Coconut Layer Cake

Ingredients

• The cake
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup canned cream of coconut
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 pinch salt
• The frosting
• 2 (8 ounce) packages philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup canned sweetened cream of coconut
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

The Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degreesF. (180C)
2. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides.
3. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl to blend.
4. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter and sweetened cream of coconut in large bowl until fluffy.
5. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla extract.
6. On low speed, beat in dry ingredients and then buttermilk, each just until blended.
7. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites with pinch of salt in another large bowl until stiff but not dry.
8. Fold beaten egg whites into batter.
9. Divide cake batter between prepared pans.
10. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
11. Cool cakes in pans on rack 10 minutes.
12. Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cakes.
13. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely.
14. Place 1 cake layer on cake plate.
15. Spread 1 cup rosting over cake layer.
16. Top with second cake layer.
17. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.

The Frosting

1. Beat cream cheese in medium bowl until fluffy.
2. Add butter and beat to blend.
3. Add sugar, sweetened cream of coconut and vanilla extract and beat until well blended.
4. *Optional - You can sprinkle some non-sweetened shredded coconut on the cake to garnish if you like.