PTA Bake Sale Coconut Cake

Ingredients:

1 ¾ cup sifted cake flour
2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter
1 cup sugar plus 2 Tablespoons sugar
2 eggs
⅔ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
⅔ cup coconut
Coconut Frosting (recipe below)

Directions:

1. Sift together the sifted flour, baking powder, and salt. Cream the butter.

2. Gradually add sugar; cream until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Alternately add flour mixture and milk, beating after each addition until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and coconut.

4. Pour batter into two 8 inch layer pans, lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes then remove and cool on racks.

Coconut Cream Frosting:

Ingredients:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon coconut flavoring
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup sweetened shredded coconut

Directions:

1. Beat the cream cheese and butter in a mixer bowl until light and fluffy.

2. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, one cup at a time, alternating with heavy cream.

3. Beat in the salt, coconut flavoring, and vanilla extract. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and spreadable. Add additional confectioners' sugar if necessary to thicken the frosting, or more cream to thin.

4. Stir in the coconut. If desired, spoon additional shredded coconut evenly over frosted cake.