Gilligan's Isle - Klecko's Birthday Cupcakes

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When Klecko was a small kid in elementary school, one of his favorite shows was Gilligan's Isle.

It didn't matter how many times I saw these episodes over and over and over.......

I just couldn't get enough.

I remember watching an episode where Gilligan got conked on the head with a coconut, but I think I thought that the coconut was a fictitious object because, I almost remember it like it was like yesterday....

My mom and I were at a Piggly Wiggly, in the produce aisle, and there, on the endcaps was a big pile of coconuts.

I was more than intrigued, I think this might have been my first compulsive moment.

I begged to get one, but my mother said "NO".

I was told I wouldn't like them and they weren't practical.

But then little Danny did the sad puppy dog eyes and my mom caved in.

I went home and found out the opening a real coconut wasn't as easy as it appeared on television.

When I finally got the blasted thing opened.......I wasn't all that crazy over it's contents.

As the years have gone by though, coconut is one of my very favorite flavors, and in fact, if I ever do bake myself a birthday cake, coconut will be the primary ingredient.

Before I share with you a great coconut recipe......

Let me hit you with some Gilligan factoids -

In the first season, the cast drank from real coconut shell cups, but they ended up sweating out the contents and were replaced with fake cups.

Jayne Mansfield turned down the role of Ginger

Raquel Welch auditioned for Mary Anne

The woman who played Mrs Howell had a stipulation in her contract that there would be no close ups of her face. she was 13 years older than the guy who played Mr Howell and it freaked her out

Eventually the show got cancelled to make room for Gunsmoke

On the shot of the opening credits, the flag in the harbor is at half-mast. This is because the shot was filmed right after JFK was killed.

    Klecko's Coconut Cupcakes!

• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 eggs, separated
• 1 teaspoon rum
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup apricot nectar
• 1/4 cup pineapple preserves
• 1/4 cup apricot preserves
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• FROSTING:
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 cup pineapple preserves
• 1/4 cup apricot preserves
• 3-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 36 maraschino cherries