Super Easy Killer-Good Coconut Cake

Coconut cake is a tradition around here at Christmas. I normally make three; two to give away and one for my own family. 
This recipe is so easy, anyone can make a wonderful coconut cake with it. It uses a cake mix! And it doesn’t taste artificial because it uses real coconut and not coconut flavoring. The hardest part is my frosting recipe, because I insist on fluffy 7 minute frosting on coconut cake. But you can use any kind of frosting you like.

Coconut Cake

1 box White cake mix made with egg whites, oil and water. Bake as instructed and allow to cool to just barely warm. You can use round pans, oblong or even a bundt pan.

1 – 16 oz can Cream of Coconut – this is not coconut milk but sweetened cream of coconut milk. The brand I use is Karumba.

About 2-3 cups sweetened flaked coconut

7-Minute frosting – recipe follows.

Bake the cake, let cool 5 minutes and then turn it out onto your serving platter or plate and allow to cool to warm. Poke holes all over the top of the cake with a wooden spoon. Pour the cream of coconut into the holes. If you use round layers, pour cream of coconut into each layer separately, don’t assemble the layers until you make the frosting.
You will want to use as much of the 16 oz can of cream of coconut as you can without completely saturating the cake so go slowly. Just eye-ball it and when the cake seems like it won’t take any more, stop.

Now make your 7 Minute Frosting………

You will need a double boiler, or one that you make yourself out of two pans. You really don’t have to use a thermometer, I don’t. I just use medium -high heat.

2 large egg whites or use three or four small ones
1 C sugar
1/4 C water
1 tsp. light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

Makes about 3 Cups

With hand mixer, beat egg whites until foamy in the top of a double boiler, set about 2″ from the simmering water. Beat in remaining ingredients and continue beating for about seven minutes or until temperature on a candy thermometer reaches 160° F and soft peaks form. Remove top of double boiler and continue to beat until stiff peaks form, about 4-5 minutes.

Let the cakes cool completely before frosting. Once cool, you can spread the frosting over the top of the first cake, add the second layer if using. Then spread frosting over the top and sides.
Before the icing has a chance to set up, sprinkle the top and sides with coconut.

To put coconut on the sides of the cake, hold the coconut flakes in one of your hands, then
gently press the flakes onto the sides of the cake.

Decorate the top with one maraschino cherry if desired, or a little sprig of holly and berries.

Store this kind of cake in a cake taker with airtight cover. I don’t really know how long it will last out side the frig….. it stays at my house for about one evening LOL!