By popular demand … The recipe for the coconut cake and mango sauce that I served at a dinner party earlier this week!

SOUTHERN COCONUT CAKE (Recipe via my paternal grandmother)

1 2/3 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening or oil**
2/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 cup coconut

Grease and flour a 9-inch or 10-inch cake pan. Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, then add wet ingredients. Finally, stir in coconut. Bake at 375˚F for 45 minutes.

* We usually use sunflower oil for baking, but the original recipe calls for shortening.

MANGO SAUCE (Recipe via about.com)

2 ripe mangos, cut into small cubes
1/2 can (approximately 7 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Place all sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor. Process until sauce is smooth, or has just a few small chunks of mango. Taste test for sweetness and add more sugar if needed. Heat in a sauce pan. (If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can add some cornstarch dissolved in a few tablespoons of water.) Cook until sauce thickens, but to preserve flavor, do not overcook.

To serve, place cut pieces of cake on a dessert plate and top with warm mango sauce. Finish with a sprinkling of toasted coconut.**

** To toast coconut, place 1/2 cup of dry, shredded coconut in a dry frying pan. Stir constantly over medium-high heat until toasted to a light golden brown. Remove from heat and place in a small bowl to cool.