This show-stopping cake tastes just as fantastic as it looks. Watch the video below to see how to easily make the decorations.

MAKES: 16 servings
HANDS-ON TIME: 40 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 2 hours and 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Cake:

• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened 
• 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar 
• 1/2 cup liquid egg whites 
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 3 cups  all-purpose flour 
• 2 1/4 tsp baking powder 
• 1/2 tsp each baking soda and salt 
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk 

Assembly:

• Coconut Meringue Icing 
• 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut 
• Edible Birch Bark 
• Sugared Rosemary 

METHOD

Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans; line bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside. 

In stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter with sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg whites and vanilla. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat into butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk, making 3 additions of flour mixture and 2 of buttermilk. Scrape into prepared pans, smoothing tops.

Bake until cake tester inserted in centres comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Invert onto greased racks; peel off parchment paper. Let cool completely.

Assembly: Using serrated knife, trim tops of cakes to level, if necessary. Spread 1 tsp of the icing in centre of cake plate; top with 1 cake layer, cut side up. 

Spread 1 1/4 cups of the Coconut Meringue Icing over cut side; cover with second cake layer, cut side down. Spread 1 1/4 cups of the icing over top. Cover with final cake layer, cut side down; spread with 1 cup of the icing.

Using offset palette knife, spread thin layer of the icing all over cake. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. 

Using offset palette knife, spread remaining icing all over cake, smoothing side and top. Press coconut into icing on top of cake. Gently press Edible Birch Bark, dark chocolate side facing in, into side of cake, overlapping pieces slightly. Garnish top of cake with Sugared Rosemary. Store at room temperature for up to 4 hours. 

NUTRITIONAL FACTS

Per serving: about 984 cal, 7 g pro, 64 g total fat (41 g sat. fat), 90 g carb (1 g dietary fibre, 73 g sugar), 139 mg chol, 470 mg sodium, 182 mg potassium. % RDI: 10% calcium, 12% iron, 45% vit A, 18% folate.