Preheat the oven to 350°Fahrenheit. Grease with shortening, then dust with flour an 8" square or 9" round baking pan.
In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs until frothy.
Add the sugar, beating at high speed until mixture is thickened and turns a lemon color.
Mix in the flour, baking powder and salt.
In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the milk and butter together to boiling. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Add the heated milk to the ingredients in the bowl and beat to combine.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes, until the top springs back when you touch it. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes.
Turn on the broiler to “low” in the oven.
While the cake is cooling, make the topping.
Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl.
Add the brown sugar, milk and coconut, stirring to combine.
Pour the topping over the warm cake, and place under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and bubbling. Watch it closely! Cakes under the broiler can burn easily.
Store the cake at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freeze any leftovers in an airtight container for up to a month.
Notes
The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 9 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**