Fresh Coconut Cake

This cake is best served after setting up overnight. Also, I made many substitutions. I didn't have coconut, orange liqueur, cake flour and mandarin oranges. Instead, I used lemon juice, all purpose flour and strawberries. I skipped the snow peak frosting since it's not popular in the AMW house. So I ended up with a custard & strawberries cake instead of coconut custard cake. Either way you make it, you won't be disappointed!

Fresh Coconut Cake

Cake:
1 fresh coconut, cut into pieces
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup butter or margarine, chilled
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sifted cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Custard filling
Snow peak frosting
Mandarin orange sections

Position shredding disc in food processor bowl; cover with top. Peel brown skin from fresh coconut pieces; cut coconut to fit food chute and shred, using firm pressure. Remove the coconut,and set aside.

Combine sugar and eggs in processor bowl; process 1 minute. Cut butter into chunks, and add to processor bowl; process 1 minute, stopping once to scrape sides of bowl.

With processor running, pour milk and vanilla through food chute.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to processor bowl; top with cover, and pulse 4 to 6 times or just until blended.

Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 9 inch round cake pans. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans, and cool completely.

Split cake layers in half horizontally to make 4 layers.

Spread custard filling between layers; spread top and sides with snow peak frosting, and sprinkle with coconut. Garnish with mandarin orange sections. Yield: one 4-layer cake.

Custard filling:
2 cups milk
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
3 Tbsp orange-flavored liqueur or 1 teaspoon orange flavoring
1 cup grated fresh coconut

Combine milk, egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a heavy saucepan; stir with a wire whisk until well blended. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth. Stir in liqueur. Chill thoroughly. Stir in coconut. Yield: about 2 1/4 cups.

Snow peak frosting:
1 1/4 cups light corn syrup
2 egg whites
Dash of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Bring corn syrup to a boil.

Combine egg whites (at room temperature) and salt in a large mixing bowl. Beat egg whites at high speed of an electric mixer until soft peaks form; continue to beat, slowly adding corn syrup. Add vanilla; beat until stiff peaks form and frosting is thick enough to spread. Yield: enough for one 9-inch layer cake.

Source: Southern Living 1985 Annual Recipes, Oxmoor House Inc. , page 281