Toasted Coconut Cake W/lime Filling

Make the cake: Line the bottoms of 2 greased 8 by 2 inch round cake pans
with rounds of wax paper and grease and flour the pans, shaking out the
excess flour. Spread the coconut in a jelly-roll pan, toast it in a
preheated 350F oven, stirring once or twice, for 7 minutes, or until it is
golden and let it cool. In a bowl whisk together the flour, the baking
powder, the salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream the
shortening, beat in 3/4 cup of the sugar, and beat the mixture until it is
light and fluffy. Beat in the yolks, one at a time, and the vanilla and add
the flour mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the
flour and beating until the batter is smooth. In another large bowl with
the electric mixer beat the whites with the salt until they are foamy, add
the cream of tartar, and beat the whites until they hold soft peaks. Beat
in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, a little at a time, and beat the meringue
until it holds stiff glossy peaks. Stir!

the toasted coconut and one fourth of the meringue into the batter to
lighten it and fold in the remaining meringue gently but thoroughly. Divide
the batter between the prepared pans and bake the layers in the middle of
the preheated 350F oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until tester comes out
clean. Let the layers cool in the pans on racks for 10 minutes, invert them
onto the racks, and let them cool completely.
Make the filling: In a small heavy saucepan whisk together the sugar,
cornstarch, salt, lime juice, lemon juice, and the egg until the mixture is
combined and bring the mixture to a rolling boil over moderately high heat,
whisking constantly. (The mixture will thicken as it cooks.) Whisk in the
butter and let the filling cool.
Split each cake layer in half horizontally with a long serrated knife and
brush off any loose crumbs. On a cake plate arrange one of the cake layers,
cut side up, and spread it with one third of the lime filling, leaving a
1/2 inch border. Sprinkle the filling with 1/4 cup of the coconut and top
the coconut with another cake layer, cut side down. Continue to layer and
fill the cake in the same manner with the remaining filling and coconut.
Make the icing: In a saucepan combine the sugar, corn syrup, 1/3 cup
water, bring the mixture to a boil, covered, over moderate heat, stirring
occasionally to dissolve the sugar, and boil the syrup, uncovered until it
registers 240F on a candy thermometer. While the syrup is boiling, in a
heatproof bowl with an electric mixer beat the whites with a pinch of salt
and the cream of tartar until they are frothy. As soon as the syrup reaches
240F. add it to the whites in a thin stream, continuing to beat the whites
while the syrup is being added. Beat in the vanilla and beat the icing
until the bowl is not longer hot. (If the icing is too stiff, beat in 1 to
2 tablespoons hot water, or enough to form a fluffy, spreadable icing.)