Description
Moist Chocolate Coconut Cake features ultra-tender chocolate layers enhanced with coffee, sweet coconut filling, and rich chocolate buttercream frosting for a show-stopping celebration cake.
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake:
-
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
-
- ¾ cup (65g) unsweetened cocoa powder
-
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
-
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
-
- ½ teaspoon salt
-
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
-
- 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil
-
- 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, room temperature
-
- 1 cup (240ml) hot brewed coffee
-
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
-
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Coconut Filling:
-
- 2 cups (160g) sweetened shredded coconut
-
- 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
-
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-
- ¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream
For the Chocolate Frosting:
-
- 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, room temperature
-
- ¾ cup (65g) unsweetened cocoa powder
-
- 3½ cups (420g) powdered sugar
-
- â…“ cup (80ml) whole milk
-
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 8-inch round pans and line bottoms with parchment circles. This ensures easy release after baking – crucial for this delicate cake.
Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl until completely combined with no cocoa clumps visible.
In separate bowl, whisk sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in buttermilk until fully incorporated and mixture is uniform in color.
Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, stirring just until combined. Slowly pour in hot coffee, stirring gently until batter is smooth and very thin – this is correct!
Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake 25-30 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
Don’t Overmix: Mix just until flour disappears – overmixing creates tough, dense cake instead of tender crumb.
Coffee Secret: Always use hot liquid (coffee or water) – it blooms the cocoa for deeper chocolate flavor.
Chill Before Slicing: Refrigerate assembled cake for 20 minutes before slicing for cleanest layers.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 625
- Sugar: 55g
- Sodium: 380mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 17g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 78g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 65mg