This elegant dessert will not only make your guests impressed, but biting in to its fluffy and light texture will surely make them ask for another slice!

Step 1: Ingredients

- 2 cups of white, granulated sugar

- 1/2 cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

- 1/2 cup of canola or melted coconut oil

- 5 eggs, separated into yolks and whites

- 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract

- 2-1/4 cups of all-purpose flour

- 1/2 tsp of baking soda

- 1 tsp of baking powder

- 1/4 tsp of salt

- 1 cup of buttermilk (1 cup of milk with 1 tsp of lemon juice, mixed together and let sit for 5 minutes before using)

- 1-1/2 cups of shredded, unsweetened coconut + additional shredded coconut for cake exterior

- 1/4 tsp of cream of tartar

For versatile vanilla frosting:

- 4 cups of confectioner's sugar

- 8 tbsp of milk

- 4 tbsp of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

- 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract

Step 2: Prepare

Preheat oven to 325˚F. Line two 9" cake pans with parchment paper.

Step 3: Egg Whites

In a bowl fitted to a standing, electric mixer, add cream of tartar to egg whites, and beat until they develop stiff peaks.

Step 4: Wet Ingredients

In a large bowl, beat sugar, oil, and butter. Add egg yolks, one at a time, and beat well. Beat in vanilla extract.

Step 5: Dry Ingredients

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients and buttermilk to egg mixture, alternating each.

Step 6: Combine

Fold the egg whites into cake batter in three additions, folding gently after each.

Step 7: Shredded Coconut

Fold in shredded coconut to cake batter.

Step 8: Bake

Pour half of cake batter in one cake pan and the remaining half in the second pan.

Bake cake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Step 9: Prepare Frosting

Let cake cool completely on a wire rack while you make the vanilla frosting.

For the vanilla frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter, and then alternate confectioner's sugar and milk to the butter. Beat in vanilla extract.

Step 10: Frost Cake

When cake is completely cool, spread a thin layer of frosting on one half of the cake, and place the second half on top of the frosting. Frost entire cake with more frosting.