipe emerged about 5 years ago. But in all that time, I haven't made it yet.

So... What do you think? Is it worth the calories and effort?

 

[tomturbomatic]

Thanks for the trip down memory lane

Oh, man do I remember this cake, although I am not a big coconut cake fan and other Rich's Bake Shop treats like the petite fours with that rich fondant icing, the yellow cake with chocolate icing and the birthday cakes with that heavy Crisco decorator's icing. We each got one as one of our birthday cakes and the celebrant got first choice of the roses.

This cake was the basis, I think, for a holiday treat called Japanese Fruit Cake. I think it had lemon curd between the layers and maraschino cherries involved somehow. I kow the JFC had coconut going west.

 

[michaelman2]

Tom, you are correct.  The "Japanese Fruit Cake" used the same cake recipe.  Rich's would usually have the Japanese Fruit Cake during Christmas and at times in July.  We had a thread years ago with department store recipes and there were several from Rich's included.  

 

[ken]

Here's the old thread from 2008 concerning Dept store recipes.

Department Store Restaurant / Tea Room Recipes

I know in every city there was a department store that we all grew up with. In my childhood these were almost magical places where you could go and literally spend the day. Rich's was the Atlanta version, Sakowitz was the Houston version. These are now memories and in other cities, there was LS...

www.automaticwasher.org

 

[bendix5]

Coconut cakes are one of my favorites. You cannot find good ones in a bakery or even grocery stores anymore. My mom always made a good one. I have saved your recipe and will make this one for Christmas. Your cake looks beautiful and I am sure it tastes just as good as it looks. Thanks for sharing. Dan

 

[circlew]

That looks sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good!

Last had coconut cake in July at a picnic, and it was good, but yours sounds even better.

 

[michaelman2]

Yep Ken, Dats the thread!   Thanks for the link, I had forgotten we can do that!

 

[brib68]

Rich's Fudge Cake?

My husband is an Atlanta native and tells me that Rich's Bakeshop had a fudge cake that was every bit as good as the coconut cake. I don't suppose that recipe is floating around somewhere as well?

Ken--thanks for posting the link to the 2008 thread. I'm also a big fan of the great old stores from back in the day. I was raised hearing about Tiedke's in Toledo from my mom, Wolf & Dessauer's in Fort Wayne from my dad, and the Sarasota Burdine's from my grandmother.

 

[ovrphil]

Trying to lose weight but

I love love coconut cake, carrot cake, tortes and ..that's enough. Since moving to Atlanta, I have to say, Publix used to have a good bakery, til they went public. Now most (not all)of their baked goods belong in the Hazardous Waste category(seriously, read the labels) They were the first store and bakery recommendation when we moved to Alpharetta. For those who like coconut cake, has anyone tried the coconut cake at La Madeleine's French Cafe and Bakery in the Atlanta area? It's pretty good, but nothing like your own home-made.

Bribe68 - Brian, could it be this one, from the link I provided below? http://projects.eveningedge.com/recipes/richs-brownie-bottom-bourbon-pie/

Hans, thanks for posting this and Ken, for the thread to the original store recipes.

Michaelman2, thanks for all the other recipes including the one from Bullocks. When I lived in Woodland Hill, Ca, I enjoyed Bullocks-Wilshire(but was too poor as a student to enjoy it).

I miss J.L. Hudson's, Jacobsen's, Rich's, so the recipes are a nice way to re-connect.

Here's a good link for Rich's recipes (including the same one Hans & Michaelman2 originally posted) and more, if you dig around the site, recipelink.com , so enjoy!

(and this might also be of interest, a book: "Secrets From Atlanta's Best Kitchens" by Earlyne S. Levitas.)

[this post was last edited: 10/7/2014-15:17]

Recipe: Recipes from Rich's Magnolia Room (9) - Recipelink.com

Recipes from Rich's Magnolia Room (9), Recipe Collections

www.recipelink.com

 

[joe_in_philly]

Is the frozen coconut already shredded? I have only notice frozen coconut at Asian groceries. Is that something you can get at a regular grocery store?

 

[ovrphil]

Joe(in Philly) - I think the health food stores sell it, but I've not looked for it (yet) in the local grocery stores. I would CALL some stores and ask if they carry it before dragging your butt to all the stores.

 

[norgeway]

I use Birds Eye brand..

I get it at Wal Mart, comes in 6 oz packages...Its about like fresh grated, which I do once in a while, but its a lot of work.

 

[tomturbomatic]

It is available in the frozen food section at most stores here in little flat rectangular plastic bags. Try looking in the section with frozen fruit.

There were two bakeries on Cheshire Bridge Road near the Piedmont Avenue end: the Rhodes and the Manhattan. Only one was left the last time I went by, but they sold a yellow cake with caramel butterscotch icing half an inch thick that could only be described in three words: Fab U Lous. I bought the loaf style that would fit inside a shoebox. I brought it to mom's and put it in the freezer for a half hour then I cut the slices and put a folded piece of foil between each slice, but left the cake in the box then wrapped it in plastic and thoroughly chilled it in the freezer. I put it in a shoe box in the bottom of my carry on. I was afraid I would have to share it with the TSA people, but I just told them where to buy it.

 

[michaelman2]

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">Brian, the fudge cake that I remember was a yellow cake (using the Rich's recipe above minus the coconut and such). Then a chocolate fudge icing.....it was almost like a candy/fudge that had not been cooked to a candy stage (I am assuming that would be a way to do this, I am not trained or educated with regard to candy making)....but the cake really was good.   It was a four layer cake.  </span>

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Rich's had free standing bake shops that were in the suburbs.  They had capabilities to bake in some of these but the main downtown store was the commissary.
</span>

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">Phil, I remember Bulloch's Wilshire very well.  All of the department stores had a panache that is just rarely seen anymore.  I.Magnin was a great California store as well.   They are all gone.......</span>

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">Okay...I have a coconut cake recipe that I am willing to share and <span style="font-size: 12pt;">it re</span>ally is the </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">pièce de résistance ...and super easy....anyone want the recipe?</span>

 

[ovrphil]

Mike - you don't even need to ASK (me)! Of course!

 

[funktionalart]

Of course this posting hits me...

just as I'm working on dinner. GOT to try making this cake!! Old school coconut cake is my fave, and at 800 calories per slice, it's just what my skinny ass needs

 

[michaelman2]

Simple but fantastic Coconut Cake (mind you this is NOT the Rich's version, it is just a great shortcut and really a good one)

 

<span class="rd_name" style="color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(<span style="font-family: helvetica;">1) Package yellow cake mix (regular size)</span></span></span>

<span class="rd_name" style="font-family: helvetica; color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(2) Cups Sour Cream</span></span>

<span class="rd_name" style="font-family: helvetica; color: #000000;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(1-1/2) Cups Flaked Frozen Coconut - Look near the Cool Whip section at grocer.</span></span>

<span class="rd_name" style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(2) Cups Sugar</span><span class="rd_name" style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-family: arial;">(1) carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed</span></span></span>

 

 

<ul>
<li class="rd_ingredient"><span class="rd_name" style="font-family: helvetica;"> Prepare and bake cake according to package directions in two 9-in. round baking pans. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. </span></li>
</ul>
<span class="rd_name" style="font-family: helvetica;"> For filling, in a large bowl, combine sour cream and sugar. Stir in coconut (filling will be soft). Set aside 1 cup of filling for frosting. </span>
<ul>
<li class="rd_ingredient"></li>
</ul>
<span class="rd_name" style="font-family: helvetica;"> Cut each cake horizontally into two layers. Place bottom layer on a serving plate; top with a third of the filling. Repeat layers twice. Top with the remaining cake layer. </span>
<ul>
<li class="rd_ingredient"></li>
</ul>
<span class="rd_name" style="font-family: helvetica;"> Fold reserved filling into whipped topping; frost cake. Refrigerate covered (Tupperware or any type of cake plate that seals) for <span style="text-decoration: underline;">at least</span> 4 hours or preferably 1 full day.
</span>

<span class="rd_name" style="font-family: helvetica;">This is my go to cake for the holidays...</span>