Coconut Cake

Ingredients :

1 ½ cups sherry wine
8 ounces raisins
2 cups sugar
3 cups water
2 cinnamon sticks
7 ounces shredded unsweetened coconut
1 poundcake
10 eggs , separated
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
butter , for the pan

Preparation : 

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.