State Fair Winning Coconut Cake

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 4 egg whites
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 3 cups shredded coconut (to top the frosting)
• 5 tablespoons wondra flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter or 1/2 cup margarine
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla

Recipe

• 1 grease and flour two round cake pans or one large pan for a single layer cake.
• 2 sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• 3 cream shortening. beat in 1 and 2/3 cups sugar. blend in vanilla and coconut extracts. beat in egg whites.
• 4 blend in flour alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. using a mixer, beat on low for 2 minutes. pour into pans. bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick tests clean.
• 5 cool 10 to 15 minutes in pans, then finish cooling on racks. cool completely before frosting.
• 6 for frosting: put wondra in saucepan. slowly blend in milk. cook over medium heat, stirring, until thick. cool.
• 7 in deep bowl, beat butter, shortening and salt. beat in confectioner's sugar and vanilla. beat in cooled sauce until fluffy.
• 8 frost cake. sprinkle with all of the coconut.
• 9 store in refrigerator.
• 10 cooking time does not include the time for the cake and frosting to cool.