Filling:
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup flaked, sweetened coconut

7-Minute Frosting:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar or 1 tablespoon white corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
2 egg whites
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 to 3 cups coconut, flaked and sweetened 

Cake:Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans.
Using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue to cream well for 6 to 8 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and coconut milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add vanilla and continue to beat until just mixed. Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Level batter in each pan by holding pan 3 or 4-inches above counter, then dropping it flat onto counter. Do this several times to release air bubbles and assure you of a more level cake. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until done. Cool in pans 5 to 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto cooling racks.

Cook’s Note: As each layer is stacked, stick them with toothpicks to prevent cake from shifting.

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting

Cake

• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 1 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
• 6 eggs

Frosting

• 2 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1.  Heat oven to 350F.  Spray botton of 3 (9-inch) round pans with cooking spray.  Line bottoms with parchment paper; spray paper.  Sprinkle bottoms and sides of pans with flour, tapping out excess.
2. Whisk water and cocoa in medium bowl until smooth.  Whisk in buttermilk and 1 tablespoon vanilla.  Whisk flour, baking soda and salt in large bowl.
3. Beat 3 cups brown sugar and 1 1/2 cups butter in large bowl at medium speed 4 to 5 minutes or until light and creamy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  At low speed, beat in flour mixture alternately with chocolate mixture just until blended, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Divide batter between pans; smooth tops with spatula.
4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and cakes just begin to pull away from sides of pans, rotating pans during last 5 minutes of baking if necessary.  Cool in pans on wire rack 15 minutes.  Invert cakes onto wire rack; remove parchment.  Cool completely. 
5. Beat cream cheese and 1 cup butter in large bowl at medium speed 3 to 4 minutes or until smooth and creamy.  Beat in powdered sugar and 1 1/4 cups brown sugar until well-blended.  Beat in 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla.
6. Put 1 cake layer, top-side up, on platter; spread with about 1 cup of the frosting.  Top with second cake layer; spread with 1 cup of the frosting.  Top with remaining cake layer; frost top and sides of cake with thin layer of frosting.  Refrigerate 15 minutes.  Frost top and sides of cake with ramaining frosting.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  (Cake can be made 1 day ahead.  Cover and refrigerate.) Refrigerate leftovers.

16 servings

PER SERVING: 755 calories, 42 g total fat (25.5 g saturated fat), 9 g protein, 91.5 g carbohydrate, 185 mg cholesterol, 455 mg sodium, 3 g fiber