Coconut Cake with Strawberries

Adapted from The Imus Ranch: Cooking for Kids and Cowboys, by Deirdre Imus (Rodale Press, 2004).
SIMPLE SOLUTION:
INGREDIENTS
Olive oil, for oiling pans
1 cup safflower oil
2 cups raw unrefined sugar
4 egg yolks (reserve the whites for batter)
2 1/4 cups unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 cup rice milk or organic milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup egg whites (about 8 large eggs plus reserved whites)
1 cup strawberries, cleaned and hulled
1 cup whipped cream or whipped tofu topping
1 cup fresh grated coconut, for garnish
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Oil two 9-inch baking pans with olive oil.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the safflower oil and sugar together on high speed until fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time. In another bowl, sift the flour, salt, and baking powder together; add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, and stir in the milk. Mix well on medium speed, about 3 to 4 minutes; stir in the vanilla.
3. In a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites into soft peaks, and gently fold them into the batter. Pour into pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove cakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely. Remove and slice each cake horizontally to make 4 layers total.
4. Meanwhile, put the strawberries in a blender and blend about 1 minute to make a puree. Lay one cake layer on a cake dish, and spread a third of the strawberry puree on top; repeat with the other two layers and the rest of the puree. Add the final layer to the top, and cover with the whipped cream or tofu topping. Garnish with the grated coconut. Chill 30 minutes before serving.
Serves 12.