Delicious Hampton's Creamy Coconut Cake

Ingredients
2 cups flour ( we used King Arthur's flour)
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. coconut flavoring
4 egg whites (1/2 cup)

Steps
1. Grease and flour two 8" round pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat the shortening and gradually add the sugar, beating about 20 seconds to blend..
3. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together.
4. Add the milk, vanilla, and coconut flavoring together.
5. Alternate the flour mixture and milk mixture, beating on a low speed while blending.
6. Once blended, beat one more minute at a high speed.
7. Now add the egg white and beat for 2 minutes at a high speed.
8. Pour into two 8" pans and bake for 30-35 minutes until the tooth pick comes out clean. Do not over bake. Cool before adding the filling and the icing.

Coconut Filling--for between the layers
Ingredients
1 8-oz. cream cheese
1 1/4 c. powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. coconut flavoring
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 oz. sweetened flaked coconut
Steps
1. Cream the cream cheese and gradually add the powdered sugar.
2. Then add in the vanilla, coconut flavoring and cream, gradually and cream after each addition.
3. Then stir in the coconut.
4. Now, spread between the 2 layers of cake.

Creamy Coconut Icing -for icing the top of the cake and the sides of the cake
Ingredients
1/2 cup Ghirardelli Classic White Chips
3 T. heavy cream
1 cup butter
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. coconut flavoring
3 cups sweetened flaked coconut
additional pkg. of fancy shredded coconut, sweetened
Steps
1. Melt the chips and cream in a microwave for 30 seconds. Stir. Then microwave 30 more seconds to smooth. Let cool.
2. Cream butter and gradually add 1 1/2 cups of the powdered sugar.
3. Then add vanilla and coconut flavoring and cream. Then add the melted chocolate mixture and cream.
4. Now, add the rest of the powdered sugar--the remaining 1 1/2 cups. Cream for about 2 minutes on high speed until blended well.
5. Spread the frosting on the top and sides of the cake. Then sprinkle the coconut on the tops and sides, gently pressing it into the frosting.
6 For the final touch, sprinkle additional fancy shredded coconut on top of the cake and do not press in. Then sprinkle the coconut around the bottom of the cake platter, next to the cake, to give it a pretty look of standing in coconut!
.****For the four layered cake in the photo, we doubled all three recipes above.

Simply Delicious...Hampton's Style!