Fresh Lemon-coconut Cake

Total Time: 1 hr 19 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 34 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 16
• cooking spray
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 large eggs, separated
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest, grated
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 large egg whites
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

Recipe

• 1 for cake, heat oven to 350 degrees; coat 2 (9x2-inch round cake pans with baking spray.
• 2 in a bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.
• 3 in a mixing bowl, beat butter at medium-high speed until creamy.
• 4 add sugar; beat 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
• 5 beat in yolks, one at a time.
• 6 beat in lemon zest and juice and vanilla.
• 7 on low speed, beat in flour mixture (in fourths) alternately with sour cream (in thirds), until combined.
• 8 in a bowl with clean beaters, beat egg whites at high speed, until stiff peaks form.
• 9 fold into batter; spread in prepared pans.
• 10 bake 32-34 minutes.
• 11 let cakes cool in pans on wire rack 10 minutes; turn cakes out.
• 12 cool completely.
• 13 for lemon filling, in saucepan, whisk sugar, cornstarch and salt.
• 14 whisk in water, yolks and lemon juice.
• 15 bring to a boil over medium heat; boil 1 minute.
• 16 remove from heat, whisk in butter until melted and smooth.
• 17 cover surface directly with plastic wrap; let cool to room temperature.
• 18 place 1 cake layer on serving plate; spread filling evenly over top of layer; cover with remaining layer.
• 19 for frosting, in a heatproof bowl, mix all ingredients except extracts and coconut.
• 20 using a handheld electric mixer, beat 1 minute.
• 21 place bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure bowl doesn't touch water.
• 22 on high speed, beat until stiff, shiny peaks form, 7 minutes.
• 23 remove bowl from heat; add extracts.
• 24 beat 5 minutes, or until frosting is cool.
• 25 frost cake.
• 26 sprinkle with coconut.