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–+ servings
A fully decorated chocolate coconut cake served and ready to slice.

Chocolate Coconut Cake Recipe

Kathy Caldwell
0
reviews
Chocolate and coconut are a wonderful combination. This cake balances these flavors as well as creating a beautiful presentation.
Preparation 45 minutes
Cook 30 minutes
Ready in 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 16
CourseDessert
InfluenceGlobal
DifficultyChallenging
MethodBake
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Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup processed cocoa powder special dark
  • 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 3/4 cup boiling water

Coconut Filling

  • 14 oz sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk

Coconut Frosting

  • 4 sticks salted butter softened
  • 2/3 cup cream of coconut
  • 6 cups powdered sugar sifted
  • coconut extract to taste
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

Chocolate Ganache

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 pound bittersweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 pound semisweet chocolate chips

To Assemble

  • 8 small coconut chocolate bars such as Mounds, Bounty, or Almond Joy

Equipment

  • 2 10-inch Dutch ovens
  • 1 round of baking paper
  • 1 cooling rack

Directions

Chocolate Cake

  • Grease and flour or spray two 10-inch Dutch ovens and line them with parchment paper. 
  • In a large bowl combine sugar, cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
  • Add eggs, oil, and buttermilk then beat for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water.
  • Divide between the Dutch ovens and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C), or until the top of the cake springs back when touched. 
  • After cooling for 5 minutes in the Dutch oven, turn the cakes out to finish cooling on a cooling rack.

Coconut Filling

  • Combine the coconut and sweetened condensed milk and stir. Put aside until cake assembly.

Coconut Frosting

  • Mix butter, cream of coconut, and powdered sugar, until smooth and fluffy.  
  • Add coconut extract and heavy cream, as needed, to desired taste and consistency.

Chocolate Ganache

  • Warm the cream in a small dutch oven and add chocolate chips and stir until smooth.  Put aside until thickened.

To Assemble

  • Place the first cake on the serving platter bottom side up then top with the coconut filling. Place the second cake, bottom side up, on top.
  • Frost the entire cake with half the coconut frosting.  Smoothing the sides and top.
  • Drizzle the chocolate ganache over the top of the cake and let it run slightly over the edge.   
  • Pipe the remaining frosting in little florettes around the top edge.
  • Garnish with coconut chocolate bars.