Rum-Orange Coconut Cake

Instructions

1. Combine water & 1/2 cup sugar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Add orange rind & cook 3 minutes. Drain well. Set orange rind aside for batter & filling.
3. Cream butter; gradually add 2 cups of sugar, beating well at medium speed of an electric mixer. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Combine flour, baking powder & salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning & ending with flour mixture.
7. Beat egg whites (at room temperature) until stiff peaks form; fold egg whites & 2 tablespoons orange rind into batter. Grease two 9" cake pans, line pans with wax paper; grease & flour wax paper. Pour batter into pans; bake at 350 for 25 -30min. Cool 10 min; remove from pans & cool completely on wire racks.
9. Split cake layers in 1/2 horizontally to make 4 layers. Spread Orange Filling between layer; spread Rum Cream on top & sides. Sprinkle w/coconut. Chill.
11. Orange Filling:
12. 1 cup sugar
13. 1/4 cup cornstarch
14. 1/4 teaspoon salt
15. 2 tablespoons butter
16. 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
18. Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in heavy saucepan; gradually stir in orange juice. Bring to a boil; cook over med heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in butter, lemon juice, and 2 T reserved orange rind. Cool. Yield: 1-1/2 cups.
20. Rum Cream
21. 1 cup whipping cream
22. 1/3 cup sugar
23. 2 teaspoons rum
25. Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add sugar and rum; beat until still peaks form. Yield: 2-1/2 cups.