Author Notes: This cake is decadent! The chocolate cake layers are from Bobby Flay’s German Chocolate Cake recipe. It is the best recipe for chocolate cake I have ever tried. The layers are very rich and moist – almost like a brownie. The frosting is my own, but nothing fancy – just a vanilla cream frosting with a little cream cheese to cut the sweetness. —Justforlicks
Serves: 10
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake
-
2 1/4
cups All Purpose Flour
-
3
teaspoons Baking Powder
-
3/4
teaspoon Baking Soda
-
3/4
teaspoon Salt
-
12
tablespoons Unsalted Butter, at room temperature (plus extra for the pans)
-
1
cup Plus 2 Tablespoons good quality Dutch process cocoa powder (such as Valhrona or Cocoa Barry)
-
1 1/2
cups Light Brown Sugar
-
1 1/2
cups Granulated Sugar
-
1 1/2
cups Strongly Brewed Black Coffee, at room temperature
-
1 1/2
cups Buttermilk
-
3
Large Eggs
-
2
teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting
-
1
lb. Box Powdered Sugar
-
8
tablespoons Butter, softened
-
1
8 oz. package Cream Cheese
-
1 1/2
teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
-
3/4
cup Milk, aprrox.
-
3
cups Sweetened Coconut Flakes
Directions
For the Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter 2 (9-inch) cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
- Melt the 12 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the cocoa powder and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, add the sugars and whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Add the coffee, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla extract and continue whisking until smooth and just combined.
- Slowly add the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the 2 pans and bake on the middle rack until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 40 minutes.
- Let cool in the pans on a baking rack for 20 minutes. Then invert the cakes onto the baking rack and let cool for at least 1 hour.
- Slice each cake in half horizontally (if you are unsteady with a knife, use a piece of thread and pull it through the middle of the cake). Put 1 cake layer on a cake round or platter and spread 1/4 of the frosting evenly over the top. Sprinkle un-toasted coconut flakes on top of the frosting. Repeat to make 3 layers and top with the remaining cake layer with frosting and toasted coconut.
Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting
- For the Coconut – Toast 1 cup in toaster until lightly browned. Save the rest for the cake layers.
- For the Frosting – Mix all ingredients together and beat until smooth. Add the milk slowly, as you do not want the frosting too runny.
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