Coconut Cake

Total Time: 72 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 72 hrs

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 3 cups sifted self-rising flour
• 1 cup coconut milk (not cream of coconut)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 tablespoons milk
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar or 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°f.
• 2 grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans and set aside.
• 3 prepare coconut cake:.
• 4 in large bowl, with mixer on medium, beat butter until creamy.
• 5 add sugar and continue beating 6 minutes or until light and fluffy.
• 6 add eggs 1 at a time beating well after each one.
• 7 add flour and milk alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending w/flour.
• 8 add vanilla and beat until just mixed.
• 9 divide batter equally among prepared pans and drop pans several times on counter to release air bubbles and make more level.
• 10 bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
• 11 while cake is baking prepare coconut filling:.
• 12 in medium bowl w/spoon, stir together sugar, sour cream, milk, and 1/2 cup coconut until well blended.
• 13 cool layers on wire racks for 10 minutes.
• 14 use butter knife to loosen layers from pans and place on work surface.
• 15 use handle end of a wooden spoon and poke hold in layers 1 inch apart until each layer is poked all over.
• 16 spread 1/3 of the filling on each layer.
• 17 place 1 layer on cake plate, top w/2nd and 3rd layer.
• 18 use skewers to prevent cake from shifting.
• 19 cover and refrigerate 1 hour or up to 3 days to absorb filling.
• 20 when ready to assemble cake prepare frosting:.
• 21 in top of double boiler with hand held mixer on high speed, beat sugar, water, cream of tartar, salt, and egg whites for 1 minute.
• 22 place double boiler top over 1 inch simmering water, making sure water doesn't touch bottom of double boiler top.
• 23 with the mixer on high speed, beat until soft peaks form and temperature reaches 160°f on instant-read thermometer, about 7 minutes.
• 24 beat in vanilla.
• 25 use frosting to frost top and side of cake.
• 26 sprinkle cake with remaining coconut.
• 27 garnish with strawberries.