Coconut Layer Cake

If you haven't gone out to get your Magnolia cupcake cookbook yet, GO NOW while supplies (and your waistline) last.
After making a few things out of my mom's copy, I highly recommend it.
My mom was in Carmel for a wedding and celebrated her birthday Sunday. Since I wasn't there, being in NYC and all, I decided to throw her a little bash when she got home Wednesday night.
I think it went over pretty well. I figured doing dinner would be a little crazy and impractical since she was getting home so late, so instead I opted for my first ever homemade birthday cake.
All modesty and humility aside, WOW!
I chose the coconut cream cake, that being her favorite dessert, and was extremely happy with the results.
One confession: I had to improvise as I did not a) know what cream of tartar was b) couldn't identify it if we had it in the house and c) it was pouring and miserable out so once I was home decided better and safer to stay home.

Recipe :

Cake:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 seven-ounce package sweetened, shredded coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:
3 egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup cold water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 plus
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and lightly flour three 9 x 2-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with waxed paper. Make the cake in a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flours and add in four parts, alternating with the milk and the vanilla extract, beating well after each addition. Divide the batter among the cake pans. Bake for 25 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.

Make the filling in a medium-size saucepan, whisk the milk with the sugar and the flour until thoroughly combined. Cook and stir constantly over medium-high heat (about 5 minutes) until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat and add the coconut. Stir in the vanilla extract. Cover and cool to room temperature.

When cake has cooled, spread half the filling between the first two layers of cake, then the other half between the second and third layers. The cake should be assembled so it can be iced as soon as the frosting is completed.

Make the frosting in an electric mixer bowl, combine the egg whites and the vanilla extract and set aside. In a medium-size saucepan over high heat, combine the water with the sugar and the cream of tartar. As mixture begins to bubble at edges, stir once to make sure the sugar is dissolved completely, then let come to a rolling boll (about 2 to 3 minutes) and remove immediately from heat.

Now, in a medium-size bowl, on the medium-high speed of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and the vanilla extract with the whisk attachment until foamy, about 1 minute.Without turning off mixer, pour the sugar syrup into the beaten egg whites in a thin, steady stream. Continue beating constantly, on medium-high speed, for about 5 minutes or until stiff peaks form but frosting is still creamy. Frost top and sides of cake immediately. Generously sprinkle top with shredded coconut.

Mona's personal note: Since I didn't have cream of tartar I used generic cupcake frosting. And for aesthetic purposes, I did not frost the circumference of the cake. I liked being able to see its three layers. And besides that, too much frosting kills the cake sometimes. I liked it with less and I think Mom did too. I frosted the top and wrote "Happy Birthday Mom" of course, and with firecracker candles it looked great! When my Dad sends me the pix I'll add to this post :)