Jamie's Coconut Cake

Jamie's Coconut Cake For the cake:

1) Preheat oven to 180C/Gas 4. Grease and flour three 23cm cake pans.

Using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to cream well for 6 to 8 mins. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and coconut milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and continue to beat until just mixed.

Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Level batter in each pan by holding pan about 10cm above counter, then dropping it flat onto counter. Do this several times to release air bubbles and assure you of a more level cake.

Bake for 25 to 30 mins or until done. Cool in pans 5 to 10 mins. Invert cakes onto cooling racks.

For the filling:

1) Stir together sugar, sour cream, milk, and coconut in a bowl until well blended. Place the first cake layer onto pedestal. Using the wrong end of a wooden spoon, poke holes approximately 2cm apart until entire cake has been poked. Spread a third of filling mixture on cake layer. Top with second layer, repeat process. Top with last layer and repeat process again.*

For the icing:

1) Place sugar, cream of tartar or golden syrup, salt, water, and egg whites in the top of a double boiler. Beat with a handheld electric mixer for 1 min. Place pan over boiling water, being sure that boiling water does not touch the bottom of the top pan. Beat constantly on high speed with electric mixer for 7 mins. Beat in vanilla. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle top and sides of cake with coconut. Garnish with artificial holly, if desired.

* Cook's Note: As each layer is stacked, stick them with toothpicks to prevent cake from shifting.