Orange-Coconut Angel Food Cake

If you need a sensational dessert for any occasion Orange-Coconut Angel Food Cake is the answer. It won't break the budget. It's yummy enough for a luncheon or tea and it's light enough to be a wonderful ending to a delicious dinner.

Our recent small dinner party for six was so delicious and such fun. The menu was part make-ahead and part fast-and-easy so there was more time to spend with friends and less time required in the kitchen. Although the budget was small the dinner and dessert made a large impression. "The World's Greatest Meatloaf" recipe (see my recent Casual Cook blog) was the simply delicious dinner star. The spectacular--and easy--dessert, Orange Coconut Angel Food Cake, evoked ooh's and aah's. This luscious, moist and fluffy cake was the perfect finale to a near perfect meal.

If you'd like to turn a great tasting, down to earth American meat loaf in to a casually elegant gourmet dinner think in terms of a Rustic French Pate' to put you in the mood. Add a bit of sizzle to the dinner table in the form of colorful napkins, small table bouquets, flickering candles and a nice bottle of red wine to magically turn an American meat loaf in to a casually elegant dinner.---- It works!

ORANGE-COCONUT ANGEL FOOD CAKE

YIELD--16 SERVINGS

• 1 (16 oz. package) Angel Food Cake Mix
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tsps. orange extract(divided)
• 1 (3.4 oz.) package French vanilla instant pudding mix
• 1 3/4 cups skim milk
• 1 tbsp. grated orange rind
• 2 cups flaked sweetened coconut, divided
• 3 1/4 cups reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed and divided

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare the cake mix as directed using the water and orange juice as your liquids instead of the package directions. Fold 1 tsp. orange extract into batter. Spoon into an ungreased 10" tube pan spreading evenly. Bake on lowest rack of oven following directions on box. Cool cake as directed. Remove cake from pan and slice horizontally into four equal layers.

Make instant pudding, using 1 3/4 cups skim milk instead of liquid in package directions. Stir in remaining orange extract and orange rind. Fold in 1 cup coconut, and 3/4 cup whipped topping. Chill at least 15 minutes. Spread mixture 1/3 at a time on cake layers ending and beginning with cake. Frost outside and in hole in center with whipped topping, and sprinkle with remaining coconut. Store loosely covered in refrigerator. It's delicious!

Enjoy! Martha