Toasted Coconut Cake

Many of my recipes are passed down through generations of my family of fabulous cooks or adapted from another recipe. While the basis for this recipe- yellow cake, seven minute frosting, and coconut sprinkled on top- came from my mother's coconut cake recipe, the rest was all me. I don't often hit a home run when I attempt to create something new out of something tried and true. More often than not, my attempt ends up summoning a demon or some such. (I kid, of course! LOL) But in this case, I hit it out of the ballpark with this one. There is never so much as a crumb left when I take this cake anywhere. They whisper, "Oh my gosh! Cari brought her toasted coconut cake! Go get a piece before it disappears!"

Toasted Coconut Cake

1 box white (or yellow) cake mix (plus ingredients on box)
1 can cream of coconut
1 can coconut milk
1 recipe of 7 Minute Frosting (recipe follows)
1 bag coconut- reserve 1/3 for cake mix

Prepare cake mix in a 9x13 pan according to directions on box but instead of the water, use coconut milk- it should equal about one cup. Add a third of the coconut to the mix. (The rest will be toasted and used as a topping.) Bake cake according to directions on box. While cake is still hot, poke holes all over entire cake using a fork or a skewer. Pour cream of coconut evenly over top and allow it to sit for several minutes (or overnight) to soak into cake. While you’re waiting, prepare the frosting (recipe follows) and toast the coconut. Spread frosting over top of cake and then sprinkle with toasted coconut.

Notes-
Be sure you use coconut milk in place of the water before you bake the cake, and cream of coconut after the cake is baked. If you reverse the two, the cake will be a milky, soupy mess.

To toast coconut-
Spread coconut evenly over cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes in a 350* oven, shaking the pan every few minutes to make sure it doesn’t stick or burn. Watch very carefully as it will burn very easily!

7 Minute Frosting

2 egg whites
1 ½ cups white sugar
1/3 c. water
1/4 t. cream of tartar (or 2 t. light corn syrup)
1 T. vanilla
Dash of salt

In the bottom pot of a double boiler, heat water to a simmering boil. Put ingredients into top pot and place over boiling water. With an electric mixer, beat ingredients on low until mixture begins to foam then increase speed to medium. Set timer for seven minutes as you cook the frosting. Mixture will begin to turn white and form stiff peaks. After seven minutes, remove the pot from the heat and add vanilla. Turn mixer down to low speed and blend in vanilla. Use frosting immediately after cooking.

Notes-
Do not allow top pot to touch boiling water in bottom pot as it will cause the mixture to crystallize on the bottom of the pot.
You can use either cream of tartar or light corn syrup. It acts as a stabilizer for the egg whites.
Use frosting immediately- do not allow it to sit in pot after you’ve prepared it as it will set and become brittle.