Southern Coconut Cake

INGREDIENTS

1   15.25 butter cake mix (Be sure to get the full size cake mix and not the reduced size some companies are now marketing)

3 large eggs

1 cup Sprite or 7 Up

1 stick of butter, melted

1 tsp. vanilla

Icing

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup white corn syrup

3 egg whites

1 tsp. baking powder

2 cups shredded coconut

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all of the cake ingredients together with a wire whisk until well blended. Don't use an electric mixer for this.  Mama says it makes a cake dry when you beat the batter up too long. Butter and flour 2 8 inch round cake pans.  You  can use 2  9 inch cake pans, but the cake won't be as high. Divide cake batter between pans.
Place in oven and bake for 25 minutes.

While the cakes cool, make the icing.

Place the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a sauce pan on medium heat.  Using a candy thermometer cook to the soft ball stage or 240 degrees, stirring constantly.  The mixture should become almost clear.   You can also do this in the microwave to make this step easier.  Cook on high for 4 minutes, remove and stir well and then cook for about 3 more minutes on high.  This could vary by a minute or two depending on the power of your microwave. It still needs to reach the soft ball stage.

  With an electric mixer beat the egg whites with the baking powder until it reaches the soft peak stage. 

 Slowly pour in the syrup and keep mixing until the icing stands in peaks.  This takes some time to accomplish so don't give up on it. Just keep beating it and eventually the peaks will form.

Place one of the cake layers on a pretty cake plate.

Frost the top of the first layer and sprinkle with 1/2 cup coconut.  Place the other layer on top of the first and frost the entire cake. Sprinkle the rest of the coconut over the top and sides of the cake.