Fresh Coconut Cake

My mom purchased this book at the recent annual book sale of our public library:The Junior League of Hampton Roads, Inc. (aka Richmond) published it way back in 1975. It's filled with traditional Southern recipes that have been handed down through the generations.

Last week, I made the Fresh Coconut Cake. The editors note that this recipe has been around for at least four generations. The shiny white icing resembles nothing so much as Marshmallow Fluff! From above, the entire cake looks like a Hostess Sno Ball:
I omitted the black walnuts and baked the batter in two 9" cake pans instead of the recommended three.

FRESH COCONUT CAKE

For the cake:

6 eggs
2 c sugar
1/2 c butter or margarine
1 c hot milk
2 1/2 c flour, sifted
1 tsp vanilla
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 c black walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Separate eggs. Reserve 4 egg whites for icing. Beat egg yolks, 2 egg whites and sugar at medium-high speed on electric mixer until light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. Melt butter in hot milk. Add 1/2 c flour to eggs and sugar mixture, beating slowly. Add half of the hot milk mixture, 1 c flour and remaining hot milk. Then add the rest of the flour, vanilla, baking powder and nuts. Pour into three 9" greased or lined cake pans. Bake 20 minutes. Cool slightly before removing from pans.

For the icing:

1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c water
4 egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla
2 c fresh coconut, shredded

Boil sugar and water for 2 minutes. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until eggs stand up in stiff peaks, but are not dry. Pour boiling syrup into egg whites, beating at highest speed on mixer. When icing becomes stiff enough to spread (2-4 minutes), add vanilla. Spread between layers, on top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with coconut.