Rose Cake and Punch for St. Therese

The Feast of St. Therese is coming up!!! It is celebrated on October 1st on the New Calendar, and on October 3rd on the Traditional Calendar.

This year, for the feast of St. Therese, I am planning on making the Rose Petal Coconut Cake suggested in My Nameday, Come for Dessert, and serving it with a Rosy Punch, suggested in The Cook's Blessings, for my hubby and I, with a non-alcoholic version for my children.


ROSE PETAL COCONUT CAKE

Empty one package of instant white cake mix into a bowl. Prepare as directed on package.

Pour batter into two round eight-inch layer pans, 1-1/2 inches deep and lined on the bottom with paper. Bake in a moderate oven, 350 degrees F., 20 to 25 minutes. Cool cakes.

Spread seven-minute frosting (You can find this recipe here Seven-Minute Frosting, or make/buy a frosting of your choice.) between layers and on top and sides of cake. Sprinkle lightly-tinted pink coconut on the sides of the cake while the frosting is still soft. Decorate the top of the cake with a full-blown red rose made of crystallized rose petals, with an icing rose, or even an artificial one.

To tint coconut, place 1 teaspoon of milk or water in a bowl. Add a drop or two of red vegetable coloring (or yellow if you wish to make a yellow rose cake) and mix well. Add 1-1/2 cups of coconut and toss with a fork until coconut is lightly tinted throughout. (You may prefer to put coconut into a jar with a tight cover and shake it vigorously.)




ROSY PUNCH

• 1 can frozen Hawaiian Punch concentrate
• 1 can frozen lemonade concentrate
• 1 quart Tea Concentrate (To make: Pour 1 quart cold water over 1/4 cup loose tea or 12 teabags, and let stand until of desired strength. Remove teabags.)
• 1 bottle rose wine
• 1 bottle Sparkling Burgundy, chilled

Combine first 4 ingredients. Chill until ready to serve; pour over ice in punch bowl. Add Sparkling Burgundy. Serve at once. Makes about 26 punch cup servings.

(For my children, I will be replacing the Rose Wine & Sparkling Burgundy with White Grape Raspberry Juice and 7-up.)