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Coconut Caramel Cake
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Coconut Caramel Cake

This is a “German Chocolate Cake,” but instead of the layers of chocolate cake I used a coconut sponge. The sticky, gooey, caramel-coconut topping is rich and filled with pecans, and the cake is absolutely divine.
Author: Zoë François

Ingredients

Coconut Cream Cake

  • 8 oz unsalted butter butter, softened 1 cup
  • 13 ½ oz unbleached all-purpose flour 3 cups
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
  • 2 tsps vanilla extract
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temp
  • ½ cup sour cream, room temp
  • 6 large egg whites, room temp

Chocolate Ganache

  • 12 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • ¾ cup heavy cream
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp rum

Coconut Caramel Topping

  • ½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup evaporated milk
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 ½ cups sweetened coconut flakes
  • 1 cup pecan pieces, lightly toasted
  • ¾ cup finely diced dried cherries

Instructions

Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in middle of the oven. Grease and line with parchment two 9×3-inch Cake Pans.
  • In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.
  • Mix the coconut milk and vanilla, set aside.
  • In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. (Scrape down the bowl if you don’t have a beater blade) Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition.
  • Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix on low speed until incorporated. Add half the coconut milk and mix thoroughly. Continue to add the flour and coconut alternately, ending with flour. Add sour cream and mix until incorporated. Set aside in a large bowl if you don’t have a spare bowl for your mixer.
  • Beat the egg whites in your stand mixer with the whisk attachment. (If you are using the same Bowl be sure it is VERY CLEAN or the whites will not whip up. Any fat on the bowl will prevent the whites from foaming.) Beat the whites on high speed for 2-3 minutes, until it forms soft peaks. Don’t overdo it or the whites will get too stiff and not fold into the batter smoothly. Whites beaten without sugar will get too stiff quickly so check them after 2 minutes.
  • Stir 1/3 of the egg whites into the cake batter to lighten it. Gently fold the remaining whites into the batter.
  • Divide evenly in the prepared pans. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the tester comes out clean. Cool on rack in pan and then invert to use.

Chocolate Ganache

  • In a medium sized pot heat the cream until just steaming, but not boiling. Turn off the heat and add the chocolate and butter. Gently shake the pot to make sure all the chocolate is submerged in the hot cream and allow to sit for about 3 minutes. Add the rum and  gently stir the ganache until it is completely smooth. Let the ganache sit to thicken for about 15+ minutes.
  • Once the cake is cool, trim the top to expose the soft crumb and to flatten any doming. Pour the ganche evenly over the two cakes.

Coconut Filling

  • Melt the butter, sugar, evaporated milk, and salt in a saucepan until smooth, cook about 3 minutes. All of the sugar should be melted. The best way to test this is to rub some of the mixture between your fingers.
  • Turn off the heat and add the coconut, pecans and dried cherries.
  • Place one layer of cake on a serving platter and top with half the coconut mixture. Repeat with the other layer of cake and the rest of the coconut. Enjoy!