1-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup skim or low-fat milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 egg whites
2-1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 cup fresh frozen coconut
1 (8-ounce) can cream of coconut
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted*
1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan; set aside. In a large bowl, beat together sugar and shortening. Slowly add milk and vanilla, continue beating until blended. Add egg whites, two at a time, beating well after each addition. Slowly add flour gradually, beating well. Stir in fresh frozen coconut just until mixed. Pour batter into prepared pan; bake at 350°F until cake tests done when knife inserted in center comes out clean, or about 35 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Punch 6 to 10 holes in cake (the handle end of a wooden spoon works well), slowly pour cream of coconut on top of cake, letting it absorb completely. Finish cooling completely. Stir in 1/2 cup of the toasted coconut into whipped topping. Spread whipped topping on cake as frosting. Sprinkle remaining toasted coconut on top of cake. Refrigerate for several hours.

*To toast coconut, preheat oven to 350°F. Spread sweetened shredded or flaked coconut on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring once or twice, until golden, about 5 to 10 minutes. If toasting sweetened coconut, check and stir more frequently because the added sugars can cause irregular browning.

Nutrition information per serving:
449 calories; 19 g total fat ; 14 g saturated fat; 1 g polyunsaturated fat; 2 g monounsaturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 386 mg sodium; 66 g carbohydrate; 2 g dietary fiber; 6 g protein; 82 IU Vitamin A; 8 IU Vitamin D; 41 mcg folate; 81 mg calcium; 1 mg iron;