My mother loved those coconut cakes, growing up in the seventies and eighties, they were often in the refrigerator. But the rest of the family prefered her homemade ones!

Hmm. This is the only one I could find the ingredients list for online, but IIRC it's even longer for the lemon and coconut cakes:

I will have to remember to look for them. The lemon and coconut both sound good to me.

These always bring back fond memories. Back when I was a kid in the 70's, my Grandma always had these, they liked the coconut one. I have not had one in ages. I remember them being DELICIOUS!

I wonder how the ingredients have changed over the years. Both of my Grandparents lived very long and healthy lives.

As I've often said, taste is subjective, not objective. I don't like them at all, they always seem dry and taste slightly of some metallic chemical, possibly the preservatives.

I did tell Elery I'd make him a coconut cake, he fondly remembers his Aunt Etta's, but I just haven't. I've found several recipes, and probably any of them would do, as I've never eaten his Aunt Etta's coconut cake and he wouldn't tell me if it wasn't "right".

As you know, I also pass on cake mix cakes, so it's probably just me. I know my grandkids would eat them in an instant!

Annie

I wonder how the ingredients have changed over the years.

Quite a bit, I think--there are far more additives in everything now, but then I knew someone back in 1982 who was a chemist for Pepperidge Farm (and his work didn't have to do with things like how eggs and flour react), and even in those days it was surprising to see what an industrial plant the whole operation was.

Mmmmmm....love their coconut cake. And I don't like coconut. A nice treat on short notice. I'll get one every few years, and we eat it all.

I've also wondered how this one takes, as I love coconut cake. I may try it. I recently made a coconut cake and used the Trader Joe's coconut cream for the first time -- yum, a deep rich coconut flavor.

Are they frozen or in the baked goods section? I don't think we have then here but if it was frozen I may keep my eye open when in Florida. Sometimes himself wants something sweet and I'm not available ; )

Ooooops forget it just noticed the Title....duh!

Yes, they're frozen. If you go to FL you'll find them in every Publix, often as a BOGO.

annie1992 --I promise you the coconut cake is not dry -- it is anything but.

I try so hard to stay out of the processed-labratory fake food posts...

I just gave a dessert party and made 4 desserts. Eggs, milk, yogurt, sugar, (sugar maple from my trees), salt, (made that too). Fresh ground flour, and corn flour. Pecans, Fresh berries, garden rhubarb. Pecans...Guittard chocolate. No need for processed chemicals.

Different combinations to make them. All fresh and wonderful.

I would hope that a host would tell me if they were serving processed and laboratory food. I will not eat that no mater the taste that is fake and made to be 'moist' and sweet and lovely. The post above listing the ingredients, (!?)..

What is 'Vanillin' ?...a fake chemical that tastes like vanilla....

This is a cooking forum...yeah, i know. The biggest post last year was the Velvetta shortage, lol. Out of the woodwork they came...and the hotdog discussion....

Maybe everyone is different?

Good for you sleevendog.

We use a lot of processed-laboratory fake foods when we travel. Cheese in a can with (gasp) store bought crackers have kept many a child happy on a twelve hour drive to Maine.

We rarely have a fully equipped kitchen or pantry in the cottages and camps we rent. So we make do, and enjoy.

> What is 'Vanillin' ?...a fake chemical that tastes like vanilla.... <
Actually, it is the synthesized version of the exact chemical compound that is the primary flavor in natural vanilla. (Yes, it is synthetic but I consider it lower on the additive scale. I don't use it as it is missing the other natural notes of real vanilla nor do I use velveeta, but then again I don't grow my own vanilla orchids nor make my own cheese -- except paneer).

I think the spirit of the original post is that they were caught with unexpected company.

sleevendog (5a NY)

I try so hard to stay out of the processed-labratory fake food posts...

Maybe you should try a little harder.

Belittling someone for their cooking choices is never a good thing. I learned that a long time ago the hard way.

Cindy, buying a frozen cake isn't exactly cooking, LOL, although I guess it is a cooking choice, by choosing to not cook or by not having the time to prepare something for surprise company. I do agree, though, everyone has their own taste and makes their own choices, and they aren't always the same choices I would make, and that's OK.

You know I raise my own grassfed beef, I make my own cheese and sausage, render lard, raise chickens organically for both meat and eggs, smoke bacon, raise and can my own vegetables. Now I have a grain grinder and I buy non-GMO wheat for bread and other uses. I bake cakes from scratch and cannot learn to like wine, beer or alcohol.

Even when I travelled with my girls, I took an electric skillet and a cooler, and cooked much of the time, although it was for financial purposes, not health ones.

However, I've been known to have a chili dog and a frosty mug at the local A&W a couple of times a year and I sometimes whip up a nice box of Velveeta Shells and Cheese for the grandkids because they love it. I cook from scratch 99% of the time, using the best and most natural ingredients I can buy or produce. The other 1%, though, that's up for grabs. (grin) Once in a while that includes a cup of coffee from McDonald's (even though I roast my own green beans and grind them), Oreos or a Dairy Queen vanilla cone, you never know. I draw the line at Toxic He!!.....um....Taco Bell, LOL.

And sometimes I'm busy or tired or don't feel well and then I revert to the 1% if I have nothing prepared in the freezer. So, it's good to know that if my nephew and his three starving kids drop by to fish without notice (which has already happened twice) that I could grab a frozen cake out of the freezer and it wouldn't be awful, even if I didn't choose to eat it. He's on his own with the beer...

Moderation in all things, including moderation. Who said that, or something similar?

Annie

Annie, wouldn’t be one of my choices either, but that doesn’t mean others shouldn’t have the option or be ridiculed for it.

Yes, I know you’re wonder woman and you wear the title well! ;)

Well, to be fair, this thread would have probably been best at the KT forum. But anyway, I would say that most people are in the easy and quick category, when it comes to cooking. Those that cook everything for scratch and grind their own flour are few and far in between. But we depend on those cooking expert here to help us peeps that aren't experts! :) Annie is always here to help!

Cindy, I'm not as WonderWoman as I used to be, since I am retired. It's much less busy than it was back when I was a single Mom with a full time job and still trying to help Dad farm. Just as well, I'm not sure I want to do it all any more, it's someone else's turn. Now I just want to do what I like, which is cooking and canning and farming!

Thanks, AKgirl, but as you can see from my "failed bread" thread, I come here for expert instruction myself. I can tell you how to can venison or pluck a chicken or grow tomatoes, but darned if I can get that 100% whole wheat bread right. That's fine, I like a challenge sometimes.

Angelaid, my husband and kids are spoiled so they'd eat it but they'd ask if I felt OK or if the oven was broke. (grin) Elery never baked much so I'm sure his kids would eat it without question, as would all of the grandkids on both sides of our blended family. I just like to bake, so I do.

Annie

The reason I posted this to begin with, was I considered a pretty good last minute dessert you could keep on hand. I did not ask our friends over until that day -- and we grilled pizza which meant I was very busy preparing all the topppings (carmelized onions, cooked mushrooms, Italian sausage, bacon) -- and yes, I bought the pizza dough at the local pizza place!

Sunday, I also had a few relatives over and my cousin brought a Sanders Bumpy Cake. If you live in Mich, especially metro Detroit -- this cake is pretty famous around here. I was going to make a blueberry galette but luckily hadn't started it when she came in. Anyhow, everyone gobbled that up even though it store bought too!

The reason I posted this to begin with, was I considered a pretty good last minute dessert you could keep on hand

It sure is. When I find out I'll need a few things for dinner, with unexpected company coming, I can pick up a cake while I'm there. One less thing to worry about.

That Bumpy cake is quite a confection!

As much as I love to scratch cook also I love easy in my life when life is busy. I'm also blessed with friends and family that would be happy no matter what I served especially in a pinch.

I'll keep an eye and give it a try......

Annie, As a fellow Tennessean (hey Elery!) I can tell you right now, "proper" coconut cake is made with seven minute icing ;) At least, that's what you see around here come Christmastime. It's good too!

back to shortcuts for company

It's kind of funny, because as a kid, if a cake was homemade, it meant that it was made with a mix. I have not had a Pepperidge Farm cake in years but we used to love them as kids. They do not to seem to have as many flavors as I remember but that may be just related to the area of the country I am in. The cakes are also too small for my family as there are 2 teenagers in the house. They certainly do bring back memories.

That coconut cake is very good with fresh raspberries. We had last-minute company last Saturday, and I was inspired by this thread. It was a nice easy dessert.

Thanks, Robin, I'll remember that. And I'll have to find my old 7 minute icing recipe...

Annie

I happen to like the Pepperidge Farm cakes. I started with the vanilla and then the Key Lime showed up. Had too many of them. For $2 it's a great dessert to keep in the freezer for when you want something not-too-sweet and bringing back memories of better times.