Favorite - This is an all time favorite
This is our other favorite cake from Edna Lewis, right after her caramel cake. It is a much lighter cake, with a lighter batter, almost a souffle, and a lighter boiled icing.
Sometimes, we put crystalized violets in with the icing, but not everyone likes crystalized violets.
Coconut Layer Cake
from Edna Lewis
1/4 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
2 cups flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 egg yolks, beaten
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp lemon juice
1 cup milk
3 egg whites
1) Mix salt & baking powder w/flour.
2) Work butter shiny, add sugar.
3) Add egg yolks, then vanilla & lemon juice.
4) Alternate adding flour & milk, starting and ending w/flour.
5) Beat egg whites to soft peaks and fold into batter.
6) Pour into two 9 inch buttered, floured cake pans.
7) Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.
8) Cool and remove from pans.
Boiled White Icing
1 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup water
3 egg whites
1 tsp lemon juice
grated coconut
candied violets
1) Dissolve sugar in water. Heat to stage mixture spins a thread when it falls from spoon.
2) Meanwhile, beat egg whites to soft peak state.
3) Drizzle syrup into egg whites while beating until frosting holds its shape.
4) Add lemon juice.
Assemble Cake
1) Middle layer is coconut & violet rich. Use some icing.
2) Cover outside of cake w/icing.
3) Coat outside w/grated coconut.
4) Sprinkle w/more candied violets.