Coconut-Lime Cake with Lime Cream Cheese Icing

2 3/4 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 3/4 c. sugar
2 sticks butter, room temp
1 c. cream of coconut
4 eggs separated
1 t. vanilla
1 c. buttermilk

1 batch of cream cheese icing
6-8 oz. flaked coconut for topping

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9" round cake pans. Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl. Mix next 3 ingredients with hand mixed in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla. On low speed, beat in dry ingredients, then buttermilk, each just until blended. (To make the cake have a lime flavor, sour 3/4 c. regular milk with 1/4 c. of lime juice and use that in place of the buttermilk).
Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff, but not dry. Fold egg whites into batter. Pour into prepared pans. Bake 25-30 minutes.

icing:
6 oz. block cream cheese, room temp
1 stick butter, room temp
2-3 T. lime juice OR 2 t. vanilla
4-5 c. sifted confectioners sugar

Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add 2 c. sugar, beating well. Gradually beat in additional 2-3 c. of sugar to reach spreading consistency. Covers tops and sides of two 8-9" round cakes.