Coconut Cake

If you don't like coconut, don't be afraid of trying this cake. You could easily use fruit like strawberries or pineapple to decorate with and change up the flavor...or just leave it plain. This cake is pretty fancy as it's frosted with a pudding/Cool Whip mixture! Actually, I thought it was pretty good and easy to make so can't beat that.

Coconut Cake

1 pkg. yellow cake mix
7 oz. bag of baker's coconut
1 cup cold milk
1 pkg. (4-serving size) Jell-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip Whipped Topping, thawed

Prepare cake as directed on package; stir in 2/3 cup of the coconut. Pour evenly into 2 (9-inch) round cake pans. Bake as directed on package. Cool 10 min. Remove cake layers from pans to wire racks; cool completely.

Pour milk into medium bowl. Add dry pudding mix and sugar. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended; mixture will be thick. Gently stir in whipped topping. Refrigerate 15 min.

Place 1 of the cake layers on serving plate; spread top with 1 cup of the pudding mixture. Sprinkle with coconut and cover with second cake layer. Spread top and sides with remaining pudding mixture then press coconut into the frosting. Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Store leftover cake in the refrigerator.