Opal's Coconut Cake / Fluffy White Frosting

This cake was always the first to disappear at family gatherings.  Even though it uses a cooked icing, it really isn't hard to make.  Once you "spin a thread" for the first time, you'll know exactly what it means.Grandma gave me a lesson to make this because I didn't understand the recipe and so I have re-written it with my own instructions.  I always double this recipe to have lots of frosting to work with...and plenty for bowl licking while I let the cake set up.

Bake a white cake in two 8" or 9" rounds.

2 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup white syrup
2 Tbsp. water
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla

Beat the egg whites until frothy.  Set them aside for a minute.  Boil the sugar, syrup, water, and salt until it spins a thread when poured from a spoon.  To do this: scoop some of the cooking syrup and dribble it back into the pan in a small stream.  When the stream gets very thin, the rising steam will blow the thread of syrup up and away from the pan.  At first it will only fly a little bit.  When it's ready it will fly up and away from your hand.  Remove pan from heat.  Begin beating the egg whites again.  Very slowly pour the hot syrup into the eggs as you continue beating them.  Let beat until soft peaks form.  Add vanilla and beat a bit more.

Frost and layer white cake.  Sprinkle top with coconut and press it onto the sides as well.

Opal and Grandma, June 1973.