Chocolate-Coconut Cake

By mamacasma

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• Frosting:
• 1 box (16 ounces) confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut up
• 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, cut into pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract
• 3 cups sweetened flake coconut
• Raspberries and mint to garnish (optional)

Details

Servings 16
Preparation time 15mins
Cooking time 45mins

Preparation

Step 1

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray.

2. Cake. In bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In large bowl, beat butter until smooth. Add brown sugar; beat until blended. Beat in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla. On low, alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Spread into prepared pans.

3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert cakes directly onto racks; cool completely.

4. While cakes cool, make Frosting. Place confectioners' sugar in a large bowl. Beat in boiling water. Add butter and cream cheese, beating well on medium-high speed after adding each piece. Beat in extract. Refrigerate until firmer consistency, 30 minutes to 1 hour.

5. Place one cake layer on pedestal. Spread top with 1 cup frosting and 1/2 cup coconut. Add second layer. Spread frosting on top and side of cake. Press remaining 2 1/2 cups
coconut into frosting. Garnish with raspberries and mint, if desired.