Evelyn Hanna's Coconut Cake

A subscriber recently called Joseph and requested the recipe of my Grandmother Hanna's Coconut Cake. This cake is extremely moist and perfect for any celebration. I remember Grandma Hanna would use fresh coconut and she would grate the coconut to place over the cake. It was definitely a labor of love. 

Many may be surprised, but the cake recipe comes straight off the back of the White Lily All-Purpose Flour package. The frosting is just a 7-minute frosting. 

Grandma Hanna always used a fresh coconut. She would crack open the coconut and drain the milk and then grate the coconut to be placed all over the cake. I do not know the first thing about cracking and grating a coconut. If you are like me and do not want to spend all your time grating, I would advise you to purchase frozen grated coconut. Coconut milk can also be purchased and it is normally located on the canned food isle of your local grocery store.

The Ingredients for the Cake:

No-Stick Cooking Spray

2 cups White Lily® Enriched Bleached All-Purpose Flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup All-Vegetable Shortening

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 egg whites, at room temperature

1 1/3 cups buttermilk

Grated coconut

Coconut milk

The Instructions for the Cake 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray. 

2. Stir flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until blended.

3. Beat shortening in a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy. Add sugar and vanilla; beat 1 minute. Add egg whites one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each one. Gradually add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating on low speed after each addition, just until combined. Spread evenly into prepared pans.

 4.Bake the cakes for 27 to 32 minutes for 8-inch cake, 25 to 30 minutes for 9-inch cake, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 15 minutes. Remove from pans to wire rack to cool completely. 

The Ingredients for the Frosting

2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

4 egg whites

6 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons vanilla

The Instructions for the Frosting:

1.Combine all ingredients except vanilla in a stainless steel heavy bottomed saucepan.

2. Place over medium low heat and beat with an electric hand mixer constantly for 5-7 minutes, or until

 icing is fluffy and stiff peaks form when beaters are removed.

3. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Assembling the cake

1.       Add ¼ cup of grated coconut to the frosting and stir.
2.       Begin with pouring some of the coconut milk on top of the first layer of the cake and then add frosting.
3.       Add the second layer of cake and top with more coconut milk. Ice the entire cake with the remainder of the frosting.
4.       Pack grated coconut all over the entire cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.