Hawaiian Cake Batter Blondies

So.... the hubs and I started Weight Watchers this week.  I know... not what you were expecting to see.  ;)  Stay with me.

One thing I was dreading about starting Watchers was having to give up my love of baking.  I really enjoy the whole process with the exception of the cleanup afterwards.  Once it dawned on me that there would be plenty of potlucks, dinner parties, etc... where I could bake and sample without consuming a whole pan of brownies, we took the plunge.

The other day I found an amazing Coconut Cake Batter Blondies recipe from Girl Meets Life on Pinterest that I knew I had to try.  It had coconut milk, shredded coconut AND coconut extract so it was a coconut lovers dream!  It would have been fabulous just the way it was written, but I added chocolate chips, pecans and vanilla extract to mimic the hubs favorite cookie, Chocolate Island Cookies.

Even though it was slap your mama good, I just had a bite.  No, really.  I promise.  ;)   I'll be making this one again and again and again...

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Recipe
Adapted from Girl Meets Life.
1 yellow cake mix (I used Duncan Hines)
3/4 c shredded, sweetened coconut + 1/3 cup for topping
1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips or white chocolate chips
1/3 c chopped pecans, macadamia nuts or walnuts
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c canola oil
1 tsp coconut extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 - 1/2 c coconut milk

1.  Grease an 8x8 pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  In a medium sized bowl combine cake mix, 3/4 cup coconut chocolate chips and nuts.  In another smaller bowl whisk together the egg, extracts and canola oil.
3.  Pour egg mixture over dry ingredients and mix as well as possible.  It will be crumbly.  Start adding the coconut milk a little at a time until the mixture is just moistened and has kind of a cookie dough consistency.  Pat dough into pan and sprinkle with remaining coconut.  Press coconut lightly into dough so it doesn't fall off when you serve them.
4.  Bake for approximately 28-33 minutes or until edges are starting to brown.  You want it to still be nice and gooey in the center.  Allow 20 minutes of cooling time before cutting.  This time will allow the gooey center to firm up a little.

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