Creamy Coconut Cake

-FOR THE CAKE-
2 1/2 c All purpose flour
1/2 ts Salt
2 c Granulated sugar
1 c Milk
2 1/2 ts Baking powder
1 c Butter, softened
4 Eggs
1 ts Vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease (and flour if you wish) 3 nine (9″)
inch round pans. Mix flour with baking powder and 1/2 ts salt. In a
large bowl, mixed at high speed beat the butter and 2 cups of sugar
until light. Add 4 eggs, one at a time, and beat after each time you
add one. 2. Continue beating, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber
scraper, until fluffy – about 2 minutes. At low speed, beat in flour
mixture, in fourths alternating with milk (in thirds) beginning and
ending with the flour mix. Add vanilla. Beat until just smooth, about
1 min. 3. Pour into prepared pans, and bake for 25-30 min., or until
sur- face springs back when lightly touched. Cool pans on wire racks
10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool thoroughly. 4. Prepare the
filling: simply whip the cream, adding the sugar and vanilla, and
keep cool until the cake has cooled completely. 5. Make the frosting:
cream the cream cheese and sugar together, (both should be soft),
then add the sugar and vanilla. You might need to add a little milk
to make it to the consistency you like. 6. When everything is cool
and ready, place a layer on the plate you will serve it from, top
side down. Fill with whipped cream filling, and sprinkle with coconut
and if you would like add chopped walnuts. Repeat with the second
layer, and then place the top layer on. Frost the sides and the top.
Cover the entire cake with coconut and if you wish, add chopped
walnuts.Refrigerate to set the frosting. NOTE: I had to use skewers
to hold the cake in place while I was frosting it, and it might be a
good idea to use these to prevent the cake from sliding.

Yields
10 Servings