NANA’S COCONUT FLUFF CAKE

Note – all ingredients must be at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350.

Sift together:

2 ½ cups cake flour

4-½ tsp. double-acting baking powder

1 ½ tsp. salt

1 ¾ cups sugar

Add:

¾ cup vegetable shortening

1 1/8 cups whole milk

Beat: for 2 minutes at medium speed until batter is well blended and glossy. 

Add:

1 tsp. almond extract

2/3-cup egg whites

Beat: for 2 minutes.

Pour: into two, lightly greased and floured, 8-inch square cake pans or 9-inch round layer cake pans.

Bake: for 30 to 40 minutes. Note – check after 25.

FLUFFY WHITE FROSTING

Combine 3 egg whites, ¾ cup sugar, 6 tablespoons light corn syrup, and ½ tsp. salt.

Place on top of double boiler over rapidly boiling water and beat with electric mixer for 4 to 5 minutes until mixture stands in soft mounds. Remove boiling water and cool. Add 1 tsp. vanilla; continue beating until frosting stands in peaks. Spread on cooled cake and sprinkle all with coconut.

LEMON FILLING

¾ cup sugar

3 Tbsp. Cornstarch

¼ tsp. salt

2/3-cup water

1 Tbsp. Butter

1 tsp. grated lemon peel

¼ cup lemon juice

2 drops lemon food color

Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in saucepan. Gradually stir in water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir one minute, then remove from heat.

Stir in butter and peel until butter is dissolved. Gradually stir in juice and color. Cover. Cool for two hours.

Put all of cooled lemon filling in the middle of the cake.

Once cake is filled and frosted with above fluff icing, keep in refrigerator.

NOTE: THIS CAKE IS MY MOM'S SPECIAL CAKE AND IT'S OLDER THAN ME! I WAS BORN IN 1952, SO DO THE MATH....IT'S A KEEPER!! SHE SURPRISED ME ON MY BIRTHDAY WITH THIS CAKE AND IT IS REALLY WORTH THE TIME AND EFFORT TO MAKE IT. SHE AND HER BEST FRIEND USED TO MAKE IT ALL THE TIME BEFORE I WAS EVEN BORN. THANKS MOM!!!!