Cake

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Grease only the bottom of two 9″ round baking pans and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center. Add the oil, egg yolks, milk, and ube extract. Set aside.
3. In another large bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Mix in the cream of tartar and slowly add in the 1/2 cup sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
4. Using the same beaters, mix the egg yolk mixture until smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
5. Fold in 1/4 of the egg whites to lighten up the mixture. Gently fold in the rest in two equal parts until just combined and no streaks remain. Divide the cake batter evenly into the prepared pans.
6. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 10-15 minutes on a wire rack, run a thin knife along the edge, flip over to remove the parchment paper, and let cool completely.

Frosting

1. Beat the butter, vanilla extract, and salt together until light and fluffy.
2. Mix in 1 cup of powdered sugar along with 1 tablespoon of coconut cream at a time, mixing well in between. Continue mixing until smooth after the last addition.

Assembly

1. Trip the top of the cakes for a flat surface. Place one cake on a serving plate. Spread 1/3 of the frosting evenly on top.
2. Stack the other cake on top and spread the remaining frosting on top and all around the sides. Don’t worry if some crumbs come off as you frost (the coconut will cover it).
3. Finish the cake with shredded coconut all around.