Coconut Cake

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Ingredients:

     Cake
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 cups sifted self-rising flour
1 cup coconut milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

     Filling
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
4 Tbs. milk
1/2 cup flaked, sweetened coconut

     Frosting
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar or 1 Tbs. white corn syrup
1/8 tsp. salt
1/3 cup water
2 egg whites
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Flaked, sweetened coconut for sprinkling

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans.

Prepare cake first. Using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to cream well for 6-8 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and continue to beat until just mixed. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Level batter in each pan by holding pan 3 or 4 inches above counter, then dropping it flat onto counter. Do this several times to release air bubbles and assure you of a more level cake. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until done.

While cake is baking, prepare filling. Stir together sugar, sour cream, milk, and coconut in a bowl until well blended. Remove cake layers from oven and allow cake to remain in pans as you prepare to stack and fill. Remove first layer and invert onto cake plate. Using the wrong end of a wooden spoon, poke holes approximately 1-inch apart until entire cake has been poked. Spread 1/3 of filling mixture on cake layer. Top with second layer, repeat process. Top with last layer and repeat process again. As you stack layers together, use toothpicks to prevent cake from shifting.

Prepare frosting next. Place sugar, cream of tartar or corn syrup, salt, water, and egg whites in the top of a double boiler. Beat with a handheld electric mixer for 1 minute. Place pan over boiling water, being sure that boiling water does not touch the bottom of the top pan. Beat constantly on high speed with electric mixer for 7 minutes. Beat in vanilla.

Frost top and sides of cake. Sprinkle top and sides of cakes with additional coconut.

Rick and Bob celebrating Devin’s graduation lunch at Carmines in
New York wearing the bibs I made for the occasion.