- 12
- 85 mins
- 85 mins
Ingredients
- For cake:
- 4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pans
- 1/4 cup warm milk
- 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising), plus more for pans
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 5 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup buttermilk, well shaken
- Vegetable cooking spray, for rack
- For coconut frosting:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 4 medium egg yolks
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 10 oz. fresh or frozen grated unsweetened coconut, thawed if frozen
- 1 1/2 cups finely ground pecans, walnuts, or almonds
- Kitchen cue: If you can't find fresh or frozen unsweetened coconut, use the shredded sweetened variety and pulse in a food processor until finely grated. Reduce sugar in frosting to 3/4 cup; proceed with recipe.
Preparation
Step 1
1.Make cake: Melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (making sure water doesn't touch bottom of bowl); stir until smooth. Add 1/4 cup butter and stir until combined well. Stir in milk until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
2. Meanwhile, heat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter bottoms of three 9-inch round cake pans; line bottoms with parchment paper and butter paper. Lightly flour and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. In a mixer bowl, whisk egg whites on medium-high speed to stiff peaks; transfer to another bowl. In mixer bowl, beat together sugar and remaining 3/4 cup butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in chocolate mixture and extract until combined well. Reduce speed to low and alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, scraping down sides of bowl, until combined. Fold in egg whites until incorporated with no streaks of whites remaining. Evenly divide batter among prepared pans.
4. Bake until cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans and spring back when lightly touched, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer cakes in pans to a wire rack and let cool 10 minutes. Lightly coat a large wire rack with cooking spray. Run a knife around sides of pans and turn cakes out onto rack; peel off paper and let cool completely.
5.Make frosting: Meanwhile, in the top of a double boiler or a heatproof bowl, whisk together sugar, evaporated milk, and egg yolks until combined well; add butter. Place over a pan of simmering water (making sure water doesn't touch bottom of bowl) and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until very thick, 12 to 15 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in extract, then coconut and nuts. Let cool completely.
6.To assemble: Place one cake layer on a serving platter; spread top and sides with frosting. Repeat with remaining two layers.