A Break from Cake: Coconut Dreamsicle Bars

Yes, today I'm straying from my usual topic of cake. I love to bake other types of goodies in addition to cake. So these off topic posts are what I'm calling... "A Break from Cake."  Today's entry is full of yummy sweetness that reminds me of a warm, sunny, summer day. (Sounds good to me... especially since the temperature outside has been below 30 degrees Fahrenheit for a couple of weeks. Brrrrrrrr!)

Remember those orange/vanilla ice cream bars we ate as kids? I recently had a craving for one, only I didn't want a frozen treat. (It's simply too cold outside for that.) So I came up with a baked version of the Dreamsicle bar, but then I added a surprise twist... coconut! The orange & coconut flavor combination seems to work together well. Just be aware... these bars are very rich and very moist. So go grab a cold glass of milk, cut yourself a piece, and enjoy this special "winter" treat!

Coconut Dreamsicle Bars
1 C melted butter
2 C granulated sugar
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
4 tsp. Loann's Orange Bakery Emulsion (The flavor doesn't bake out of emulsions like it will with extracts.)
1 Tbs. orange zest
4 drops orange food coloring
1 C coconut
2 C vanilla chips
1 tsp. salt
2 C flour
Cream together melted butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, orange emulsion, and food coloring. Mix well, then stir in coconut and vanilla chips. In a separate bowl, mix together salt and flour. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Stir until just combined then pour into a greased 9x13" pan. Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 min. Cool.

Coconut Frosting
4 C powdered sugar
2 tsp. Lorann's Coconut Bakery Emulsion or you can use coconut extract.
5-6 Tbls. milk
Mix all ingredients together and frost.