Halekulani Coconut Cake Copycat

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Step 2: Sift together cake flour, 1/3 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Set aside.

Step 3: Combine egg, water and oil; add to sifted ingredients. Mix batter until smooth.

Step 4: In a separate bowl, whip egg whites with cream of tartar.

Step 5: Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar; continue to whip to form a stiff meringue. Fold batter into meringue and mix thoroughly.

Step 6: Pour into an ungreased 9-inch cake pan and bake about 30 minutes.

Step 7: Invert cake onto a rack and cool.

TO MAKE THE PASTRY CREAM

Step 8: Scrape vanilla bean seeds into milk and bring to a boil over moderate heat (add vanilla bean pod to milk as well).

Step 9: Combine sugar, flour and egg yolks; whip until light yellow.

Step 10: Slowly pour 1/3 of the hot milk into the egg mixture to temper it.

Step 11: Add milk-yolk mixture back into the remaining milk and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly until thick. Immediately remove bean pod and strain, then place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill.

TO PREPARE THE WHIPPED CREAM

Step 12: Whip cream and sugar until fluffy.

Step 13: Fold 1 cup into pastry cream; reserve the rest to frost cake.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE

Step 14: Cut cooled cake into three layers.

Step 15: Stir 3/4 cup of coconut flakes into pastry cream.

Step 16: Spread cream between layers of the cake.

Step 17: Frost top and sides of cake with remaining whipped cream and sprinkle with remaining coconut flakes.