Coconut Cake with Raspberry Filling

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 – 9″ round cake pans with baking spray.

Combine the cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Sift these ingredients 3 times.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter thoroughly; add sugar gradually. Continue creaming until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and beat well. Add flour mixture alternately with the milk, beating well after each addition. Stir in coconut and vanilla.

Fold in egg whites gently until well combined. Pour batter into three 8″ cake pans or two 9″ cake pans.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool cake. If you used 9″ cake pans, slice the layers in half to make a 4 layer cake.

Raspberry Preserves (at least 1 cup) *choose a good quality

Frosting Directions:

In a saucepan, use a whisk to blend 1 cup milk into 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat, and cook and stir two minutes more. Remove from heat. Cover the surface with plastic wrap. Cool to room temperature without stirring.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, and extracts until light and fluffy. Add cooled milk mixture to butter mixture a quarter cup at a time, beating on low speed after each addition until smooth. Add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well afterward. Beat until mixture is light and fluffy. Add more powdered sugar if necessary to the desired thickness.

Slice each layer in half. Spread a thin layer of preserves* between the sliced layers. Alternate preserves and frosting between the layers then frost the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle coconut on top and sides of the frosted cake. Slice and serve!