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Over the weekend, we celebrated my mother-in-law’s birthday by getting up bright & early for the Livestrong 5k…then rewarded ourselves with a decadent brunch, fresh-squeezed mimosas and this sky-high coconut cake. There’s something so festive about a really tall birthday cake, and since there were only four of us, I made a multi-layered 6-inch confection that turned out cute as a button. I’d love to make this cake again during the holidays, since the airy 7-minute frosting looks just like tufts of snow. Follow the jump for more pics and the recipe!

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2 1/2 cups cake flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1 stick plus 2 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

5 large egg whites

Seven-Minute Frosting (I used this recipe)

2 1/2 cups (7 ounces) shredded sweetened coconut, lightly toasted in 350 oven for about 5 minutes

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