Chocolate-Caramel-Coconut Cake

By Lindsay Fowler

http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/cake/chocolate-caramel-coconut-cake.html 

Prep Time:1 Hr

Cook Time:35 Min 

 

CAKE Ingredients

2 c sugar

1 3/4 c all purpose flour

3/4 c cocoa, unsweetened

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1/2 c canola or vegetable oil

1 c milk

1 c boiling coffee

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 c sweetened shredded coconut

 

COCONUT CARAMEL FILLING

4 c powdered sugar

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 c shortening

4 Tbsp milk

2 tsp artificial caramel flavoring

1/2 c light brown sugar

2 1/2 c sweetened shredded coconut

 

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1 stick butter melted

2/3 c cocoa, unsweetened

1/3 c milk plus 1-2 tablespoon for added creaminess

4 c powdered sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

 

CAKE TOPPING

2 c unsweetened shredded coconut

3 c sweetened shredded coconut

1 c sweetened shredded coconut

chocolate syrup

caramel ice cream syrup

Directions

1 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2 - Add dry ingredients for cake into a medium sized bowl.

3 - Add eggs, milk, vanilla, and oil and beat with a mixer for 2-3 minutes.

4 -While you are beating the cake bring the coffee to a boil in a sauce pan.

5 - Pour the coffee into the batter after the 2 minutes is up and mix until smooth.

6 - This is a very soupy batter, it will pour easily. Pour into two oiled and floured 9" circle baking pans.

7 - Take the 1/2 cup coconut and divide between the two pans. Sprinkle on top and push down into the batter with a spoon until submerged.

8 - Put pans in the oven and set timer to 35 minutes.

9 - While the cake is baking you should prepare your filling and icing.

10 - For the caramel coconut filling- add shortening and butter to a bowl and mix with a mixer until blended. add powdered sugar and blend until smooth.

11 - Heat milk in a cup in the microwave and add brown sugar. Stir until dissolved.

12 - Add the milk mixture and caramel flavoring to the icing and beat for about a minute with a mixer.

13 - Add the coconut and stir until incorporated and put in refrigerator.

14 - For the chocolate icing- Melt the butter in the microwave in a medium sized bowl.

15 - Add the cocoa and vanilla and mix until completely combined.

16 - While beating with a mixer alternate the powdered sugar and milk until fully combined.

17 - Put chocolate icing in refrigerator.

18 - Let the cake cool completely before attempting to frost.

19 - Take the first layer and remove from pan onto a cake platform.

20 - Take a knife and slice the cake horizontally to form two layers.

21 - Set top layer to the side, and spoon some of the coconut filling out onto the cake. Spread the filling thickly to cover the layer.

22 - Put the next layer on top of the filling. Spread this layer with chocolate icing and then top with a thick layer of the coconut filling.

23 - Cut the other cake horizontally and add another layer to the cake.

24 - Add the remaining coconut filling to this layer and top with the last cake layer.

25 - Frost the entire outside of the cake with the chocolate icing.

26 - Take the coconut for the topping and mix 2 cups unsweetened and three cups sweetened coconut on a large baking sheet. Spread out to a single layer.

27 - Set in oven and bake at 350 stirring every 2 minutes until toasted. Depending on your oven it may be less than 10 minutes just make sure you are checking it or else it may scorch.

28 - Let the coconut cool and add the non-toasted cup of sweetened coconut to the mixture.

29 - Take the coconut working with small handfuls at a time and pack into the coconut cake. It is okay to press on the cake you want the coconut to stick completely. This will get a little messy you will get icing on your hands but the point is to get all of the coconut on the cake.

30 - Drizzle the cake with chocolate syrup