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1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
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2
Butter a 9 inch springform pan.
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3
In a small bowl, stir together the cake flour, sugar and baking powder.
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4
In a bowl, whisk together the oil, whole eggs and 1/4 cup of water and stir in the flour mixture into the oil mixture until the batter is smooth.
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5
Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar until they hold stiff peaks.
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6
Stir 1/4 of the whites into the batter to lighten and then fold in the remaining whites.
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7
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in the middle of the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.
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8
Remove cake and let cool.
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9
For pastry cream: Scald the milk with the vanilla bean.
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10
Scrape the seeds into the milk and discard bean (or rinse it, let it dry and 'plant' it into a sealed jar of sugar. In time you'll have sugar with a vanilla fragrance.) In a bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup of sugar, flour and egg yolks.
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11
Whisk the hot milk into the yolk mixture, a little at a time, and whisk for 1 minute.
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12
Pour into the pan and bring custard to the boil, whisking constantly, for 1-2 minutes, o until it is thickened.
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13
Let cool, uncovered, and chill it, placing a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the hot custard to prevent a skin from forming.
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14
Beat the cream with the remaining 2 tblsps sugar until it holds stiff peaks.
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15
Fold 1 cup of the whipped cream into the pastry cream, reserving remainder, and fold in 1 cup of coconut into the pastry cream as well.
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16
Make chocolate sauce: Simmer the milk with the chocolate, stirring, until the chocolate is melted.
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17
Add the cream, butter and sugar and simmer, stirring, until smooth and slightly thickened.
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18
Keep sauce warm, covered.
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19
Cut cake horizontally into 3 layers with a serrated knife.
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20
Spread 1/2 of pastry cream on top of bottom layer and top with second layer.
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21
Spread remaining pastry cream on top of second layer and top with third layer, cut side down.
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22
Spread whipped cream on top and side of cake and sprinkle with coconut.
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23
Serve with sauce.
