The Tennessean Coconut Cake

Ingredients:

16 Tbsp.(2 sticks) butter room temp
3 1/2 cups cake flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup milk, room temp
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
8 large egg whites,room temperature

Frosting:

12 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups sugar
12 Tbsp.(1 1/2 sticks) butter, unsalted and melted
1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups finely chopped raisins
1 1/2 cups fresh grated coconut
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup bourbon or Tennessee whiskey

Directions:

Preheat oven 325°f, grease and line with parchment paper three 9-inch pans. In small bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.

In another bowl mix milk and vanilla, set aside. In another bowl beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Then with an electric mixer on medium, mix sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Reduce speed and add flour and milk mixtures in 2 or 3 batches, beginning and ending with flour. Then mix in 1/3 of the egg whites in the batter. Fold in renaming egg whites until just incorporated. Pour into pans and bake until cakes are springy and edges slightly pull away from the sides of pans, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove for oven and let cool for 10 min. Then invert and cool completely before frosting.

To make frosting, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk egg yolks and sugar together until sugar dissolves. Add melted butter, stirring constantly until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 1 to 3 minutes. DO NOT LET MIXTURE SIMMER OR BOIL. Add pecans, raisins, and coconut and cook 1 minute, remove from heat and add vanilla and bourbon. Cool to room temp before using. Spread 1/3 between layers of cake and use the rest on top and sides of cake.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.