TORTA DE COCO (COCONUT CAKE)

Steps:

• Soak the raisins in the sherry.
• Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.
• 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.
• Add the coconut, stir well, and cook another three minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool; when cooled, remove and discard cinnamon sticks.
• Grate the poundcake into a large bowl.
• Beat the egg yolks and add them to the pound cake along with the coconut mixture, the raisins and sherry and the ground cinnamon.
• Butter a ten inch springform pan.
• Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
• Fold them, using a rubber spatula, into the cake mixture, blending well but gently.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for an hour, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool on a rack before opening the springform pan.
• 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.