Chocolate Coconut Cake

Yield: 24 servings

Ingredients

• Cake
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 6 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut
• Chocolate Ganache
• 20 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
• Chocolate chips work fine.  If using a bar, break it into pieces.
• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• Coconut Caramel Filling
• 3 cups flaked coconut
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Chocolate Buttercream
• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 5 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 6 tbsp heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions

1. Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.
2. In another bowl, combine the butter, coconut oil, & coconut milk.  Set aside.
3. In a stand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until the mixture turns a pale yellow.  Alternate adding the flour mixture and the butter mixture, until fully combined.
4. Fold in the dried coconut.
5. Divide the batter between two 9" cake pans.
• I used springform pans with parchment paper on the bottom, but you can also use greased & floured cake pans.
6. Bake at 325°F for 25-35 minutes.  Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and then remove to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
7. For the chocolate ganache, place the chocolate into a small bowl.  Warm the heavy cream to a simmer, and then pour over the chocolate.  Let stand for a minute, and then mix by hand with a spoon until they are fully combined into a thick chocolate mixture.
• If it gets too cool while waiting to make the cake, you can warm it in the microwave for a few seconds and stir it back up.  Just be careful not to overheat and burn it.
8. For the caramel filling, bake the flaked coconut at 325°F until lightly browned: approximately 7-10 minutes, flipped, and 7-10 minutes again.  Remove from the heat.
9. Put the sugar in a medium sauce pan.  Warm over medium-high heat until the sugar begins to melt.  Reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue to brown until the sugar turns an amber color.
10. Add the butter to the sugar and whisk until it's fully melted.  Remove from the heat.
11. Add the cream (be careful of the steam!) and whisk until fully combined.  Sprinkle in the salt, and then fold in the coconut.
12. For the chocolate buttercream, place the butter into a stand mixer and beat with the paddle attachment.  Add the sugar, cocoa powder, cream, and salt.  Mix until smooth.
• Adjust the consistency with more/less cream as needed.
13. For assembly, place the first cake layer on a cardboard cake round.  Pipe a ring of chocolate buttercream around the outside, two layers high.  Pour some of the chocolate ganache into the ring, filling it halfway.
14. Divide the coconut caramel in half.  Place half of it on top of the cake, inside the ring (on top of the ganache).  I found this easiest to do by hand dropping little clumps.
15. Place the second cake on top of the first.  Use the butter cream to spread a thin crumb coat over the whole cake.  Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.
16. Put a thicker, final coat of buttercream onto the cake, covering the sides and top.
17. The ganache should be room temperature by now.  Drizzle some on top of the cake, and gently push it to the edges, letting it drip over the sides.  Do as much or little as you prefer.
18. Divide the remaining coconut caramel into twelve pieces and roll into balls.  Place in a ring on top of the cake in the ganache.
19. Use the buttercream to pipe a decorative spiral on the center of the cake.
20. Refrigerate the cake.  It's much easier to cut when fully chilled.

Adapted from The Little Epicurean.