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This is the most amazing Chocolate Coconut Layer Cake! Two layers of incredibly moist and soft chocolate coconut cake. In between the chocolate cake layers is a delicious layer of coconut filling. The whole cake is covered with a easy chocolate ganache frosting that will make you want to reach for a second slice.
This delicious chocolate coconut layer cake recipe is for any chocolate and coconut fans! This cake has lots and coconut flavor and has incredible soft and delicious chocolate coconut cake layers. In between those layers is a layer of coconut filling. The cake is covered in the most amazing chocolate ganache frosting.
For more chocolate cake recipes, try Chocolate Coffee Cake, Chocolate Fudge Cake and Chocolate Ganache Cake.
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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Easy chocolate cake layer: These chocolate cake layers are incredibly soft and so quick and easy to make.
- Chocolate ganache frosting: The most luscious chocolate ganache frosting is so simple to make and it'll make you want to make this cake over and over again.
- Coconut layer: The coconut layer gives so much flavor and is so delicious.
INGREDIENT NOTES
These are some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour: Gives a light and airy cake. I prefer using all-purpose flour with a protein amount that is between 10-11%
- Cornstarch: Helps give a light and soft cake
- Sugars: The granulated sugar helps sweeten, as well as give moister to the cake. The brown sugar helps add extra toffee flavor to the cake.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Help leaven and rise the cake, so it has light and fluffy texture.
- Salt: Helps enhance the flavor of the chocolate cake.
- Egg: Take it out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking, so it comes to room temperature. (depending how warm your kitchen is).
- Coffee: Use freshly brewed coffee. The coffee helps boost the chocolate flavor. It can be replaced with hot water if you don't want to add coffee to the cake. Coffee is also used in the in buttercream.
- Oil: Use a flavor neutral oil, such as canola oil.
- Sour cream: Sour cream gives lots of moister to the cake, as well as helps give the cake a great structure.
- Unsweetened Cocoa powder: I use high quality dutch process cocoa powder for the best flavor, my favorite is from Valrhona.
- Butter: The butter is used in the frosting.
- Shredded coconut: Shredded coconut is used for the coconut filling and chocolate cake layers
- Sweetened condensed milk: It is used make the coconut layer so it'll taste just like a Bounty bar.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Here is how to make and bake this Chocolate Coconut Layer Cake. This recipe doesn't need an electric mixer. Just two large bowls, a baking tray, a whisk and a spatula.
The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.
Before starting preheat the oven to 170ºC/ 340ºF conventional oven and line 2x 20 cm/8-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
STEP 1: In a large bowl, add all of the dry ingredients. Give it a stir to make sure everything has been combined. In another mixing bowl add all of the wet ingredients, and with a hand whisk, whisk them together until combined.
STEP 2: Slowly pour the wet mixture into the dry while gently stirring it all together. Make sure there are no lumps left in the batter.
STEP 3: Pour the cake batter into the prepared pans and bake them for 28-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cakes cool on a wire rack. After 5 minutes, gently remove the cakes from the cake tins and let the cakes cool down completely.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - FROSTING, FILLING AND ASSEMBLING
STEP 1: While the cake layers bake, make the frosting. Melt all of the ingredients together in a saucepan over medium heat. Once all of it has melted and combined, transfer it to a baking tray, so it can cool down faster, and cover it with plastic wrap that touches the surface of the frosting. Let it cool down in the fridge for 1-2 hours, or until a spreadable consistency.
STEP 3: Once ready to assemble, start by cutting the very top of the cooled down cake layers so they have an even top. Place one of the cake layers on your serving dish.
STEP 4: Add the coconut filling and using a spoon, a small offset spatula or your fingers, gently press the coconut filling into an even layer. Make sure to leave the very outer edges of the cake free so the coconut filling doesn’t get mixed into the frosting once it’s added.
STEP 5: Place the other cake layer on top of coconut filling. Then start by adding the frosting on the side of the layer cake so it fills in the grab between the two cake layers. Add the remaining frosting, and even it out over the cake. Finely sprinkle with shredded coconut. Store in the fridge.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams. It is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula after everything has mixed together, to give it one final gentle fold together. This makes sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
- Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pans are light in color and therefore attract less heat. That means it bakes more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat. That will then give a darker crust, which can result in a dryer cake.
FAQ
Yes, replace it 1:1 with full-fat Greek yogurt.
Yes, make each element the day before, so you only need to assemble it the next day. Store the cake layers in the freezer well wrapped in plastic wrap, the next day thaw them 1 hour before assembling the cake. Store the chocolate frosting in the fridge until ready to be used, as well as the coconut filling. Before assembling, let the chocolate frosting sit on the kitchen counter until a spreadable consistency. Assemble the cake as written in the recipe.
I recommend using a cake tester or a toothpick. Once the time has passed, per the recipe, insert the cake tester in the middle of the cake and once it comes out clean, with no cake batter on it, then it's done.
HOW TO STORE
Store the Chocolate Coconut Layer Cake in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator. When ready to enjoy, let it come to room temperature before eating. It's best enjoyed within a few days.
Other Layer Cake Recipes To Try
Make sure leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats. To get more ideas by following me on Pinterest.
Chocolate Coconut Layer Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
CHOCOLATE COCONUT CAKE
- 240 g warm coffee or water for instant coffee use 1.5 teaspoon of instant coffee
- 240 g all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoon cornstarch
- 50 g shredded coconut
- 300 g granulated sugar
- 50 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 110 g vegetable oil
- 180 g sour cream room temperature
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
CHOCOLATE GANACHE FROSTING
- 190 g dark chocolate chips
- 150 g butter cut into small cubes
- 75 g granulated sugar
- 150 g heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
COCONUT FILLING
- 100 g shredded coconut
- 110 g sweetened condensed
Instructions
CHOCOLATE COCONUT CAKE
- Preheat the oven at 170ºC/340ºF conventional oven and line 2x 20 cm/8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Start by making the coffee and weigh it out so it can cool down a bit while preparing the other ingredients.240 g warm coffee or water
- In a bowl, sift all of the dry ingredients together. Give it a stir to make sure everything has been combined.240 g all-purpose flour, 4 teaspoon cornstarch, 50 g shredded coconut, 300 g granulated sugar, 50 g unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt
- In another mixing bowl add all of the wet ingredients, including the coffee, and with a hand whisk, whisk them together until combined. Be sure to not mix the ingredients too vigorously so the eggs don’t get over mixed.110 g vegetable oil, 180 g sour cream, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry while gently stirring it all together. Make sure there are no lumps left in the batter.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking tins and bake them for 28-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack. After 5 minutes, gently remove the cakes from the cake tins and let the cakes cool down completely.
CHOCOLATE GANACHE FROSTING
- While the cake layers bake, make the frosting.
- Melt all of the ingredients together in a saucepan over medium heat. With a rubber spatula, constantly fold the mixture together as it heats up. Once all of it has melted and combined, transfer it to a baking tray, or similar, so it can cool down faster, and cover it with plastic wrap that touches the surface of the frosting. Let it cool down in the fridge for 1-2 hours, or until a spreadable consistency.75 g granulated sugar, 150 g butter, 190 g dark chocolate chips, 150 g heavy cream, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
COCONUT FILLING
- Mix together the shredded coconut and sweetened condensed milk until uniform. Cover and set it aside, on the kitchen counter, until ready to assemble the cake.100 g shredded coconut, 110 g sweetened condensed
ASSEMBLING
- Start by cutting the very top of the cooled down cake layers so they have an even top. Place one of the cake layers on your serving dish or cake board on your turntable. If you don’t have a turntable, don’t worry, you can easily decorate the cake without it.
- Add the coconut filling and using a spoon, a small spatula or your fingers, gently press the coconut filling into an even layer. Make sure to leave the very outer edges of the cake free so the coconut filling doesn’t get mixed into the frosting once it’s added.
- Place the other cake layer on top of coconut filling. Then start by adding the frosting on the side of the layer cake so it fills in the grab between the two cake layers.
- Add the remaining frosting, and even it out over the cake. Finely decorate with shredded coconut. Store it in the refrigerator.
Julie
I'm a bit confused. The recipe states that I'm supposed to use 3 eight inch cake pans, but the picture and the assembly instructions only have 2 layers. So which is correct?
Julie Marie
I'm so sorry for this mistake. It is only two as shown on the photos. I apologies for the confusion!
Iben Pernille Nielsen
This is a cake for coconut/ chocolate lovers. 🥥