Coconut Cake Nests

Directions

• 1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour twelve 4-inch fluted tube pans.
• 2. Beat butter, shortening, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla until creamy. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add alternately with buttermilk, beating until well blended. Stir in coconut and pecans.
• 3. Beat egg whites until stiff; fold into batter. Divide batter evenly into prepared pans.
• 4. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake centers comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.
• 5. Prepare VANILLA FROSTING and toasted or tinted coconut.
• 6. Frost cake tops with vanilla frosting; sprinkle frosting with toasted or tinted coconut. Fill "nest" with 3 candy pieces that are the same color. 12 servings.
• *To sour milk: Use 1 tablespoon white vinegar plus milk to equal 1 cup.
• **To toast coconut: Heat oven to 350°F. Spread coconut in thin layer in shallow baking pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown; cool.
• **To tint coconut: Combine 1/2 teaspoon water and few drops of food color in small bowl or small jar with cover or re-sealable plastic food storage bag. Add 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes. Toss with fork or shake closed jar or plastic bag until coconut is evenly coated; store in airtight container.