Grammie’s coconut cake is always a Christmas favorite! I dare you to find a better recipe.
Cake
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups of granulated sugar
4 beaten eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon FRESH lemon juice
Icing
3 egg whites
1 and 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup of white corn syrup
1/4 cup coconut milk (or coconut water)
Dash of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract OR FRESH lemon juice
3 to 4 cups freshly grated coconut
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. For the cake, in a large mixing bowl beat the butter and sugar. Add the beaten eggs. In another bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture and the milk alternately to the butter mixture. Mix thoroughly after each addition. Add the vanilla and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly. Add the vanilla and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly. This recipe makes three thick 9-inch layers or four thinner 9-inch layers. Bake the cake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. While the cake is baking, make the icing.
For the icing, in the top of a double boiler over simmering water cook the egg whites, sugar, corn syrup, coconut milk (or coconut water) and salt for 7 minutes, beating with a hand mixer until peaks begin to drop off a spoon. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla or lemon juice. Spread the icing between the layers, on the sides, and on the top. Sprinkle freshly grated coconut between the layers and all over the sides and the top.
Yield: 1 cake
