- 2 1/3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 5 large eggs, beaten lightly
- a 28-ounce can crushed pineapple in unsweetened juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- a rounded 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 2/3 cups sweetened flaked coconut (a 7-ounce bag), toasted golden and cooled
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line bottoms of 2 buttered 9- by2-inch round cake pans with rounds of wax paper. Dust pans with flour, knocking out excess.
- Into a bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a glass measuring cup stir together milk and vanilla. In a bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed cream butter 1 minute and add sugar in a steady stream, beating until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition, until pale and fluffy. Stir in flour mixture in 4 batches alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture and stirring after each addition until batter is smooth.
- Divide batter between pans, smoothing tops, and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cake layers in pans on racks 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge of each pan and invert cake layers onto racks. Remove wax paper carefully and cool cake layers completely. Cake layers may be made 5 days ahead and frozen, wrapped in plastic wrap and foil. Thaw cake layers in refrigerator 1 day before proceeding with recipe.
- In a heavy saucepan stir together filling ingredients until cornstarch is dissolved. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, and simmer, stirring, 3 minutes. Cool filling completely. Filling may be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered.
- With a long serrated knife halve each cake layer horizontally. Stack cake layers on a cake plate, spreading filling between layers.
- In a double boiler or in a large metal bowl with a hand-held electric mixer beat together all frosting ingredients except vanilla until combined. Set mixture over a saucepan of boiling water and beat on high speed until it holds stiff, glossy peaks, about 7 minutes. (Depending on mixer and weather this may take longer than 7 minutes.) Remove double boiler or bowl from heat and beat in vanilla. Beat frosting until cooled and spreadable.
- Spread top and side of cake with frosting and coat cake with coconut.