Coconut Cake with Chocolate Chunks and Coconut Drizzle
When it comes to sweets there are a few things I cannot live without. As many of you know, one of them is lemons. Tied for first place alongside lemons is coconut.
When I saw this recipe featured in Bon Appetit magazine I knew I had to replicate it. Not just for my love of coconut, but for my love of Mounds chocolate bars as well, as this cake was beautifully studded with chunks of bittersweet chocolate.
But this cake did more than just help me indulge in my love of coconut and Mounds. It was dense and moist without being heavy. The bittersweet chocolate gave it right amount of sweetness. And if you are a chocolate addict, go crazy and add more. Between the chocolate chunks and toasted coconut on top, the texture of this cake was like a little party in my mouth.
As if all of this wasn’t enough, the touch of orange zest warmed up your mouth with every bite. This is certainly not your everyday cake; but something for when you are craving more than just yellow cake with chocolate frosting.
And it was a wonderful end to my first Valentine’s as a married woman.
Coconut Cales with Chocolate Chunks and Coconut Drizzle
Ingredients:
For the Cake
1 3/4 cups unbleached white flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped (or 9 ounces if you are a chocolate lover)
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, or 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut tossed with 1 teaspoon agave until all coconut is coated and ever so slightly dampFor the Coconut Drizzle
3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
2-3 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extractDirections:
Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour a 9 inch spring-form cake pan. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a medium-sized bowl. Stir in 1 cup coconut. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with coconut milk in 2 additions, mixing until just combined with each addition. Fold 3 ounces of the chocolate chunks into batter using a rubber spatula. (I didn't pay close attention to the recipe and dumped all the chocolate at this point. Which is why the top of my cake doesn't have chunks and chocolate shavings instead.) Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top with spatula. Sprinkle remaining 3 ounces of chocolate as evenly as you can on top of the batter, top with 1/2 cup of coconut. Bake for 60-70 minutes. Check cake at around 40 minutes. If it looks like it is browning too quickly, place a foil tent over the pan. Remove cake from oven when a tester placed in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before removing from pan. Cool completely before cutting.
Coconut Drizzle
Whisk together sugar, vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of coconut milk. Add more coconut milk as needed until mixture is pourable.
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Stephanie — February 16, 2010 @ 12:04 pm
Hi! I made this cake recently after seeing it on Blue Ridge Baker, and wow!! This is a fantastic cake…so yummy. Glad you enjoyed it, too. Peace, Stephanie
Cristine — February 16, 2010 @ 1:41 pm
Oh yum! Looks fantastic!!!
5 Star Foodie — February 16, 2010 @ 3:02 pm
A fabulous cake! I love the coconut drizzle, yum! Sounds like you had a wonderful Valentine's day!
k.a.r.e.n — February 16, 2010 @ 4:13 pm
That is one gorgeous looking cake and that is why you should come by my blog for an award!
How To Eat A Cupcake — February 16, 2010 @ 4:42 pm
Wow this looks so incredible!!
Megan — February 16, 2010 @ 5:22 pm
I too love chocolate and coconut – what a fantastic cake!
CookiePie — February 16, 2010 @ 5:36 pm
OOOOOH – that is gorgeous!!! Yum!!!
Barbara GF — February 16, 2010 @ 6:33 pm
What a gorgeous cake, Eliana! I love coconut, too; couple that with chocolate and you've got a winning combo. You are some baker.
Gala — February 16, 2010 @ 7:34 pm
Yum, I love the drizzle!
Snooky doodle — February 16, 2010 @ 7:39 pm
oh i go crzy for chocolate and coconut. I have to make this cake . so good !
Jen @ My Kitchen Addiction — February 16, 2010 @ 7:39 pm
Yum… Looks like a beautiful cake! I, too, love coconut and chocolate.
Tracy @ Sugarcrafter — February 16, 2010 @ 8:13 pm
What a beautiful cake! I love coconut!
Sam — February 16, 2010 @ 8:56 pm
I don't really like coconut, yet I'm still so tempted to try this! It looks so beautiful! Maybe I can turn it into a cupcake, lol.
Tracey — February 16, 2010 @ 8:59 pm
That cake looks so good! I love coconut and chocolate too, though I think I'd sub semisweet since I'm not a big fan of bittersweet. Thanks for sharing!
Ingrid — February 17, 2010 @ 1:40 am
My mom likes mounds and almond joy. She'd be ALL over this cake. Me? I'll be leaving out the chocolate or perhaps adding it as a drizzle over the top.
~ingrid
Delightfully Sweet — February 17, 2010 @ 2:34 am
Wow! Gorgeous cake!
Megan — February 17, 2010 @ 6:51 pm
You definitely had me at dense and moist… and add more chocolate! Beautiful cake! I love Mounds.
Jelli Bean — February 17, 2010 @ 7:57 pm
This looks sinfully delish! I think I'd add some almonds to the top to make "Almond Joy" cake. Yummy!
Jaime — February 17, 2010 @ 8:04 pm
i love coconut! this is beautiful
Kim — February 18, 2010 @ 4:31 am
Gorgeous cake. I love coconut. I'll have to give this a try.
Katrina — February 18, 2010 @ 5:28 am
This looks so beautiful and sounds delicious! I must try this one!
Teanna — February 18, 2010 @ 3:14 pm
Oh WOW I would be OBSESSED with this cake. Like, seriously, seriously obsessed! Coconuts?! Chocolate?! ORANGE ZEST?!? HELLO! LOVE LOVE LOVE!
hungrysofia — February 19, 2010 @ 7:01 pm
AAARGH! My copy is on back order and I've been waiting to get it since December. Thanks for the preview!=
Stephanie — March 2, 2010 @ 8:02 pm
Oh my! I think I need to make this one!
betty r — March 12, 2010 @ 8:01 pm
Lemons and coconut..those two are right up there as my favorites. Your photo looks awesome!
Sumaya — April 25, 2010 @ 11:15 pm
i love it wen i discover great new blogs! the foodie in me is inspired. and craving that cake