Lemon Coconut Layer Cake

This was okay. I thought it sounded fun and a little exotic and I needed something to bring to lunch at a friend's house so I went for it. I don't think I'll be making it again any time soon - it didn't blow me away, but then again, coconut is not my favorite thing. If you love coconut and lemon, then you just might love this.

For the layers and filling:
1 c. all purpose flour
pinch of salt
8 eggs
1 3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 T grated orange rind
grated rind of 2 lemons
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 c. shredded coconut
2 T cornstarch
6 T butter

For the frosting:
1/2 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 c. confectioners' sugar
grated rind of 1 lemon
6-8 T fresh lemon juice* (I didn't need this much...)
1 package (14 oz) shredded coconut (I only used a little over 1/2 the bag and it was plenty)

Preheat the oven to 350. Line 3 8" cake pans w/ wax paper and grease them. In a bowl, sift together flour and salt and set aside.

Place 6 of the eggs in large heat proof bowl. Set over hot water. With an electric mixer beat until frothy. Gradually beat in 3/4 c. granulated sugar until the mixture doubles in volume and is thick enough to leave a ribbon trail when the beaters are lifted, which takes about 10 minutes.

Remove the bowl from hot water. Fold in the orange rind, 1/2 the grated lemon rind and 1 T of the lemon juice until blended. Fold in the coconut. Sift the flour mixture in 3 batches, folding in thoroughly after each addition. Divide the mixture between the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes pull away from the sides of the pans, 25-30 minutes. Let stand 3-5 minutes. Then unmold and transfer to a cooling rack.

In a bowl, blend the cornstarch with a little cold water to dissolve. Whisk in the remaining eggs until just blended. Set aside.

In a saucepan combine the remaining lemon rind and juice, the remaining sugar, butter and 1 c. water. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Whisk in eggs and cornstarch and return to a boil. Whisk constantly until thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover with wax paper to prevent a skin from forming and set aside.

For the frosting, cream the butter and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Stir in the lemon rind and enough lemon juice to maintain a thick, spreadable consistency.

Sandwich the 3 cake layers with the lemon custard mixture. Spread the frosting over the top and sides. Cover the cake with the coconut, pressing it in gently.