Coconut Cake

I made this cake for. Easter last year.  It was a huge hit.  Unfortunately I didn't take a photo.  Guess I will have to make it again.  I found the recipe in Bon Appetit magazine and it was credited to The Shubox Cafe in Cedar Grove, New Jersey.  It reminded me of a coconut cake we had down in Charleston a few years ago.

2 3/4 C. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 3/4 C. sugar
1 C. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 C. canned sweetened cream of coconut
4 large eggs, separated
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C. buttermilk
Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and flour 2 9 inch cake pans.  Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a medium bowl to blend.  Using an electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, and sweetened cream of coconut in a large bowl until fluffy.  Beat in egg yolks and vanilla extract.  On low speed, beat in dry ingredients and then buttermilk, each just until blended.

Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt in another large bowl until stiff but not dry.  Fold beaten egg whites into batter.

Divide cake batter between prepared pans.  Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.  Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes.  Run small sharp knife around pans to loosen cakes.  Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely.

Place 1 cake layer on cake plate.  Spread 1 cup cream cheese frosting (recipe below) over cake layer. Sprinkle 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut over the cake layer.  Top with second cake layer.  Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.  Sprinkle remaining coconut over cake, gently pressing into sides to adhere.  Cake can be prepared 1 day in advance.  Cover and refrigerate.  Let stand at room temperature for 2 hours before serving.

2 8oz. packages cream cheese
1/2 C. butter at room temperature
2 C. powdered sugar
1/2 C. sweetened cream of coconut
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat cream cheese in medium bowl until fluffy.  Add butter and beat to blend.  Add sugar, sweetened cream of coconut and vanilla; beat until well blended.