Cretan Coconut Cake

i had this on holiday in malame in crete last year and loved it, very moist and very tasty. hope you like it as much as i do . ( sweet tooth required ) the cake is just as good if you dont want to pour the syrup mix over it .

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 8-12

Ingredients

• 4  eggs, seperated
• 1  pinch salt
• 1⁄3 lb butter
• 1  cup sugar
• 1⁄2 cup milk
• 1 1⁄2 cups self raising flour
• 1  tablespoon baking powder
• 1 1⁄2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

• for syrup

• 1 1⁄2 cups water
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄2  lemon, juice of
• 2  cloves
• 1  cinnamon stick

Directions

1. in a pan combine syrup ingredients and boil for 10 minutes.
2. remove from heat and leave to cool.
3. in a bowl beat egg whites with salt untill it makes peaks.
4. in another bowl beat egg yolks,butter and sugar untill creamy.
5. beat in the milk then flour and baking powder.
6. stir in coconut then using a spatula carefully fold in the egg whites.
7. lightly grease a 15"x10" baking tin then lightly coat with flour shaking off any excess flour.
8. transfer cake batter to tin and cook at 170 c for 45 minutes.
9. remove from oven and cut into the size portions you require whilst still hot then pour over the cooled syrup ( if using it ) starting from edges working into centre of cake.
10. allow 3 hrs for syrup to absorbe before serving.