Coconut Cake From Scratch

Arrange 2 racks near center of oven. Preheat oven to 350°F.

Prepare three 6x2" cake pans:

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In food processor, cream the room-temperature butter until fluffy.

Gradually add sugar and keep beating until fully incorporated into butter.

Gradually drop the egg yolks into the turning blender. Beat until mixture is fluffy again.

Alternating between flour mixture and sour cream, add a little of each, continuing to blend until all is incorporated and smooth. Don't over-blend.

Quickly beat in the vanilla.

Divide batter evenly among the three prepared cake pans.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean (rotate pans if necessary to achieve equal browning).

Cool the cakes in their pans on racks for about 40 minutes.

Remove the cakes from pans and let them continue to cool on racks, tops up.

Remove parchment paper. Split each layer in half horizontally to create 6 layers total.

Reserve the most perfect dome for the top layer, and place the ugliest layer upside-down on the bottom of serving plate.

Build the cake by spreading about 1/2 cup coconut cream pudding between each layer, sprinkling coconut flakes onto each pudding layer.

Refrigerate the assembled cake for 1 hour to firm up.

Remove from refrigerator and frost with Seven-Minute Frosting. Cover with remaining flaked coconut.

Do not refrigerate finished cake. Can stand at room temperature for several days.