Fresh Coconut Cake

Directions

1. 1
   Cake:
2. 2
   Cream butter w/sugar until fluffy. Alternately add flour and eggs blending well. Add vanilla. Continue beating on med. speed until smooth. Pour into 3
3. 3
   8 inch round greased and floured cake pans. Bake 20 to 30 min. Cool on racks.
4. 4
   Filling:
5. 5
   Crack open coconut and reserve juices. Finely grate coconut meat. Reserve 2 T grated coconut for garnish. In a saucepan, mix remaining grated coconut, coconut juice, sugar and milk. Cook over low heat 20 min. Mixture will be thin. Spread over cake layers then stack layers. Use all the liquid. Cake will absorb liquid. Cover and allow to mellow in refrid. 24 - 72 hours. Can freeze at this point.
6. 6
   Ice with seven minute icing. Garnish with reserved coconut.
7. 7
   (2 C grated frozen coconut may be substituted but decrease sugar to 1/2 C and increase milk to 1 1/4C)