Chocolate Coconut Layer Cake

Prep Time

1h 45m

Bake Time

40m - 45m

Yields

1, 8 or 9-inch cake

About this Recipe

Our signature tender chocolate cake is layered with homemade coconut cream and frosted with decadent ganache in this Chocolate Coconut Layer Cake. What could possibly be better? A welcome cake for any event, but don’t count on leftovers.

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Chocolate Coconut Layer Cake

Prep Time

1h 45m

Bake Time

40m - 45m

Yields

1, 8 or 9-inch cake

About this Recipe

Print this recipe

This Recipe URL has been copied.

Instructions

Ganache is easiest to work with when made in advance and has time to firm (at room temperature) to frosting consistency. Therefore, prepare ganache first.
If chocolate is in bar shape, chop to chip-sized pieces and place in a bowl. Set aside.
In a saucepan bring cream and sugar to a full boil. Remove from heat and pour onto chocolate. Add butter and whisk smooth. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 310°F (low temperature is correct). Butter and flour 3, 8-inch (or 9 inch) baking pans and set aside. (Fitting a round piece of parchment paper on bottom of baking pan is highly recommended for easy removal of cake.)
Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and sugar. Set aside.
In a bowl large enough to hold all ingredients whisk eggs and buttermilk until well combined. Add oil, vanilla and salt. Whisk smooth.
Meanwhile heat water until hot.
Add dry ingredients to buttermilk/egg mixture and whisk smooth. Add hot water in 3 increments, while whisking batter smooth in between additions.
Divide batter evenly into pans and place in oven, bake for 40-45 minutes (about 7 minutes less if using 9-inch pans) until center of cake bounces back when lightly pressed with a finger or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
After 5 minutes turn upside down on plastic food lined surface and allow to cool completely, about 1 hour. It is best to keep parchment on cakes.
Meanwhile prepare coconut cream. Place egg yolks in a pan large enough to hold all remaining ingredients. Add 3 tablespoons coconut milk and whisk well. Add sugar and vigorously whisk together. Add another 3 tablespoons coconut milk and once well-combined whisk in corn starch.
Pour in remaining coconut milk and place on heat. Whisk continuously until mixture boils and makes visible bubbles. Once you see thickening remove from heat. Continuing to whisk and/or heat will break down corn starch and make mixture runny.
Add coconut followed by vanilla. Cover with plastic food wrap and set over ice. Do not stir until it is completely cold.
Place a cake layer on a serving platter and then remove parchment. (Leaving parchment on cake while transferring will prevent tender cake from breaking.)
Remove parchment and spread half of coconut cream onto cooled cake layer, ensuring to keep cream 3/4 inch away from edges.
Cover with a second cake layer and remove parchment. Repeat with remaining coconut cream.
Cover with remaining cake layer and remove parchment.
Frost cake sides and surface using room temperature ganache. Retain a small amount for decorating surface.
Place ganache in a piping bag fitted with a small round piping tip and pipe a continuous zig zag line on surface.
Press toasted coconut on sides of cake and sprinkle surface with edible pearls.

Ingredients

Chocolate Ganache

10 ounces best quality chocolate, 53-65% cocoa
1 cup whipping or heavy cream
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
5 tablespoons butter, unsalted or salted

Chocolate Cake

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour*
2/3 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup vegetable oil, any type including non-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water

Coconut Cream

3 large egg yolks
1 can (about 14 oz) coconut milk (standard type not sweetened)
2 1/2 tablespoons Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
3 tablespoons corn starch
1 cup coconut flakes, unsweetened or sweetened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
1 cup coconut flakes, toasted
Few edible pearls

*Spoon & Sweep method: Use a spoon to fill measuring cup with flour until required amount is obtained. Scooping measuring cup directly into flour bag will firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for recipe.

Instructions

Ganache is easiest to work with when made in advance and has time to firm (at room temperature) to frosting consistency. Therefore, prepare ganache first.
If chocolate is in bar shape, chop to chip-sized pieces and place in a bowl. Set aside.
In a saucepan bring cream and sugar to a full boil. Remove from heat and pour onto chocolate. Add butter and whisk smooth. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 310°F (low temperature is correct). Butter and flour 3, 8-inch (or 9 inch) baking pans and set aside. (Fitting a round piece of parchment paper on bottom of baking pan is highly recommended for easy removal of cake.)
Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and sugar. Set aside.
In a bowl large enough to hold all ingredients whisk eggs and buttermilk until well combined. Add oil, vanilla and salt. Whisk smooth.
Meanwhile heat water until hot.
Add dry ingredients to buttermilk/egg mixture and whisk smooth. Add hot water in 3 increments, while whisking batter smooth in between additions.
Divide batter evenly into pans and place in oven, bake for 40-45 minutes (about 7 minutes less if using 9-inch pans) until center of cake bounces back when lightly pressed with a finger or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
After 5 minutes turn upside down on plastic food lined surface and allow to cool completely, about 1 hour. It is best to keep parchment on cakes.
Meanwhile prepare coconut cream. Place egg yolks in a pan large enough to hold all remaining ingredients. Add 3 tablespoons coconut milk and whisk well. Add sugar and vigorously whisk together. Add another 3 tablespoons coconut milk and once well-combined whisk in corn starch.
Pour in remaining coconut milk and place on heat. Whisk continuously until mixture boils and makes visible bubbles. Once you see thickening remove from heat. Continuing to whisk and/or heat will break down corn starch and make mixture runny.
Add coconut followed by vanilla. Cover with plastic food wrap and set over ice. Do not stir until it is completely cold.
Place a cake layer on a serving platter and then remove parchment. (Leaving parchment on cake while transferring will prevent tender cake from breaking.)
Remove parchment and spread half of coconut cream onto cooled cake layer, ensuring to keep cream 3/4 inch away from edges.
Cover with a second cake layer and remove parchment. Repeat with remaining coconut cream.
Cover with remaining cake layer and remove parchment.
Frost cake sides and surface using room temperature ganache. Retain a small amount for decorating surface.
Place ganache in a piping bag fitted with a small round piping tip and pipe a continuous zig zag line on surface.
Press toasted coconut on sides of cake and sprinkle surface with edible pearls.

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Chocolate Coconut Layer Cake

Prep Time

1h 45m

Bake Time

40m - 45m

Yields

1, 8 or 9-inch cake

About this Recipe

Print this recipe

Ingredients

Chocolate Ganache

10 ounces best quality chocolate, 53-65% cocoa
1 cup whipping or heavy cream
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
5 tablespoons butter, unsalted or salted

Chocolate Cake

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour*
2/3 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup vegetable oil, any type including non-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water

Coconut Cream

3 large egg yolks
1 can (about 14 oz) coconut milk (standard type not sweetened)
2 1/2 tablespoons Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
3 tablespoons corn starch
1 cup coconut flakes, unsweetened or sweetened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
1 cup coconut flakes, toasted
Few edible pearls

*Spoon & Sweep method: Use a spoon to fill measuring cup with flour until required amount is obtained. Scooping measuring cup directly into flour bag will firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for recipe.

Instructions

Ganache is easiest to work with when made in advance and has time to firm (at room temperature) to frosting consistency. Therefore, prepare ganache first.
If chocolate is in bar shape, chop to chip-sized pieces and place in a bowl. Set aside.
In a saucepan bring cream and sugar to a full boil. Remove from heat and pour onto chocolate. Add butter and whisk smooth. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 310°F (low temperature is correct). Butter and flour 3, 8-inch (or 9 inch) baking pans and set aside. (Fitting a round piece of parchment paper on bottom of baking pan is highly recommended for easy removal of cake.)
Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and sugar. Set aside.
In a bowl large enough to hold all ingredients whisk eggs and buttermilk until well combined. Add oil, vanilla and salt. Whisk smooth.
Meanwhile heat water until hot.
Add dry ingredients to buttermilk/egg mixture and whisk smooth. Add hot water in 3 increments, while whisking batter smooth in between additions.
Divide batter evenly into pans and place in oven, bake for 40-45 minutes (about 7 minutes less if using 9-inch pans) until center of cake bounces back when lightly pressed with a finger or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
After 5 minutes turn upside down on plastic food lined surface and allow to cool completely, about 1 hour. It is best to keep parchment on cakes.
Meanwhile prepare coconut cream. Place egg yolks in a pan large enough to hold all remaining ingredients. Add 3 tablespoons coconut milk and whisk well. Add sugar and vigorously whisk together. Add another 3 tablespoons coconut milk and once well-combined whisk in corn starch.
Pour in remaining coconut milk and place on heat. Whisk continuously until mixture boils and makes visible bubbles. Once you see thickening remove from heat. Continuing to whisk and/or heat will break down corn starch and make mixture runny.
Add coconut followed by vanilla. Cover with plastic food wrap and set over ice. Do not stir until it is completely cold.
Place a cake layer on a serving platter and then remove parchment. (Leaving parchment on cake while transferring will prevent tender cake from breaking.)
Remove parchment and spread half of coconut cream onto cooled cake layer, ensuring to keep cream 3/4 inch away from edges.
Cover with a second cake layer and remove parchment. Repeat with remaining coconut cream.
Cover with remaining cake layer and remove parchment.
Frost cake sides and surface using room temperature ganache. Retain a small amount for decorating surface.
Place ganache in a piping bag fitted with a small round piping tip and pipe a continuous zig zag line on surface.
Press toasted coconut on sides of cake and sprinkle surface with edible pearls.