In search of the perfect macaroni and cheese: Hawaiian Wedding cake (aka my 30th birthday party)

     There are so many ways to start this blog that I don't even know where to begin. Do I start with- *the fact that I turned 30 (that's right, the big 3 0) on Tuesday
*the fact that I had a Hawaiian themed birthday party on Saturday
*the fact that I just recently got a Kitchen aid stand mixer thanks to the generosity of my cousin Pete's wife Rhonda (and my cousin, of course!)
*the fact that I vowed that if I got my stand mixer I would make a cake for my birthday party

     Well, I guess you already know the beginning. Pick your favorite and go from there. I chose a Hawaiian themed party so that I could get Scott to wear his Hawaiian shirt again (having just gone on a cruise to Hawaii for our honeymoon). The kitchenaid mixer is a long standing offer from Rhonda of getting me one when I got married (she was shocked to find that I, a kitchen connoisseur, didn't have one). The birthday happened all on it's own (if only I could control it!). The party was to celebrate. I wish I had done a better job advertising it, as not as many people could make it as I would have liked, but I sure was glad of the people who did! It was a really fun party! And it seemed like everyone liked my cake. Okay, enough with the blabbing and on to the cake itself.
     So, in researching foods that I could make for the party (it being a potluck but me still wanting to provide some food), I came across this website http://www.paradisefoundonline.com/luau-recipes.html. On it, there was a recipe for a Hawaiian wedding cake. It sounded pretty delicious so, as stated above, I vowed that if I received the kitchen aid mixer (which I knew was coming in the mail), I would make the cake. I received the mixer on Wednesday, so I knew I was going to make it.

Hawaiian Wedding Cake

Ingredients:

2 C. sugar
2 C. flour

2 eggs

2 tsp. baking soda

1 can crushed pineapple

2 tsp. vanilla

1 T. rum

1 C. chopped nuts
1 C. shredded coconut

Procedure:1) Combine sugar and flour. Make a hole in flour mixture and pour in can of pineapple and dissolve baking soda in pineapple. Add eggs and beat this mixture well and then stir in with flour mixture. Add vanilla, rum, nuts and coconut. Bake in greased pan for about 35 minutes ant 350. Use toothpick to test for doneness.

Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients:

1 Stick Butter

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese

1 1/2 C. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. rum

Procedure:

1) Bring butter and cream cheese to room temp. Beat until well blended and no cream cheese lumps. Add sugar, vanilla, rum and beat just until combined and smooth

     Well, let me just say that the kitchen aid mixer was a dream to use (and super fun, to boot). I mixed a little too fast when I made the first batch of icing and so got powdered sugar everywhere but learned my lesson when I made the next batch. Actually, I learned double the lesson as the reason why I had to make a second batch was that the first one was made with rotten cream cheese. I guess it really is important to pay attention to the expiration date! The cake came out delicious. I would definitely recommend making it, although the instructions weren't the clearest in the world. I used the large can of crushed pineapple (believe it was 32 oz, but don't quote me on that). I basically added the flour and the sugar together, mixed it, and then added the rest of the ingredients. The batter came out really liquidy but puffed up when I cooked it. It was a super moist but not too sweet cake. The macadamia nuts were heavenly. The cream cheese frosting was much less confusing to make and also super delicious. Of course, it is also my favorite type of frosting. I ended up eating a lot of leftover frosting. Mmmmmm....

Hawaiian wedding cake (aka my birthday cake)

The cake spread with lovely flowers. A big thanks to our friends
Lynnelle and Derek for not only getting me those wonderful flowers
but also letting us throw the party at their house