Kahala Hilton Coconut Cake
Rec.food.cooking/tamale (1997)

This is fairly typical of the coconut cake that is very popular here in Hawaii. You could add drained canned pineapple to either the frosting or the filling, or frost your cake and decorate with fresh pineapple slices. It's a very tasty and pretty cake!

4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup cake flour
Sugar
Custard Filling (recipe follows)
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
3 cups freshly grated coconut

Mix egg yolks, oil, water and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Add salt, baking powder, cake flour and 3/4 cup sugar. Mix until smooth.

Beat egg whites until stiff and carefully fold into batter. Pour into 10-inch springform pan that has been greased and floured or lined with wax paper. Bake at 325 degrees 50 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool.

Cut cake into 4 very thin or 3 thicker layers. Spread cooled Custard Filling between cake layers. Whip cream with 3 tablespoons sugar until stiff. Frost top and sides of cake with whipped cream. Sprinkle top and sides generously with coconut. Chill. Makes 1 (9-inch) layer cake.

Custard Filling

2 cups milk
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold milk
2 eggs, beaten

Combine milk, sugar and vanilla in saucepan. Bring to boil. Mix cornstarch with cold milk and beaten eggs. Blend cornstarch mixture into sugar mixture and cook, stirring, until thickened. Cool.