Instructions: Make cake layers:
Preheat oven to 350F. Line bottoms of 2 buttered 9- by2-inch round cake pans with rounds of wax paper. Dust pans with flour, knocking out excess.

Into a bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a glass measuring cup stir together milk and vanilla. In a bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed cream butter 1 minute and add sugar in a steady stream, beating until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition, until pale and fluffy. Stir in flour mixture in 4 batches alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture and stirring after each addition until batter is smooth.

Divide batter between pans, smoothing tops, and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cake layers in pans on racks 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge of each pan and invert cake layers onto racks. Remove wax paper carefully and cool cake layers completely. Cake layers may be made 5 days ahead and frozen, wrapped in plastic wrap and foil. Thaw cake layers in refrigerator 1 day before proceeding with recipe.

Make filling:
In a heavy saucepan stir together filling ingredients until cornstarch is dissolved. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, and simmer, stirring, 3 minutes. Cool filling completely. Filling may be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered.

Assemble cake layers and filling:
With a long serrated knife halve each cake layer horizontally. Stack cake layers on a cake plate, spreading filling between layers.

Make frosting:
In a double boiler or in a large metal bowl with a hand-held electric mixer beat together all frosting ingredients except vanilla until combined. Set mixture over a saucepan of boiling water and beat on high speed until it holds stiff, glossy peaks, about 7 minutes. (Depending on mixer and weather this may take longer than 7 minutes.) Remove double boiler or bowl from heat and beat in vanilla. Beat frosting until cooled and spreadable.

Spread top and side of cake with frosting and coat cake with coconut.

Makes one double-layered 9 inch round cake.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.