the ginger's goodie grams: Coconut cake

from Michelle Huxtable's cookbook The Gathering of Friends, Vol. 2

One of my sisters just turned 18. That's weird. I sometimes feel like I am still 18, even though I am married and almost done with college.

Anyway, she asked me to make a cake and I got really excited when she said she wanted it to be coconut. I love coconut. And my older sister's amazing mother-in-law has the BEST coconut cake recipe ever. EVER. If you like coconut, you will love this.

I N G R E D I E N T S

--1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

--3 cups sugar

--6 large eggs

--3 1/2 cup flour

--2 tsp. baking powder

--1 cup heavy cream

--1 tsp. coconut extract

--2 tsp. vanilla extract

--for the buttercream vanilla frosting--

--1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

--1/3 cup heavy cream

--3 tsp. vanilla extract

--8 cups powdered sugar

--2 cups shredded coconut

D I R E C T I O N S

--Preheat oven to 325 degrees. spray three 9-inch round cake pans with pam and set aside.

--In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until combined.

--Add in the eggs and beat well until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
--Meanwhile, in another bowl, sift flour and baking powder.

--Alternate adding in the heavy cream and the sifted flour/baking powder into the egg/butter mixture, starting and ending with the heavy cream.

--Mix in the coconut extract and vanilla.

--Evenly pour the cake mixture into the three cake pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

--Once the cake is completely cooled, frost each layer with the Buttercream Vanilla Frosting.

--While the cakes are cooling, begin with the frosting by combining the softened butter, cream, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment.