Coconut Cake

This was a super yummy cake! The frosting was like a mix between divinity and marshmallow creme, with fresh shredded coconut sprinkled on top. The fresh coconut on the outside sparkled like glitter. It was awesome. We did have some problems getting the cake to not fall, in fact, we never quite got it right. After three tries, we used one fallen cake to fill in the sunken middle of the next. It worked out really well, and we all really liked the density and moistness of the cake. To avoid this problem, you could just use a white cake mix and get a similar, though less dense, result. What you need for the cake:
2 cups CAKE flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs, WELL BEATEN
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups boiled frosting
1 cup shredded coconut

What you need for the boiled frosting:
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
pinch of cream of tarter
2 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla

What to do for the cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour 2 eight in. cake pans.
2. Sift flour with baking powder and salt. In separate bowl, cream shortening well, add sugar gradually and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the flour mixture in three portions, alternately with milk and vanilla.
3. Spoon mixture into the prepared pans and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn out of the pans onto a wire cooling rack and let cool COMPLETELY.
4. Sandwich cakes with boiled frosting and coat top and sides. Before the frosting sets (this sets really really quickly, so move fast!), cover the cake thickly with the coconut.

What to do for the frosting:
I recommend that you don't even start making the frosting until your cake is cool enough to frost. This frosting sets up really fast and you won't have time to wait for your cake to finish cooling.
1. In a saucepan heat the sugar and water gently until sugar is dissolved. Dissolve cream of tartar in 1 tsp water, add to sugar syrup, cover and bring to a boil. Boil 2 minutes, remove the lid, insert a sugar thermometer(if you don't have one, don't panic. Just scroll down and read the alternate directions) and boil sugar syrup steadily without stirring to 240 degrees(soft ball stage). Meanwhile, beat egg whites(I did this before starting the syrup, it was less stressful)
2. Stop the syrup from cooking more by dipping the bottom of the saucepan in cool water. Then, holding the pan well above the egg whites, pour in the hot syrup in a steady stream, beating continuously. Beat until the mixture holds its shape and is no longer glossy. Add vanilla and spread QUICKLY over the cake with a butter knife.

It's possible to make this frosting without a sugar thermometer. After boiling for 8 minutes, test as follows. Lift a little syrup out on a spoon-it should fall to form a thread 3 inches long-or take a small kitchen tool (like a wire whisk) that has a rigid ring or loop on the end and dip it into the boiling syrup. Holding it up, blow through the ring. It's ready when the syrup flies away like a bubble.