Raffaello Cake - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Cake:
2/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
4 eggs, separated
5 drops vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
Topping:
1/4 cup apricot jam, or as desired
1 (16 ounce) can apricot halves, drained
2 cups heavy whipping cream, or more to taste
20 almond coconut candies (such as Raffaello)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan.
Cook and stir flaked coconut in a skillet over medium-low heat until golden and toasted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
Mix butter, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla extract together in a bowl until smooth; add flour, baking powder, and toasted coconut and mix well.
Beat egg whites in a separate bowl until foamy; continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Lift your beater or whisk straight up: the egg whites will form sharp peaks. Carefully mix egg whites into flour mixture; pour into the prepared cake pan.
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake is clean, about 30 minutes. Remove cake from pan and completely on a wire rack.
Place apricot jam in a small microwave-safe bowl and heat until easily spreadable, 15 to 20 seconds. Spread jam onto the cooled cake and top with apricot halves.
Beat cream in a chilled glass or metal bowl with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
Crush 15 almond coconut candies in a bowl using a fork; fold into the whipped cream. Spread whipped cream mixture onto cake. Cut remaining 5 candies in half and arrange on the cake.