Richs Coconut Cake Recipes

Steps:

• TO PREPARE THE CAKE:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans.
• With an electric mixer, cream shortening. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Sift together flour and baking powder and add to shortening mixture, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Stir in lemon and vanilla extracts. Fold in beaten egg whites. Pour into prepared pans.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until golden. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Turn onto a rack and cool completely.
• When layers have cooled, brush generously with coconut milk (if using fresh coconut).*Can use canned coconut milk.
• TO PREPARE THE LEMON CURD:
• In a small bowl, combine lemon juice and cornstarch and stir until smooth. In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter and stir in sugar. Whisking constantly, add egg yolks until combined. Add lemon juice mixture, lemon peel and salt. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. (If any bits of egg cook through, remove them or pass mixture through a sieve.) Remove from heat and cool completely.
• TO PREPARE THE FROSTING:
• In a double boiler or large bowl over simmering water, place sugar, egg whites, corn syrup, salt and water; beat and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until peaks form and hold. Remove from heat; add vanilla and beat for 1 minute.
• TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:
• Place one layer on a plate. Top with half the lemon curd. Top with next layer and remaining curd. Top with next layer and frost top of layer and sides of cake. Press coconut into the frosting.

Steps:

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. , Preheat oven to 325°. In another large bowl, beat sugar, butter and oil until well blended. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. , Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Stir in coconut and extracts.. , Add cream of tartar to egg whites; with clean beaters, beat on medium until stiff peaks form. Fold a fourth of the egg whites into batter, then fold in remaining whites., Transfer to 3 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar and extract; beat until smooth. , Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting and sprinkle with 1/3 cup coconut. Repeat. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake; sprinkle with remaining coconut. Refrigerate for 2 hours before cutting. Store in the refrigerator.