Cake Ingredients
• 2 3/4 cups cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup Crisco
• 1 cup canned sweetened cream of coconut (such as Coco Lépez)*
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk

Icing Ingredients
• 3 large egg whites, at room temperature 30 minutes
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Cake Preparation
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter and sweetened cream of coconut in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla extract. On low speed, beat in dry ingredients and then buttermilk, each just until blended.
• Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites with pinch of salt in another large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold beaten egg whites into batter.
• Divide cake batter between prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on rack 10 minutes. Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks and cool completely.

Icing Preparation
• Combine all ingredients into large sauce pan and beat over double boiler for approximately 7 minutes or until icing holds peaks.
• Once cake layers have cooled completely, move first layer to cake plate and top with a layer of icing and shredded coconut. Top with next layer of cake, and continue until all layers have been used.
• Spread an even layer of icing over entire cake, and cover with shredded coconut (can be toasted if you so desire).