Torta De Coco (Coconut Cake)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups sherry wine (a drinkable not too dry sherry(NOT cooking sherry)
• 8 ounces raisins
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 cups water
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 7 ounces shredded unsweetened coconut (dessicated is fine)
• 1 poundcake (the recipe I use provides a 10-inch cake)
• 10 eggs, separated
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• butter, for the pan

Directions

1. 1

   Soak the raisins in the sherry.

2. 2

   Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.

3. 3

   In a saucepan, combine the sugar, the water and the cinnamon sticks and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it forms a thick syrup.

4. 4

   Add the coconut, stir well, and cook another three minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. 5

   Remove from heat and allow to cool; when cooled, remove and discard cinnamon sticks.

6. 6

   Grate the poundcake into a large bowl.

7. 7

   Beat the egg yolks and add them to the pound cake along with the coconut mixture, the raisins and sherry and the ground cinnamon.

8. 8

   Butter a ten inch springform pan.

9. 9

   Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.

10. 10

    Fold them, using a rubber spatula, into the cake mixture, blending well but gently.

11. 11

    Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for an hour, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

12. 12

    Cool on a rack before opening the springform pan.

13. 13

    Note: Even the best springform pans leak sometimes, so wrap the bottom with some foil and place a cookie sheet on the oven shelf beneath the shelf on which you bake the cake.