Old Fashioned Coconut Cake

My husband, Bjorn and our youngest son, Ryan both have birthdays this week. We will be traveling to Oregon to bring our daughter home from her first year in college later in the week so we are celebrating birthdays and Father's Day today. Bjorn and Ryan both love coconut cake. I have tried many coconut cake recipes over the years but have never found one that has been just right. Boy, do I sound like Goldilocks here! I think this is recipe number 4 and I have high hopes for this one. First of all it is an old southern recipe that I have made a few changes to. Thank goodness one can find unsweetened flaked coconut these days. I don't wish having to crack open a fresh coconut and preparing the flesh on anyone let alone myself. Been there, done that and it wasn't pretty.

Here are a couple of things I recommend for this cake. Do buy unsweetened flaked coconut. I found Red Mill at Sprouts(a health food store). I also used cream of coconut(found in the liquor aisle), coconut extract and coconut milk(found in the asian food aisle). I've included a picture of these items.



4 cups flour, sifted
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
6 eggs, separated
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. coconut extract
Filling:
Unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cups sugar
1/2 cup cream of coconut
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup coconut milk, for soaking cake layers
1/3 cup of coconut milk for sponging on the cake layers
Marshmallow Frosting
1/3 cup water
1 cup sugar
3 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tsp coconut extract
pinch of salt

Whip the egg whites until stiff and set aside. Sift flour, baking powder and soda together. Cream sugar and butter, add egg yolks. Add flour and milk alternately, then fold in well beaten egg whites. This makes 3, 9 inch layers. Bake 350 F in moderate oven for 30-35 minutes.




Filling:
Mix flour and sugar in a sauce pan before adding butter and coconut milk and cream of coconut. Cook to syrup. Add grated coconut after syrup has cooled. Reserve some coconut to sprinkle on top of cake. Sponge each cake layer with more coconut milk before spreading filling.

Marshmallow Frosting
Stir the water, sugar, cream of tartar and salt together in a small saucepan. Hook a thermometer onto the side of the pan and boil without stirring until the temperature reaches 240 degrees. Meanwhile, beat the egg whites until stiff. Pour the hot syrup in a thin stream over the whites beating constantly. Continue to beat until the frosting is thick and glossy about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the coconut extract. Frost cake and top with remaining coconut.