FRESH COCONUT CAKE

3/4 c. shortening--Crisco
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. water
or 1 cup coconut milk drained from coconut
3 c. sifted cake flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. lemon extract or almond extract
6 egg whites

Cream shortening; gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Combine milk and water. Combine cake flour, baking powder, and salt, stirring well. Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in vanilla and lemon extracts. Beat egg whites (at room temperature) until stiff peaks form; fold into batter. Line bottom of two greased 9 inch round cake pans with waxed paper. Pour batter into cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans and peel off paper. Cool cake completely before adding frosting.

FROSTING

5 tbsp. water
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. light corn syrup
2 egg whites, unbeaten
1 tsp. vanilla
Grated fresh coconut

Put water, sugar, corn syrup, unbeaten egg whites in top of double boiler; blend with rotary beater. Beat constantly about 7 minutes. If an electric mixer is used at high speed, takes about 3 minutes. Frosting should stand in stiff peaks and cling to beater. Remove pan from hot water. Add vanilla and continue beating only until thick enough to spread. Spread on cake and sprinkle top and sides with grated fresh coconut.

Cracking the coconut: Punch holes in two of the coconut eyes and drain juice or milk to be used in the cake. Bake coconut in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Cool slightly and crack with a hammer. Meat will pull away from the shell. Peel off brown skin and grate the fresh coconut for use in the frosting.

NOTES: You may use a white or yellow cake mix of your choice--I prefer white.
If at all possible, chose a clear sunshiny day to make icing. With high humidity, the frosting does not set up properly.