Rich's Department Store Bakeshop Coconut Cake
A wonderful walk down memory lane just in time for Easter! Remember those delicious baked goods from Rich's Department Store?

Every special occasion in the South warranted a delectable treat from the best bakery around. Sadly, there are no more Rich's Bakeries and there aren't even any Rich's Department Stores. They were bought out by Federated Department Stores and merged into their chain. Fortunately, there are a few of the recipes floating around the internet and in vintage Southern cookbooks. An Easter favorite was their Coconut Cake.

Here are the lucky ingredients

Don't forget the White Lily flour. It is a very good flour for cakes.

Rich's Bakeshop Coconut Cake
Rich's Bakeshop Yellow Cake
2 1/4 cups cake flour (White Lily brand)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon powdered milk
1.2 cup water
2/3 cup milk
3/4 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco)
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
Rich's Bakeshop Icing
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound confectioner's sugar
2 tablespoons powdered milk
1/2 cup water
Rich's Bakeshop Coconut Filling
2 pounds frozen unsweetened shredded coconut (**see note below)
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
(** The frosting on my cake would only hold about 1 pound of coconut. I used three 6-ounce bags of frozen coconut.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans. In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder, set aside. In a small bowl, dissolve the powdered milk in the water; add the regular milk to the powdered milk mixture. In another mixing bowl, beat the shortening and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add half the flour mixture and half the milk mixture, beating until just incorporated. Add the rest of the flour and milk mixtures. Beat until just smooth, about 1 minute. Pour batter into the prepared pans and bake for about 12-14 minutes or until the the center of the cake springs back when pressed lightly. Remove the cake pans from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before inverting the layers onto cake racks.
To make the frosting, mix together the shortening, vanilla, and salt. Slowly add the confectioner's sugar. Add 1-2 tablespoons of the milk mixture until you reach desired spreading consistency.
To prepare the coconut, thaw in a large bowl. Take out 1 1/2 cups of the coconut and place in a smaller bowl. Combine the water and sugar and pour over the smaller bowl of coconut. This should be very moist but not soupy.
To assemble the cake, place one cooled layer of cake on a cake stand or plate and spread with icing. Spoon half of the moistened coconut over first layer. Repeat with second layer. Place third layer on top and use the rest of the frosting of the ice the top and sides. Press remaining coconut all over frosting on top and sides until it is completely covered. Chill for 2 hours or overnight.
Q: My layers are very skinny! Did I make it right?
A: Yes, the layers of cake do come out a little on the skinny side, but by the time you add the frosting and the coconut, you have a much larger cake.
Q: Can I substitute butter for the shortening?
A: Yes. You may not get the exact taste of the original but your cake will turn out. You can use butter in the frosting as well.
Q: Do I have to use powdered milk?
A: No. Typically bakeries used powdered milk and vegetable shortening so that they didn't have to contend with spoilage. Your cake will taste fine with regular milk.
Q: Does this cake taste like the real thing?
A: Absolutely!
Steps in making the cake:
Mix the shortening and sugar.

Add the dry ingredients with the milk.

Place into 3 prepared 9-inch pans. Bake for about 12 minutes.

Layer One

Layer Two and then Layer Three

Dessert is served.

You've got to try this recipe! It has nostalgia in every bite and is a beautiful cake for Easter!

Every special occasion in the South warranted a delectable treat from the best bakery around. Sadly, there are no more Rich's Bakeries and there aren't even any Rich's Department Stores. They were bought out by Federated Department Stores and merged into their chain. Fortunately, there are a few of the recipes floating around the internet and in vintage Southern cookbooks. An Easter favorite was their Coconut Cake.

Here are the lucky ingredients

Don't forget the White Lily flour. It is a very good flour for cakes.

Rich's Bakeshop Coconut Cake
Rich's Bakeshop Yellow Cake
2 1/4 cups cake flour (White Lily brand)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon powdered milk
1.2 cup water
2/3 cup milk
3/4 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco)
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
Rich's Bakeshop Icing
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound confectioner's sugar
2 tablespoons powdered milk
1/2 cup water
Rich's Bakeshop Coconut Filling
2 pounds frozen unsweetened shredded coconut (**see note below)
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
(** The frosting on my cake would only hold about 1 pound of coconut. I used three 6-ounce bags of frozen coconut.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans. In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder, set aside. In a small bowl, dissolve the powdered milk in the water; add the regular milk to the powdered milk mixture. In another mixing bowl, beat the shortening and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add half the flour mixture and half the milk mixture, beating until just incorporated. Add the rest of the flour and milk mixtures. Beat until just smooth, about 1 minute. Pour batter into the prepared pans and bake for about 12-14 minutes or until the the center of the cake springs back when pressed lightly. Remove the cake pans from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before inverting the layers onto cake racks.
To make the frosting, mix together the shortening, vanilla, and salt. Slowly add the confectioner's sugar. Add 1-2 tablespoons of the milk mixture until you reach desired spreading consistency.
To prepare the coconut, thaw in a large bowl. Take out 1 1/2 cups of the coconut and place in a smaller bowl. Combine the water and sugar and pour over the smaller bowl of coconut. This should be very moist but not soupy.
To assemble the cake, place one cooled layer of cake on a cake stand or plate and spread with icing. Spoon half of the moistened coconut over first layer. Repeat with second layer. Place third layer on top and use the rest of the frosting of the ice the top and sides. Press remaining coconut all over frosting on top and sides until it is completely covered. Chill for 2 hours or overnight.
Q: My layers are very skinny! Did I make it right?
A: Yes, the layers of cake do come out a little on the skinny side, but by the time you add the frosting and the coconut, you have a much larger cake.
Q: Can I substitute butter for the shortening?
A: Yes. You may not get the exact taste of the original but your cake will turn out. You can use butter in the frosting as well.
Q: Do I have to use powdered milk?
A: No. Typically bakeries used powdered milk and vegetable shortening so that they didn't have to contend with spoilage. Your cake will taste fine with regular milk.
Q: Does this cake taste like the real thing?
A: Absolutely!
Steps in making the cake:
Mix the shortening and sugar.

Add the dry ingredients with the milk.

Place into 3 prepared 9-inch pans. Bake for about 12 minutes.

Layer One

Layer Two and then Layer Three

Dessert is served.

You've got to try this recipe! It has nostalgia in every bite and is a beautiful cake for Easter!





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