Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

Sift together the sifted flour, baking powder and salt, and set aside.

With an electric mixer, beat the eggs at medium-high setting for 4 minutes. Beat in the sugar, gradually, and add the vanilla extract. Beat until incorporated.

In a small saucepan, melt the 1/4 cup butter in the milk. Do not boil.

Turn mixer speed to low and add the sifted flour mixture alternately with the hot milk/butter mixture. Scrape down sides of mixer bowl as needed, and beat until the batter is uniformly smooth. Batter will be thin. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick in center of cake comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, mix the icing, but don’t start cooking it until the cake is done.

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
• 3/4 cup flaked coconut

Combine brown sugar, cream and butter in a 2-quart saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat, and boil for two minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and stir in pecans and coconut. Spoon icing over hot cake and spread evenly.

Place the cake in broiler 5 to 7 inches from the heat source, and broil 1 to 2 minutes, until icing is bubbly and browned, watching carefully and rotating pan as necessary for even browning. Cool completely on wire rack.