Coconut Cake

Next to the Dobos Torte, this cake ranks high on my favorite list. Rich, dense, and a light, airy frosting all describe this decadent dessert. I don't even like coconut-candies, macaroons, nor anything flavored with coconut milk but I love, love, love this cake!
It was still dark and the birds weren't even chirping when I awoke to start this recipe. Yes, I have been known to sacrifice sleep and/or leisure time to bake for people I love.
Martha advises you to butter and flour parchment and pans before beginning recipe to decrease the time between the end of making batter, to pouring into pan ,to begin baking in a 350 degree preheated oven.
Sifted flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Mixed 1 C of coconut into flour mixture while creaming 3 sticks of room temperature butter with 2 2/3 C sugar. Added 4 whole eggs and 4 egg white one at a time and finally 1 T vanilla. Turned Magnolia down to low and began adding flour mixture alternating with 1 1/2 C of coconut milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Baked for 22 minutes, rotated and baked for 28 more. Done when cake tester comes out clean.
Seven Minute Frosting:
Yes, you actually need 7 minutes of mixing to achieve the right consistency and a cake thermometer to measure the 160 degree temperature of egg whites, sugar, and light corn syrup cooking over simmering water as you stir feverishly. Lucky I have Magnolia to do all the mixing for me, all 7 minutes at high speed.
April called the next morning asking if there was any cake left. Unfortunately, I had eaten the last slice with a nice cup of tea.
The recipe yields a lot of batter that I made a mini cake to share with Daly and the girls. I thought what better cake to have at tea time!