Coconut Sheet Cake with Coconut Icing

We have an incredible French Bakery and Bistro in our little town in Texas.  It's hard to believe but we are fortunate to have it.
We had 19 family members for dinner a few weeks ago and the meal was amazing. You can't imagine the assortment of pastries and cakes and macarons that are available for dessert, along with some very creative french pastries, all made by their French Pastry Chef. My nephew said to the server, "don't you have anything regular like  Coconut Cake?" She said, I'll check...... and came out with the most incredible large layered Coconut Cake. Three people ordered it and said it was the best Coconut Cake they had ever eaten.
I don't have that recipe but this recipe is equally moist and delicious and it's made for a crowd in a Jelly Roll Pan. Guaranteed to please any Coconut lover.

Coconut Sheet Cake:

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
1 - 18" X 13" Jelly Roll Pan (Half Sheet Cake Pan), brushed well with Pan Release Mix. (equal parts of Crisco, Vegetable Oil and Flour) I start with 1 C of each mixed well and refrigerated in a jar.

2 C Flour + 2 TBS  Measure it out together. (it will be used together in the cake preparation)
2 C Granulated Sugar
8 TBS Butter, room temperature.
1 C Water
1/2 C Shortening
1/2 C Buttermilk
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
2 large Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp Coconut Extract
1/4 C Sweetened Shredded Coconut

Icing:
8 TBS Butter, room temperature
6 TBS Whole Milk
3 1/2 C Confectioner's Sugar
1 tsp Coconut Extract

Additional Sweetened Shredded Coconut for the top of the cake.

In a large mixing bowl:
Flour
Sugar
Whisk well and set aside.

In a saucepan on medium heat:
Butter
Water
Shortening
Bring to a boil
Add this mix to the Flour bowl.
Stir by hand to combine well.
Add these ingredients in the following order, stirring after each addition.
Buttermilk
Baking Soda
Eggs
Vanilla
Coconut Extract
Mix well.
Fold in Coconut.

Pour the batter into the pan.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove to a rack, immediately poke holes throughout the cake with a blending fork. (the tunes are usually larger than a regular dinner fork)
Pour the icing evenly over the cake.


Icing.
In a saucepan on medium heat:
Butter
Milk
Bring to a boil, stirring until the butter is melted.
Add:
Confectioner's Sugar
Coconut Extract
Whisk until smooth.


When the cake is Iced, sprinkle evenly with plenty of additional Sweetened Shredded Coconut.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!