Chocolate Coconut Cake
This chocolate coconut cake is made with two layers of chocolate cake filled with coconut filling and frosted with chocolate ganache.
Ingredients
For the cake
- 3 Eggs
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups Granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup Vegetable oil
- ½ cup Sour cream
- ¾ cup Buttermilk
- ⅔ cup Cocoa powder
- ½ cup Shredded coconut
- 2 cups Flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- ¾ cup Coffee hot
For the chocolate ganache
- 9 oz Dark chocolate
- 9 oz Heavy cream
For the coconut filling
- 1 cup Shredded coconut
- ½ cup Heavy cream
- ¼ cup Sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and prep two 8-inch baking pans with cooking spray and parchment paper.
- Into a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, buttermilk, oil, vanilla extract, kosher salt, granulated sugar, sour cream, and sift the cocoa powder, and mix with a whisk until well combined.
- Add the shredded coconut and mix well.
- Sift the flour, add the baking powder, and baking soda, and mix until almost combined.
- Add the hot coffee and mix until the batter is smooth and there are no large lumps of flour visible.
- Divide the mixture into two 8-inch baking pans. I suggest using cake strips for even baking. (Weigh the batter for better results.) and bake in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. (You can also use a 9-inch cake pan.)
- Allow the cake layers to cool completely. Run a butter knife or a thin spatula around the edges of the cake to release it from the sides of the pan.
- Invert and Tap: Place a wire rack or plate over the pan, hold them firmly, and flip to invert the pan. Lift Gently: Carefully lift one side of the pan, then remove it completely to slide your cake onto the surface.
Make the chocolate ganache
- Chop the dark chocolate and place it into a large bowl. Heat the cream in a saucepan until it comes to a simmer. Pour the cream into the bowl with the chopped chocolate.
- Let the chocolate and the cream sit for 10 minutes for the chocolate to melt, then mix until the chocolate ganache is smooth and silky.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming, and place it in the fridge until it reaches a spreadable consistency.
- Whip the ganache with an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer with the balloon attachment until it's fluffy and lighter in color.
Make the coconut filling
- In a bowl, add the shredded coconut, heavy cream, and sweetened condensed milk and mix until well combined.
Assembly
- Pipe a circle around the edges of the cake using the whipped ganache. Then fill the circle with the coconut filling and smooth it out.
- Top with the second cake layer and frost the cake with the ganache.
- Top with shredded coconut if desired, and serve!
Notes
- Don’t skip the coffee in the cake; you can’t taste the coffee, it simply enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Make sure that you are using fresh ingredients like baking soda and baking powder. If they are expired your cake will not rise up beautifully.
- Use cake strips! Cake strips give you even and perfectly baked cake layers.
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and butter. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have a moist cake and not a dense and dry cake.
- Serve at room temperature for optimal taste. Bring the chocolate cake to room temperature before serving to ensure that the frosting is creamy and not hard and will melt in your mouth.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper! This step helps the cake to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your cake will release easily from the pan.
- Be patient! I know it’s extremely tempting to frost this cake as it is pulled out of the oven, but let the cake cool for at least 1 hour so it will be firmer and won’t crumble up, and prevent the frosting from melting.
Nutrition
Calories: 568kcalCarbohydrates: 59gProtein: 7gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 257mgPotassium: 338mgFiber: 4gSugar: 38gVitamin A: 538IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 118mgIron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!