Coconut Cake

It's a three stage cake....

1-2-3-4 cake recipe

Coconut filling

7-min Icing

1-2-3-4 Cake
(my grandmother's recipe - adapted for this cake)

1 C real butter (I've toyed with using half coconut oil)
2 C granulated white sugar
3 C sifted flour (sift all purpose flour then measure out)
4 eggs (plus the two egg yolks that you'll have when you separate the eggs for the 7-min icing)
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 C coconut milk

Sift together dry ingredients and set aside. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs on at the time. Alternately add water and flour mixture. Add vanilla.

Bake in three 9" prepared (greased, floured, lined with wax paper) cake pans at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Invert pans onto wire racks and remove cakes from pans immediately to prevent overcooking.

Coconut Filling 

2 cups of unsweetened grated coconut

1 1/2 cups liquid (water or coconut milk)

2 cups sugar

1 cup heavy cream

Cook 1 1/2 cups coconut milk and 2 C sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it spins a thread (230degrees). I use a candy thermometer. We used to just use water if we didn't have the fresh coconut milk.  The canned milk isn't quite the same but very tasty.  When I use canned coconut milk, it seems that the temp never gets up to 230deg.

Add 1 C heavy cream. Boil hard for one minute. Pour over finely grated coconut meat.

This can be made ahead of time and stored in fridge.  It is to be put between the layers of the cake and on top.

Seven Minute Icing 
from the Joy of Cooking 

 2 unbeaten egg whites (remember those yolks you threw into the cake)
1 1/2 C granulated white sugar 
5 Tbs cold water 
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Put all in the top of double boiler.  Put water in the bottom of the double boiler.  When water comes to a hard boil, place top of double boiler over it and using an electric beater, beat on med speed for at least 7 minutes, or until stiff peaks form. (In Idaho, it took longer)  Remove from heat and stir in 1 tsp vanilla.  Spread quickly over top and sides of cake.  It sets up fast, so work quickly.