Coconut Cake with Buttercream Frosting

This coconut cake recipe is one of our readers ' favorites. Icing is also popular for making cupcakes and cakes with several other flavors, such as carrot, spicy, and basic white. Decorate the cake pan with sugar-coated cranberries and rosemary sprigs.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.To prepare the cake, brush 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with cooking spray; line the bottom of the pans with waxed paper. Lightly brush waxed paper with cooking spray; sprinkle the molds with 1 tablespoon of flour.Lightly pour 2 1/2 cups flour into dry measuring cups and smooth with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder and salt, stirring with a whisk. Put 2 cups sugar and 6 tablespoons butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes or until smooth. Add the egg substitute and egg mixture to the sugar mixture; beat well. Add the flour mixture and coconut milk alternately to the sugar mixture, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Add 1/4 teaspoon of the extract.Spoon the dough into the prepared molds. Tap the molds sharply once on the countertop to remove any air bubbles. Bake at 350 ° C for 25 minutes or until a wooden stick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from the pan. Remove the waxed paper; discard. Cool the cakes on wire racks.To make the frosting, combine 1 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes, without stirring, or until the candy thermometer reads 250 ° C. Combine the egg whites, tartar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; using clean, dry beaters, beat with a mixer on high speed until frothy. Add the egg whites in a thin stream to the hot sugar syrup, whisking on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed of the mixer to low; continue to beat until the egg white mixture cools (about 12 minutes).Beat 1/4 cup butter until light and fluffy; if desired, add 1/4 teaspoon of the extract. Add 1 cup of the egg white mixture. Add the cream mixture to the remaining egg white mixture, stirring until smooth.Place 1 cake on a plate; spread with 1 cup icing. Repeat twice with the cakes and 1 cup of icing, finishing with the cake; spread the remaining icing over the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle with toasted coconut flakes. Cool until set.