Coconut Cake
- FOR THE CAKE
- Shortening and flour for cake pans
- 2 3/4 Cup Unsifted cake flour
- 2 Teaspoon Baking powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Package Coconut pudding mix; optional (3.5 ounces)
- 3/4 Cup Vegetable shortening
- 1 1/4 Cup Granulated sugar
- 1 Cup Unsweetened coconut milk
- 5 Egg whites
- FOR THE ICING
- 1 Quart Heavy cream
- 1/2 Cup Confectioners' sugar
- 1 Package Shredded sweetened coconut (10 ounces)
- * NOTE: If you can 't find the coconut pudding mix, then simply increase the unsifted cake flour from 2 3/4 cups to 3 cups and increase the granulated sugar from 1 1/4 cups to 1 1/2 cups.
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter and flour two round 9x2 inch cake pans and set aside. In a mixing bowl, sift the cake flour with the baking powder.
- Add the salt and the coconut pudding mix and mix well with a fork or whisk to combine.
- In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, cream the shortening and sugar for 2 minutes or until light and airy. In alternating batches add the sifted flour and coconut milk mixture to the shortening sugar mixture, beginning and ending with the flour.
- When the ingredients are mixed, with the electric mixer beat the batter for 30 seconds.
- In a clean mixing bowl, whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff and glossy. In three batches, fold the egg whites into the batter and transfer the batter to the prepared pans.
- Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a wooden toothpick or bamboo skewer, when inserted in the middle of the cake, comes out dry. Cool the pans on a cake rack for 20 minutes, then turn them out of the pans to cool completely.
- With an electric mixer, whip the heavy cream with the sugar until stiff. Spread a half inch layer of the sweetened whipped cream over one layer and sprinkle 1 cup of coconut on top.
- Top this layer with the second layer, then spread the whipped cream on the top and sides of the cake.
- Pat the remaining coconut over the sides and top of the cake, making sure to press the coconut into the whipped cream so it stays anchored.
- Refrigerate until serving time.