Ingredients
2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup grated orange rind
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 egg yolks
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup milk
2 egg whites
Orange Filling
Rum Cream
1 small fresh coconut, grated or 1/2 cup flaked coconut
Preparation
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.
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.
Combine flour, baking powder & salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning & ending with flour mixture.
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.
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.
Orange Filling: 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
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.
Rum Cream 1 cup whipping cream 1/3 cup sugar 2 teaspoons rum
Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add sugar and rum; beat until still peaks form. Yield: 2-1/2 cups.
