Fresh Coconut Cake

Adapted from recipe courtesy of Vera Severin in memory of Annie Dell Severin, Natchitoches, LA

2-1/2 cups cake flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 sticks of butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Coconut Filling (recipe follows)
Seven-Minute Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 3 9-inch cake pans. Sift together flour and baking powder and set aside.

Cream butter and sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Add milk and stir. Add flour and baking powder mixture to creamed mixture. Fold in vanilla. Evenly distribute mixture into cake pans and bake until light golden, about 20 minutes. Cool completely.

To assemble cake, spread Coconut Filling between layers. Frost cake with Seven-Minute Frosting.

Coconut Filling:
1 fresh coconut, drained
2 cups sugar
1 cup coconut milk (such as Goya brand)
4 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place drained coconut in oven and roast for 20 minutes. Cool. Break the shell and peel brown skin off. Grate coconut meat using a box grater. Set aside.

In a saucepan set over medium heat, add sugar, coconut milk and butter. Stir until sugar is dissolved and filing is smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Add grated coconut and stir to combine. Cool.

Seven-Minute Frosting:
•4 egg whites
•1 teaspoon cream of tartar
•1 1/2 cups sugar
•1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
•pinch salt
•1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Combine all ingredients except vanilla in a double boiler over medium heat. Beat on high speed over heat with an electric mixer until shiny and fluffy, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.