Classic Coconut Cake

This elegant dessert will not only make your guests impressed, but biting in to its fluffy and light texture will surely make them ask for another slice!

- 2 cups of white, granulated sugar

- 1/2 cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

- 1/2 cup of canola or melted coconut oil

- 5 eggs, separated into yolks and whites

- 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract

- 2-1/4 cups of all-purpose flour

- 1/2 tsp of baking soda

- 1 tsp of baking powder

- 1/4 tsp of salt

- 1 cup of buttermilk (1 cup of milk with 1 tsp of lemon juice, mixed together and let sit for 5 minutes before using)

- 1-1/2 cups of shredded, unsweetened coconut + additional shredded coconut for cake exterior

- 1/4 tsp of cream of tartar

For versatile vanilla frosting:

- 4 cups of confectioner's sugar

- 8 tbsp of milk

- 4 tbsp of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

- 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325˚F. Line two 9" cake pans with parchment paper.

In a bowl fitted to a standing, electric mixer, add cream of tartar to egg whites, and beat until they develop stiff peaks.

In a large bowl, beat sugar, oil, and butter. Add egg yolks, one at a time, and beat well. Beat in vanilla extract.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients and buttermilk to egg mixture, alternating each.

Fold the egg whites into cake batter in three additions, folding gently after each.

Fold in shredded coconut to cake batter.

Pour half of cake batter in one cake pan and the remaining half in the second pan.

Bake cake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cake cool completely on a wire rack while you make the vanilla frosting.

For the vanilla frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter, and then alternate confectioner's sugar and milk to the butter. Beat in vanilla extract.

When cake is completely cool, spread a thin layer of frosting on one half of the cake, and place the second half on top of the frosting. Frost entire cake with more frosting.

Cover entire cake with shredded coconut. Leave a circle in the center of the top of the cake without any coconut for decoration.

Decorate cake with additional frosting.

Serve cake with fresh fruit, and enjoy!