HOW TO MAKE THE BEST CAKEY-DESSERT THIS SIDE OF THE MISSISSIPPI: THE SECRET ISN’T JUST IN THE MILK!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) Land O Lakes butter, divided

2 cups Domino sugar, plus 3/4 cup for filling

4 large Eggland’s Best eggs, room temperature

3 cups Gold Medal self-rising flour, sifted

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

2 teaspoons McCormick vanilla extract, plus 1 1/2 teaspoons for frosting

1 cup Daisy sour cream

1/4 cup TruMoo whole milk

1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes, plus more for sprinkling

2 (8 oz) packages Philadelphia cream cheese

2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted or whisked to remove lumps

1/2 cup sweetened cream of coconut

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter and flour 3 (9 inch) round cake pans.

Cream 1 cup butter and 2 cups sugar together in a standing mixer until light and fluffy, about 7 minutes. Add the eggs, one a time, beating well after each addition.

Add the flour and coconut milk, alternately, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix in 2 teaspoons vanilla.

Divide the batter among the cake pans. Bake for 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes, remove cakes from pans and cool completely on the wire racks

Frosting: In a bowl, beat together the cream cheese and 1/2 cup butter using an electric hand-held mixer. Gradually add the confectioner’s sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the coconut cream and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla.

Filling: Mix together the sour cream, 3/4 cup sugar, milk and coconut flakes in a large bowl.

The following step can be done up to 3 days ahead of time so the cake can fully absorb the layers. Once cake layers are cool, poke all over with a wooden skewer. Spread 1/3 of the filling over the first cake round. Top with a second round, spread another 1/3 of the filling over the top, and finally top with the final layer and spread the remaining filling over the top.

Frost the top and sides of the cake then sprinkle the tops and sides with remaining coconut flakes.