Coconut Cake With Fluffy Icing

What could be more satisfying than coconut cake with a lemon filling? I personally thought the filling was a bit tart and would probably cut down the lemon juice/zest a bit next time as I felt the tartness was a bit overpowering. I loved the frosting. It was nice and fluffy--kind of marshmallow like, but not as sweet as a marshmallow. This recipe is one of Art Smith's from O Magazine.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• For Filling

• 3⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 8  teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 8  egg yolks
• 1⁄2 cup butter, cut into 8 pieces
• 2  grated lemons, zest of
• 1  pinch salt

• For Cake

• 3  cups cake flour
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 2  cups sugar
• 1  cup butter, softened
• 4  eggs, at room temperature separated
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1  cup canned unsweetened coconut milk, well stirred

• For Icing

• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 2  egg whites, at room temperature
• 2  teaspoons corn syrup
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1 (17 ounce) bag  shredded sweetened coconut (2 2/3 cups)

Directions

1. For filling: In heavy saucepan, combine lemon juice and 1/2 cup water.
2. Add cornstarch and whisk to dissolve.
3. Add sugar, egg yolks, butter, lemon zest and salt.
4. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture comes to a simmer.
5. Reduce heat to low and whisk 1 minute.
6. Strain through a coarse sieve into a medium bowl.
7. Let cool to room temperature, press a piece of plastic wrap directly on surface and put in refrigerator until very cold.
8. (Filling may be prepared up to 2 days in advance).
9. To make cake: Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly greaes and flour three 9-inch round layer pans.
10. Line bottoms with parchment paper.
11. In medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt.
12. In another bowl, cream sugar and butter with electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
13. Beat in egg yolks one at a time, then vanilla.
14. On low speed, add flour in three 1-cup additions, alternating with two 1/2-cup additions of coconut milk.
15. Begin and end with flour and beat until smooth, scraping bowl often with rubber spatula.
16. In another bowl, beat egg whites (with clean beaters) on high speed until they form stiff peaks.
17. Whisk 1/4 of the whites into the batter, then fold in the remainder.
18. Spread mixture evenly in pans.
19. Place in oven on center rack.
20. Make sure pans don't touch each other and that they are not too close to sides of oven so air can circulate evenly around them.
21. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until toothpick inserted in centers come out clean.
22. Let cakes cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes.
23. Invert and remove from pan and peel off parchment paper.
24. Tun right sides up and cool completely.
25. To make icing: In the top of a double boiler, combine sugar, egg whites,corn syrup, cream of tartar, and 1/3 cup water.
26. Place over simmering water.
27. Beat on high speed with handheld electric mixer until icing forms soft peaks, about 2 minutes.
28. Remove from heat and beat in vanilla.
29. Continue beating 5 minutes, or just until stiff peaks form.
30. Place one layer upside down on serving plate.
31. Spread with half of lemon filling.
32. Place second layer on top, right side up.
33. Spread with remaining half of filling.
34. Add the final layer right side up.
35. Spread icing over top and sides of cake.
36. Press handfulls of coconut all over icing.