1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, separated
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract
1/8 teaspoon table salt
Vanilla Buttercream
Ambrosia Filling
(see below)
Garnishes: sweetened flaked coconut, fresh mint, maraschino cherries, orange slices
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Preheat oven to 350°. Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until fluffy; gradually add sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
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Combine flour and baking powder; stir together milk and coconut milk. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in extracts.
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Beat egg whites and salt at high speed until stiff peaks form. Stir about one-third egg whites into batter; fold in remaining egg whites. Spoon batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.
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Bake at 350° for 18 to 22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely.
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Place 1 cake layer on a serving platter. Spoon 1/3 cup Vanilla Buttercream into a zip-top plastic bag. Snip 1 corner of bag to make a small hole. Pipe a ring of frosting around cake layer just inside the top edge. Top with half of Ambrosia Filling, and spread to edge of ring. Top with a second cake layer. Repeat procedure with frosting and filling. Top with remaining cake layer, and spread frosting on top and sides of cake.
Vanilla Buttercream
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (2-lb.) package powdered sugar
3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream
Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add vanilla and 1 cup powdered sugar. Gradually add remaining powdered sugar from package alternately with cream, beating at low speed until blended after each addition. Beat at high speed until smooth
Ambrosia Filling
1 navel orange
1 (8-oz). can crushed pineapple in juice
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon table salt
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract
1 cup toasted sweetened coconut
Grate zest from orange to equal 2 tsp. Peel and section orange; chop segments. Place orange and pineapple in a strainer, and drain. Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 3-qt. saucepan. Whisk in cream and egg yolks. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly; boil 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from heat; whisk in butter and coconut extract. Stir in orange-pineapple mixture, coconut, and orange zest. Transfer to a bowl, place plastic wrap directly on filling, and chill 8 to 48 hours.
Southern Living