McCalls Creamy Coconut Cake

Cake:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup milk
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Filling:
1 (8 oz) carton heavy cream, whipped stiff
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup coconut
1 tsp vanilla

Frosting:
2 pkg (3 oz each) cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla
4 cups confectioner's sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 pkg (8 oz) coconut

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease (and flour if you wish) 3 nine (9-inch) inch round pans.

Mix flour with baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt. In a large bowl, mixed at high speed beat the butter and 2 cups of sugar until light. Add 4 eggs, one at a time, and beat after each time you add one.

Continue beating, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber scraper, until fluffy - about 2 minutes. At low speed, beat in flour mixture, in fourths alternating with milk (in thirds) beginning and ending with the flour mix. Add vanilla. Beat until just smooth, about 1 min.

Pour into prepared pans, and bake for 25-30 min., or until surface springs back when lightly touched. Cool pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool thoroughly.

Prepare the filling:
Whip the cream, adding the sugar and vanilla, and keep cool until the cake has cooled completely.

Make the frosting:
Cream the cream cheese and sugar together, then add the sugar and vanilla. You might need to add a little milk to make it to the consistency you like.

When everything is cool and ready, place a layer on the plate you will serve it from, top side down. Fill with whipped cream filling, and sprinkle with coconut and if you would like add chopped walnuts. Repeat with the second layer, and then place the top layer on. Frost the sides and the top. Cover the entire cake with coconut and if you wish, add chopped walnuts. Refrigerate to set the frosting.

NOTE: I had to use skewers to hold the cake in place while I was frosting it, and it might be a good idea to use these to prevent the cake from sliding.

Yield: 10 servings
Source: McCalls Cooking School
Adapted by: Linda Fields