Not Just Your Ordinary Coconut Cake Recipe

Directions:

1. Do not preheat oven.
2. Grease and flour a tube pan.
3. Cream butter, shortening and sugar together until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs one at a time.
5. Pour lemon extract into milk.
6. Sift dry ingredients together into separate bowl.
7. Add 1/3 dry ingredients to sugar and egg mixture then follow with 1/2 of the milk.
8. Beat at slowest speed until flour just is mixed.
9. Add second third of dry ingredients and remaining milk.
10. Beat until flour is just mixed then scrape bowl and add remaining flour.
11. Mix until just blended and pour into pan.
12. Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
13. Do not open the door for the first hour or the cake will fall.
14. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes and remove from pan.
15. Allow to cool 30 minutes before slicing.
16. Slice cake into 3 layers using large serrated knife.
17. To make frosting combine sugar, cream of tartar, salt and water in heavy saucepan.
18. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture is clear.
19. Cook until mixture reaches 240 on a candy thermometer.
20. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
21. Let mixer continue to run and slowly pour sugar mixture in a thin stream down side of bowl.
22. Add coconut extract.
23. Continue beating until stiff peaks form and frosting thickens to desired consistency.
24. Cover a layer of the cake with frosting and sprinkle with coconut.
25. Repeat for all 3 layers and top of cake.
26. Frost sides and gently press coconut onto sides to cover.
27. Refrigerate overnight before serving.