Coconut Cake with Coconut Frosting

My daughters birthday just passed and this is the cake she wanted.  I don't think she ever had it before.  But she loves coconut.  So this is what she picked.  We all love coconut!

It is amazing how time flies.  I can't believe how fast she is growing up.  I know to say these words is a cliche.  You hear it over and over again.  You don't realize when you are younger what these words mean.  Its only when it is your life to you fully comprehend.  Like all things.  One usually has to go through something to fully understand it. All its nuances.  Like, the passage time I see in her, I don't necessarily want to see this time passage in myself.  Like it or not, though, this is the way it is.

Coconut Cake

5 large eggs, separated
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2-1/4 cups cake flour or regular flour minus 2 tablespoons
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups flaked coconut, chopped
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 325F.  Line 2 9 inch rounds with parchment and grease with butter or cooking spray.

Cream together butter, oil and sugar for five minutes.  Add in yolks, one at a time.  Add vanilla extract and coconut extract.

In another bowl combine flour and baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Mix in dry ingredients to the butter mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Fold in coconut.

In a separate bowl beat egg whites with cream of tartar and a pinch of salt until soft peaks form.  Fold into the batter.

Spoon into prepared pans.  Bake for

Coconut Frosting

1 cup butter
4 cups (give or take) confectioners sugar
Coconut Cream*

Cream butter and coconut cream together with confectioners sugar.  Beat until smooth.

*I skimmed the top of the can of coconut milk as I did not have cream of coconut.  If you have it you could replace one of the butters or just use 1/3 cup and do what I did.