Birthday Cakes

Eep. I apologize (should you have noticed) that I've let this spot go for a while. But it's been a time-and-a-half. Recently, my mother turned 100. Extraordinary. Her eyes, ears, taste buds, lungs, and knees may show evidence of being 100 years old, but her mind is still bright and bonny.
I was thinking I'd like to tell you about my mother's birthday cake. Ma has looked forward to her coconut birthday cake as long as I can remember--her mother always made a coconut cake for her daughter's birthday, so when my grandmother went on to her next incarnation, I took up the charge. Now I've been a baker since I was eight...lots of time to perfect my baking. It was super when I had the opportunity to create a collection for Chronicle Books some years ago for "The Birthday Cake Book." It gave me the luxury of time to figure out how to make great cake...
The white cake that evolved for my mother's coconut cake isn't labor intensive, although it is a handmade--vs a whiz-whiz package--cake. It is light as a feather and keeps and keeps. Actually, when Ma turned 90 and friends gave her a party at a restaurant, I brought along the birthday cake, having increased the recipe to serve 50, and it was marvelous.
I usually bake the layers the day before (but I do not refrigerate them...just wrap the layers in foil and keep them in a cool place).
The frosting, made at the last minute, is the classic billowy seven minute stuff and that's not as easy as opening a can, but it is essential, I feel.
This recipe is born of the Formal Wedding Cake in "Farm Journal's Country Cookbook."
QUINTESSENTIAL THREE LAYER WHITE CAKE
Have all ingredients at room temperature (important). Warm eggs from the fridge in a bowl of warm water before separating.
1. Grease the bottoms of three 8-inch cake pans with shortening, line each bottom with a round of waxed paper, grease the waxed paper (do not grease the sides of the pans so the batter can cling to the sides as it rises). Sprinkle the waxed paper with flour, then dump out excess flour.
2. Set the oven rack in the center of the oven, or if the three pans require two racks, place the two evenly in the oven. Set the temperature to 350 degrees.
3. Sift enough cake flour to make 3 cups. Sift the 3 cups cake flour with 4 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 tablespoon salt. Sift together again.
4. Beat 2/3 cup vegetable shortening until fluffy. One tablespoon at a time, beat in 1-2/3 cups granulated sugar. Add 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon lemon or almond extract. Beat until light and fluffy. Set aside.
5. In another bowl, beat 5 large egg whites with a pinch of salt until foamy. One tablespoon at a time, beat in 8 tablespoons sugar. Beat until the whites stand in soft peaks when you lift the beaters.
6. To the shortening mixture, add the flour mixture in 4 parts--sprinkling it over the surface of the bowl--alternately with 1-1/3 cups milk in 3 parts. Beat until blended after each addition, about 1 minute.
7. Divide the batter evenly among the pans, smoothing the center and pushing the batter up against the sides of the pan (cakes tend to rise in the center).
8. Bake until the cakes have the fragrance of baked cake...the sides BEGIN to pull away from the edges...the top springs back when lightly tapped with a forefinger...a straw or thin cake tester comes out clean from the center...check after about 25 minutes.
9. Cool layers in their pans on racks 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges, turn out the cake, pull off the paper, turn right side up, and gently place the layers on racks to finish cooling.
TO MAKE A COCONUT CAKE
If you buy 2 small bags of coconut flakes or shreds, you may have too much, but...
Because the frosting is billowy and layers can start slipping, assemble the cake as close to serving time as possible (a couple of hours max).
10. Just before using, prepare 6 cups of classic Seven Minute Frosting (the recipe in "Joy of Cooking," for example).
11. Set the thickest layer (should there be one) bottom side up on a platter (on a paper doily). Smooth over 1 cup of the frosting. You can sprinkle with coconut or not, as you wish. Set on the second layer, top side up. Repeat with the frosting (and coconut). Set the third layer on top.
12. Use the remaining frosting to cover the tops and sides. Immediately press as much coconut into the frosting all over as will hold. Set the cake in a cool place. Serve as soon as possible.
Ah. I said 'Birthday Cakes' plural. That's because I want to tell you about my Marbled Chocolate and Lemon Cake with Chocolate-Spattered Lemon Frosting. But it's late, it's been a long day, so I will hope to do that tomorrow...