Cake Ingredients:
1 package (21.6 ounces) yellow cake mix (see Note)
1 cup sour cream
4 large egg whites
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners? sugar, sifted
2 cups shredded sweetened coconut for packing onto the top and sides of the cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two or three 9-inch cake pans. (I used two since it's a smaller box cake mix these days).

Place the cake mix, sour cream, egg whites, water, oil, and coconut extract in a large bowl. With an electric mixer, beat on low for 30 seconds, scrape down the bowl, then beat on medium 1 to 2 minutes, or until the batter is smooth.

Divide the batter between the pans, and place the pans in the oven. Bake 25 to 30 minutes for two layers or 20 to 25 minutes for three, or until the cake springs back when lightly pressed in the center.

Let the layers cool 10 minutes in the pans. Run a knife around the edges, and invert the layers onto racks to cool right-side up.

Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. Place the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until creamy. Add the coconut and vanilla extracts and the confectioners? sugar, a cup at a time, beating on low until just combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high to whip the frosting and incorporate air.

To assemble the cake, place one layer on a cake plate or stand, spread with frosting, top with a second layer, frost, then a third layer (and possibly fourth layer) and frost, leaving enough frosting to frost the sides and top of the cake. Press the coconut generously onto the top of the cake. Press coconut onto the sides of the cake. Slice and serve.

Stacy's Notes: made this fall 2015 and then again Mother's Day 2016 for Linda. This is an old Cake Mix doctor recipe, and the boxed cake mixes were larger then. I did not add extra or use an extender recipe, I just used the 15.25 oz box yellow mix I bought at Kroger and everything else the same. The extra sour cream, egg whites, water and oil keep it very moist. Neither the cake or frosting taste very "coconut-y" to me, just the shredded coconut piled on the outside of the frosting. Therefore, I'm able to scrape off some of the coconut and eat it, even though I seriously dislike coconut anything. A definite keeper, make again!