The Best Cake Ever

I meant to post this a while back and forgot - so I have to catch up... Right after Christmas we had a dinner party for a few friends and my sister-in-law. It was a really great night, and I think the food turned out alright, but I am sure that the cake did. It was awesome, I want to make it all the time it was so good - and to top it off it wasn't that hard. I really enjoyed cooking something from scratch (since I don't do it that often) and I loved the fact that it turned out well (as not everything I cook turns out really well)...anyway - here's the recipe...you have to try it!!!

Coconut Cake with Buttercream Frosting

Cake:
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon cake flour
2 1/2 cups cake flour (about 10 ounces)
2 teaspoons baking powder object
1/2 teaspoon salt object
2 cups sugar object
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup egg substitute object
2 large eggs object
3/4 cup light coconut milk object
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract

Frosting:
1 cup sugar object
1/4 cup water object
5 large egg whites object
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt object
1/4 cup butter, softened object
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract (optional)
3 tablespoons toasted flaked sweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 350°

To prepare cake, coat 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms of pans with wax paper. Lightly coat wax paper with cooking spray; dust pans with 1 tablespoon flour.
Lightly spoon 2 1/2 cups flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Place 2 cups sugar and 6 tablespoons butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes or until well blended. Add egg substitute and eggs to sugar mixture; beat well. Add flour mixture and coconut milk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon extract.
Spoon batter into prepared pans. Sharply tap the pans once on countertop to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on wire racks; remove from pans. Remove wax paper; discard. Cool cakes on wire racks.

To prepare frosting, combine 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 3 minutes, without stirring, or until a candy thermometer registers 250°. Combine egg whites, cream of tartar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; using clean, dry beaters, beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Pour hot sugar syrup in a thin stream over egg whites, beating at high speed until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low; continue beating until egg white mixture cools (about 12 minutes).
Beat 1/4 cup butter until light and fluffy; stir in 1/4 teaspoon extract, if desired. Fold in 1 cup egg white mixture. Fold butter mixture into remaining egg white mixture, stirring until smooth.

Place 1 cake layer on a plate; spread with 1 cup frosting. Repeat twice with cake layers and 1 cup frosting, ending with cake layer; spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Chill until set. Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

NUTRITION PER SERVINGCALORIES 317(25% from fat); FAT 8.8g (sat 5.5g,mono 0.3g,poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 4.4g; CHOLESTEROL 45mg; CALCIUM 10mg; SODIUM 267mg; FIBER 0.4g; IRON 1.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 55.6g

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2006