Recipe: Cherry Coconut Cake with Boiled Frosting

From: Susan,.TN

Cherry Coconut Cake

2 cups plain, all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup milk (not skim, at least 2%)
1 teaspoon milk
4 eggs whites
1 can cherry pie filling
Boiled frosting (recipe follows)
2 cups flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and lightly flour 2 8" round cake pans.
Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into mixing bowl. Beat in shortening and milk on low until all is moistened, then beat at high for 2 minutes. Add egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Pour into prepared pans and bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool in pans for 15 minutes, them remove and allow to cool thoroughly.
When cooled, mark the halfway point around the cakes with toothpicks and carefully cut in half with a serrated knife. It is easiest to do this with the cake on a turntable, turning in a circle while cutting until done.
Separate the layers.

Place first layer on cake platter. Using half of the canned cherry filling, spread it to within 1" of the edge of the cake.
Place second layer on top, spread some of the boiled frosting on it, and sprinkle with some coconut.
Next, place the third layer on top and spread the remaining pie filling to within 1" of the edge.
Finish with the fourth layer and spread the top and sides with boiled frosting. If any of the pie filling has bled to the edge, pat some powdered sugar over it to keep it from bleeding into the frosting. Cover with coconut.

Boiled Frosting

3 egg whites
2/3 cup fine granulated sugar
dash salt
5 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In the top of a double boiler, over lightly boiling water, mix together egg whites, sugar, salt, and corn syrup on low speed. Beat constantly on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Remove from heat and beat in vanilla extract.