COCONUT PECAN FROSTING AND OTHER FROSTINGS FOR CAKES



                                                              
COCONUT PECAN FROSTING
This makes a very tasty, substantial frosting – 2 very thick layers for a double-layered cake.  It is decadent, therefore, cut small servings of cake!  You can use this cake - ALMOND VANILLA CAKE. (see photo below as well)  However, if you would like a German Chocolate Cake with Coconut Pecan Frosting...this is a favorite CHOCOLATE CAKE recipe of mine and see the recipe for Chocolate Sweetheart Cake below for another favorite.  Ever wondered about the origin of German Chocolate Cake? The guy who invented it was an American.  His surname was German!  Here is the story.

1 cup whipping cream (250 mL)
Liquid sweetener (sucralose or stevia) to equal 21/8  cups sugar (530 mL)  Start with half the amount (depends on the saltiness of the vanilla whey protein powder)
11/cups vanilla whey protein (325 mL)
1/4  cup powdered erythritol (60 mL)
1/4  cup whole milk powder* (or use finely powdered skim milk powder) (60 mL)
2 oz cocoa butter, melted (60 g)
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (30 mL)
2 tsp vanilla extract (10 mL)
2 tsp cornstarch, OR arrowroot powder (10 mL)
1/8  tsp xanthan gum (0.5 mL)
1 cup desiccated, unsweetened coconut (250 mL)
1/cup chopped pecans (125 mL)


In food processor, combine whipping cream, liquid sweetener, vanilla whey protein, powdered erythritol, whole milk powder, melted cocoa butter, melted butter, vanilla extract, cornstarch and xanthan gum.  Process until smooth.  Stir in coconut and chopped pecans.

Helpful Hints:  Apparently whole milk powder is available in Costco, Publix or the Hispanic section of Super Walmart.

Yield:  16 servings
1 serving
192.7 calories
6.8 g protein
16.9 g fat
2.7 g net carbs


                               Chocolate Zucchini Cake (Chocolate Frosting recipes below)

CHOCOLATE FROSTING
 This is a delightful frosting recipe.  It is very chocolaty and complements a chocolate cake very well.

Chocolate Frosting:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (50 mL)
Liquid sucralose (or stevia) to equal 11/2 cups sugar (375 mL)
6 tbsp heavy cream (90 mL)
2 tbsp water (30 mL)
2 tsp olive oil (10 mL)
1 tsp vanilla extract (5 mL)
1/2 cup whole, OR skim milk powder* (125 mL)
1/cup powdered Steviva Blend® **(75 mL)
2 tbsp vanilla whey protein (30 mL)
2 oz (2 squares) unsweetened baking chocolate,*** (60 g)
  melted

Chocolate Frosting:  In food processor with sharp S-blade, combine butter, liquid sucralose, heavy cream, water, olive oil and vanilla extract; process.  Add whole, OR skim milk powder, powdered Steviva Blend® and vanilla whey protein.  Process and then add melted chocolate; process until smooth.  Refrigerate half an hour if the frosting is not firm enough.

* Skim Milk powder - blend finely in coffee grinder or blender.

**To powder Steviva Blend®, use a coffee grinder or blender.  The reason I use this product over powdered erythritol is that it is much less likely to recrystallize.  You can use powdered erythritol instead.

***For an easy way to melt chocolate:  Place chocolate in cereal bowl and pour boiling water over it.  Let sit for a while; pour water off and pour boiling water over the chocolate again and allow to sit until chocolate tests soft to the point of a paring knife.  Try it – it will not seize (promise!) and you will be sold on this no fail easier, quicker way to melt chocolate than using a double boiler or microwave oven.

This sauce and frosting is beyond delicious!

1 cup sugarless chocolate chips (250 mL)
  (sweetened)
1 can Thick Cream, (170 mL)
  Carnation® (25% M.F.)
1 tbsp Da Vinci® Sugar Free (15 mL)
  Kahuli Caffe, OR B-52 Syrup (optional)

In double boiler, melt chocolate with cream.  Stir to combine well.  Stir in Da Vinci® Sugar Free Kahuli Caffe or B-52 Syrup, if using.  *If using as a frosting, refrigerate or briefly freeze sauce, until it has a firmer consistency and spreads easily.

Helpful Hints:  Use warm chocolate sauce for dipping fruits or as a topping for ice cream.  This would make an awesome topping for a cheesecake or pour over a crust and then add a pie or cheesecake filling.

Use this thick sauce as a delicious, decadent drizzle over plain cakes or any other dessert that it would compliment.

Use this sauce as a frosting for brownies or cakes.  It is also great for frosting cookies. Use as the basis of chocolate truffles as this sauce is similar to ganache (a smooth mixture of chocolate and cream).

Variation:  French Silk Pie:  For a really decadent, famous pie, double recipe and pour over a low-carb crust and let set 24 hours in refrigerator. For a firmer pie, drain cream first over a colander and add extra drained cream from another can to make up for lost volume. 
Yield: 10/12 servings. (350.2/291.9 calories, 6.5/5.4 g protein, 24.0/22.5 g fat, 4.4/3.7 g net carbs)

Helpful Hints:  *The frosting is a little sparse for a double-layered cake; however, with a filling for the middle of the cake, such as custard, apricot fruit spread or cream whipped with cocoa and sweetener, it is then substantial and able to frost the entire cake comfortably.  Otherwise double the recipe!

Yield:  1 cup frosting (250 mL)
1 tbsp (15 mL) per serving
74.2 calories
0.7 g protein
5.3 g fat
0.9 g net carbs

                               Almond Vanilla Cake with Caramel Frosting 

CARAMEL FROSTING
My husband said this frosting tastes like caramel!  It is also the frosting on the Almond Vanilla Cake pictured above.

Liquid sweetener (I used sucralose) to equal 1 cup sugar (250 mL)
6 tbsp powdered erythritol (90 mL)
6 tbsp vanilla whey protein (90 mL)
1/cup cream and water mixture, OR (75 mL)
  half-and-half
1/4 cup whole, OR skim milk powder* (60 mL)
3 tbsp chocolate whey protein (45 mL)
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (30 mL)
1 egg yolk

In blender, combine liquid sweetener, powdered erythritol, vanilla whey protein, cream and water mixture, OR half-and-half,  whole, OR skim milk powder, chocolate whey protein and butter.  Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape sides frequently.  Add egg yolk; blend.  If frosting is too thick, add water 1 tbsp (15 mL) at a time.  If frosting is too soft, add more vanilla whey protein, 1 tbsp (15 mL) at a time or refrigerate until firmer.

Helpful Hints:  This frosting is just enough to frost a double-layered cake or a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) sheet cake.  If desired, coddle the egg for safety reasons – i.e. place gently in boiling water 50 seconds.  Remove promptly.  If the skim milk powder is coarse, first blend fine in blender or coffee grinder.

Yield:  12 servings
1 serving
56.8 calories
3.5 g protein
4.2 g fat
1.4 g net carbs


CRÈME FRAICHE
Lovely sweetened whipped topping for serving with desserts or for garnishing desserts.  It holds up better than plain whipped cream and tastes better. Add cocoa and you have a nice, creamy chocolate frosting!  I used this to garnish the Chocolate Sweetheart Cake below.
1 cup whipping cream (250 mL)
Liquid sweetener (sucralose or stevia) to equal 1/cup (125 mL)
1/tsp Thickening Agent, OR xanthan gum (1 mL)
  (double amount if necessary)
2/cup regular sour cream, OR (150 mL)
  nonfat sour cream (to save calories)
1/tsp vanilla extract (2 mL)

In food processor, on low speed, process whipping cream with liquid sweetener.  While processing, sprinkle in Thickening Agent or xanthan gum through feed tube. Process until thick.  Add sour cream and vanilla extract; process on medium high speed just until combined.  It will keep at least one week or longer in the refrigerator.  


 SWEETHEART CHOCOLATE CAKE
This beautiful, layered cake has a good height and tastes like the real thing.  To see this cake sliced open, GO HERE AND see one of the last photos in my section.

23/cups Gluten-Free Bake Mix 1 (675 mL)
Liquid sweetener (sucralose or stevia) to equal  3/cup sugar (175 mL)
1/cup Dutch cocoa (75 mL)
2 tsp baking soda (10 mL)
1/tsp salt (2 mL)
6 eggs
3/cup sour cream (175 mL)
2/cup granulated erythritol (150 mL)
2/cup light-tasting olive oil (150 mL)
1/cup Da Vinci® Sugar Free (60 mL)
  Chocolate Syrup, OR any low-carb pancake syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract (10 mL)

Ganache Frosting, (above)

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).  In large bowl, combine Gluten-Free Bake Mix 1, liquid sucralose, OR SPLENDA® Granular, Dutch cocoa, baking soda and salt.  Stir to combine well. In food processor or in bowl with electric mixer, add eggs, sour cream, erythritol, olive oil, Da Vinci® Sugar Free Syrup, OR low-carb pancake syrup and vanilla extract.  Beat on low speed until well combined.  Add dry ingredients, processing one minute or so until it thickens, scraping the sides once.

Spread batter evenly in two greased and “floured” (use tiny sprinkle of bake mix) 7-inch (18 cm) heart-shaped nonstick cake pans or 2, 8-inch (20 cm) nonstick cake pans. Bake in oven 25 to 30 minutes.  Test cake with cake tester in center of one cake after 25 minutes and check every 2 minutes thereafter, until tester comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes in pans on wire rack.  Carefully run a knife around edges and lift underneath with a thin, flat spatula.  Invert cakes, supporting with your hands onto cake rack and cool.  Turn one layer of cake on its topside, so that the two flat sides meet in the middle.  Frost when cooled with Ganache Frosting (see recipe above).  If desired, place a heart-shaped patch of Crème Fraiche, (see recipe above) on top of cake over chocolate frosting and garnish with 1 or 2 red candied cherries cut into tiny pieces for color.   Sprinkle with unsweetened, grated chocolate.  If desired, double the frosting recipe to have a really generous amount and use the rest as a treat to eat by the spoonful (it’s that tasty!) whenever.  The frosting freezes well. 

Helpful Hints:  This cake recipe can be used to make wonderful cupcakes instead.

Yield: 12/16 servings
1 serving without frosting
287.5/215.6 calories
8.2/6.1 g protein
24.9/18.7 g fat
6.5/4.9 g net carbs     




BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
This frosting is easy and one can easily double the recipe when required.
1/4  cup butter, softened (60 mL)
7 tbsp whipping cream* (105 mL)
Liquid sweetener (sucralose or stevia) to equal 1/2  cup (125 mL)
  sugar
1 tsp molasses (5 mL)
6 tbsp vanilla whey protein (90 mL)
1/4  cup powdered erythritol (60 mL)

In small bowl of mixer, combine butter, cream, liquid sweetener and molasses.  Beat until smooth, scraping the sides occasionally.  Add vanilla whey protein and powdered erythritol.  Beat again until smooth and fluffy.

Helpful Hint:  I used the kind of cream that is shelf-stable.  This frosting will probably work with fresh cream as well.  The erythritol is a commercial powdered erythritol, but make sure it is finely powdered (use a coffee bean grinder or blender to blend it and remove any lumps).  In this recipe, the erythritol will not recrystallize out.  This frosting may be refrigerated until needed.  Bring to room temperature and beat again until fluffy.

Yield:  11/4  cups (300 mL)
1 serving out of 12 for cake
71.1 calories
2.2 g protein
6.7 g fat
0.8 g net carbs




For other great Low-Carb, Gluten-Free recipes by the team & me:
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