I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts

Buttermilk Coconut Cake


2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 egg whites
1 cup buttermilk or sour milk
Butter Frosting (recipe follows)
1 cup flaked coconut (toasted, if you like)

Grease and flour two 8" x 1 1/2" or two 9" x 1 1/2" round baking pans.  Set pans aside.  Stir together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.  In a mixing bowl, beat the shortening and butter or margarine for 30 seconds.  Add the sugar and vanilla and beat til fluffy.  Add egg whites and beat till smooth (2 minutes at medium speed).  Add dry ingredients and buttermilk alternately to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition till mixture is just combined.  Turn batter into prepared pans.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or till a toothpick inserted near the centers comes out clean.  Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes.  Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.  Prepare the Butter Frosting.  Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides.  Sprinkle top and sides with coconut.  Makes 12 servings.

Note: If using 13x9x2-inch baking pans, bake for about 30 minutes or till cakes test done.  Cool cakes completely and spread with Butter Frosting, refrigerating any leftover frosting, or use a smaller frosting recipe.

To make sour milk, place 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a glass measuring cup.  Pour in enough milk to make 1 cup liquid.  Stir and let stand for 5 minutes.

Butter Frosting: In a small mixing bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter or margarine till light.  Gradually add 3 cups sifted powdered sugar, beating well.  Beat in 1/3 cup milk and 2 teaspoons vanilla.  Gradually beat in 3 3/4 to 4 cups sifted powdered sugar to make a spreadable frosting.  Makes 3 cups.

The Butter Frosting recipe was very tasty would be great on any cake.  I think I'll have to use the frosting recipe for future cake endeavors.  The cake itself was a little dry and had almost an angel food cake consistency and not a whole lot of flavor.  The cake wasn't very sweet either, but the frosting was plenty sweet to make up for that and the coconut added a nice flavor.  If I were to make this recipe again, I would use a different cake recipe, but keep the Butter Frosting. Does anyone out there ever use parchment circles in the bottom of their cake pans when they bake?  Every time I bake a cake it never releases from the pan very well and I always have chunks of cake at the bottom of the pan even when I grease and flour them.  at least frosting covers all cake mistakes.  I'm just wondering how well the parchment circles work.  If anyone has any insight, please let me know.  Like the last couple of recipes, this one is headed to work tomorrow.  Hopefully the coworkers like it!