Coconut Cake

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans and set aside.
• Prepare coconut cake:
• In large bowl, with mixer on medium, beat butter until creamy.
• Add sugar and continue beating 6 minutes or until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs 1 at a time beating well after each one.
• Add flour and milk alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending w/flour.
• Add vanilla and beat until just mixed.
• Divide batter equally among prepared pans and drop pans several times on counter to release air bubbles and make more level.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
• While cake is baking prepare coconut filling:
• In medium bowl w/spoon, stir together sugar, sour cream, milk, and 1/2 cup coconut until well blended.
• Cool layers on wire racks for 10 minutes.
• Use butter knife to loosen layers from pans and place on work surface.
• Use handle end of a wooden spoon and poke hold in layers 1 inch apart until each layer is poked all over.
• Spread 1/3 of the filling on each layer.
• Place 1 layer on cake plate, top w/2nd and 3rd layer.
• Use Skewers to prevent cake from shifting.
• Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or up to 3 days to absorb filling.
• When ready to assemble cake prepare frosting:
• In top of double boiler with hand held mixer on high speed, beat sugar, water, cream of tartar, salt, and egg whites for 1 minute.
• Place double boiler top over 1 inch simmering water, making sure water doesn't touch bottom of double boiler top.
• With the mixer on high speed, beat until soft peaks form and temperature reaches 160°F on instant-read thermometer, about 7 minutes.
• Beat in vanilla.
• Use frosting to frost top and side of cake.
• Sprinkle cake with remaining coconut.
• Garnish with strawberries.