Favorite Coconut Cake

Due to popular demand, I'm posting a favorite recipe of mine :-) Be prepared, this is a time consuming recipe, but well worth the trouble.

Coconut Cake

1-2-3-4 Cake
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 1/2 cups flour, sifted
4 eggs
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp coconut extract
1 tsp salt
1 cup coconut milk (yes, I used canned)

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well b/n each. Add alternately liquid and flour mixture. Add vanilla and coconut extract. Bake in 3 - 9" greased, floured, and wax-papered cake pans at 325 deg for 30 mins. Cool.

Filling:

1 1/2 cups liquid. (use the rest of the coconut milk from can, making up difference with water)
2 cups sugar
Cook to 230 deg.
Add
1 cup heavy cream.
Boil one minute. Pour over grated coconut. (I use unsweetened shredded coconut that I chopped more finely in the food processor.) Spread between layers and on top.

7-minute Icing

Combine in top of double boiler:

2 egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 Tbp cold water
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Place over rapidly boiling water. Do not let the water touch the top of the double boiler. Beat constantly for 7 minutes. It should form semi-stiff peaks. If it's not "cooked" enough, it will run down the cake. Remove from heat. Add 1 tsp vanilla.

Makes plenty for any 3 layer cake.