Coconut Cream Dream Cake

A classic Easter dessert with a creamy pudding filling and a fluffy frosting.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 3 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 4-serving size packages cook-and-serve coconut cream pudding mix
• 2 tbsp. light-colored corn syrup
• 6 egg whites
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup coconut, toasted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl beat together butter, shortening, and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the vanilla. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to egg mixture alternately with the 1 cup milk; beat until combined. Divide batter between two greased 8-inch round cake pans. Bake about 30 minutes or until center is done. Let cool on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely. Meanwhile, for filling, prepare pudding mix according to package directions; cool. For frosting, in the top of a double boiler combine the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar, corn syrup, water, and egg whites. Cook over medium heat about 2 minutes or until mixture registers 160 degrees on a thermometer, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Beat on high speed of an electric mixer about 5 minutes or until glossy; beat in the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla. To assemble, split the cake layers in half horizontally. Place one cake layer on a platter. Spread with one-third of the filling. Top with second cake layer; spread with another one-third of the filling. Top with third cake layer; spread with remaining filling. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides with frosting. Sprinkle toasted coconut over top of cake.

Number of Servings: 8

Notes from the Cook: Instead of toasting the coconut, for Easter a few drops of green food coloring mixed with the coconut will make it look like grass. Cake top can be decorated with jelly beans, choc bunny or any Easter candy.