I'm having fun researching recipes and ingredients. I'm not going with my original recipe choices...they just weren't good enough for competition. Friends and family are loving them though.
I have found that it takes some deep digging to find the better recipes. I found an almond cake recipe that incorporates some whipped egg whites into the batter and that really made the cake lighter and more elegant. Finding the perfect coconut cake recipe has been a challenge. I'm looking for a light and fluffy sponge that still has a lot of moisture. It's amazing what people come up with. The best recipe that I've found so far is this one:
https://amycakesbakes.com/sour-cream-coconut-cake/ . It uses the "reverse creaming method." It also calls for Instant ClearGel, which I've never used before. I ordered it and am waiting for it to arrive before I can make this recipe.