Coconut Cake I

Description
Contributed by World Recipes Y-Group

Ingredients

 * ¾ cup butter or margarine
 * 1½ cups sugar
 * 3 eggs, separated
 * 3 cups sifted cake flour
 * 1 tablespoon baking powder
 * ½ teaspoon salt
 * ¾ cup coconut milk
 * ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
 * 1¾ cups coconut -- freshly grated
 * sweetened whipped cream or whipped—topping

Coconut milk

 * ¾ cup milk
 * 3 tablespoons grated coconut, packed

Directions

 * 1) Cream butter until light and fluffy; gradually add sugar and cream until very light.
 * 2) Beat egg yolks until lemon-colored; add to butter mixture, blending well.
 * 3) Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture in 3 parts, alternating with coconut milk and ending with flour mixture.
 * 4) Add vanilla; stir in ¾ cup grated coconut.
 * 5) Beat egg whites until stiff; gently fold into cake batter.
 * 6) Turn batter into 2 greased, floured 9-inch layer pans; bake in preheated 350°F oven for 25 minutes, or until cake tester or wood pick inserted near center comes out dry.
 * 7) Cool in pans 15 minutes.
 * 8) Loosen and invert on rack to cool completely.
 * 9) Frost with whipped cream; sprinkle remaining grated coconut over top and sides of cake.

Coconut milk

 * 1) Combine milk and coconut in saucepan.
 * 2) Scald milk, cover, and let steep 30 minutes.
 * 3) Strain milk, pressing out as much liquid as possible from coconut.
 * 4) Enjoy.