Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  1                     coconut
     3/4           cup  shortening
  1                cup  sugar
  4             medium  eggs -- separated
     1/2      teaspoon  vanilla
     1/4           cup  fresh coconut
  2 1/4           cups  sifted cake flour
  2 1/4      teaspoons  baking powder
     1/2      teaspoon  salt
     3/4           cup  coconut milk
     1/2           cup  sugar
                        ***ICING***
  1                cup  sugar
     1/3           cup  water
     1/3      teaspoon  cream of tartar
  2                     egg whites
  1 1/2      teaspoons  vanilla
                        fresh grated coconut

Preparation:

Preparation of coconut: Pierce 3 holes in coconut; drain out milk and save. Heat coconut in 350-degree oven 30 minutes; cool. Break shell and chisel out meat. Peel off the brown skin with a potato peeler. Cut white meat in one inch pieces and grate on medium size grater or in blender. Cream together shortening and sugar. Add well-beaten egg yolks and vanilla, beat well. Mix in grated coconut. Sift together cake flour, baking powder and salt. Add milk to coconut milk to make 3/4 cup if necessary. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk. Beat egg whites until peaks are formed; gradually beat in 1/2 cup sugar until whites are stiff. Fold into batter. Bake in 3 greased and floured 9-inch layer pans at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until done. Icing: Boil first 3 ingredients in saucepan until 242 degrees is reached on a candy thermometer. Keep pan covered first 3 minutes. Beat egg whites until very stiff. Pour hot syrup very slowly into egg whites, beating constantly. Add vanilla. Frost between layers, top and sides of cooled cake , sprinkling with as much coconut as desired.

Nutritional Information:

457 Calories (kcal); 25g Total Fat; (48% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 55g Carbohydrate; 53mg Cholesterol; 187mg Sodium