Light as a Cloud and Tasty Coconut cake

      So do you ever get those whims to just bake something?  No, hmmm well, I do!  In fact, I get them quite frequently.  One of my favorite flavors is coconut.  Especially with spring in the air.  I like to think that the smell of coconut takes me back to the beach in Hawaii.  Bright sunshine, yellow sand, and blue, blue water.... oh and don't forget the smell of coconut, which to me always seemed to linger on the breeze.  (Could have been my sunscreen, not sure)  However, coconut is a sure way to bring a smile to my face.  
         On this particular day, coconut cake was my goal.  Word of warning here, come of the coconut cake recipes out there can be INTENSE and need 1,000 ingredients.  This one doesn't, however, make sure you've got the stuff on hand before setting out to make this cake.  The original cake recipe is from Add A Pinch blog and the frosting recipe if from Paula Dean   Let me tell you, this cake won raves reviews not only from myself but from my neighbor!  

Coconut Cake

Ingredients for the cake:

Sorry this is a bad photo, but it was tasty!

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3 cups granulated sugar
5 eggs, room temperature
3 cups all- purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut milk (USE MILK not Creme) 
1/2 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons of coconut extract

Ingredients for the frosting:
1 1/2 cup sugar 
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter or 1 Tbsp white corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt 
1/3 cup of water 
2 egg whites 
1 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract 

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare three 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick baking spray and flour, making sure to remove all excess flour.

            Then, cream together butter and shortening until light and fluffy.  Slowly add sugar one cup at a time, making sure to fully incorporate each cup before adding another. Add eggs one at a time, making sure to fully incorporate each egg before adding another.

            Next, Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour milks and coconut into measuring cup and whisk together with a fork. Add to butter mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.  Stir all ingredients until well combined. 

           Pour as evenly as possible between cake pans and place pans into oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove and allow to cool slightly in cake pans for about 5 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack.

Frosting 

Put sugar, cream of tarter or corn syrup, salt, water, and egg whites in the top bowl of a double boiler.  Beat with a hand held mixer for 1 minute.  Place pan over the boiling water, making sure that the pan does not get any water in it or that it does not touch the water.  (The frosting could be grainy if you get water into it).  Beat constantly on high speed for 7 minutes.  Add in coconut extract.  

  

       Once the cake has cooled, frost in between the layers and the outside of the cake with the 7 minute frosting.  You can cover the cake in shredded coconut if you like, I chose not too, but it was just because I was out of shredded coconut.  Cut  huge slice and enjoy!  Hopefully you too will feel like a big, puffy white cloud floating over a Hawaiian beach while eating this piece of cake!