Brrrrr…. it seems to be a rather cold winter here in Melbourne this year! I’m on holidays and have decided not to fight the baking urge any more – giving in to the warmth of layers of chocolate and cheesecake around my tum :). Too good!

Today I baked this rich coconut chocolate cake which was surprisingly easy. Recipe from Taste!

Source: tumblr.com via Jesses on Pinterest

Note: the above cake was found on Pinterest. Not the actual cake I made, though it looked surprisingly similar!!!

Ingredients (serves 10)

  • 125g butter, softened
  • 1 cup caster sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon coconut essence
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups Healthy Baker self-raising flour
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
  • 1 cup milk
  • double cream, to serve

  • Chocolate buttercream

  • 200g butter, chopped
  • 200g dark chocolate, chopped
Note: I used half the above amounts, cause 200g of each of these is crazy – like a whole block of butter and chocolate! I skipped putting it in the middle of the cake and had heaps…

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a 6.5cm-deep, 20cm (base) round cake pan. Line with baking paper. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and coconut essence until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
  2. Sift half the flour and half the cocoa over butter mixture. Add half the coconut. Stir to combine. Add half the milk. Stir to combine. Repeat with remaining flour, cocoa, coconut and milk. Spoon into prepared pan. Smooth top. Bake for 55 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
  3. Make Chocolate buttercream: Place butter and chocolate in a glass or ceramic bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature. Beat mixture with a wooden spoon until thick and spreadable.
  4. Using a serrated knife, cut cake in half crossways. Place bottom of cake on a plate. Spread with one-third of buttercream. Sandwich with cake top. Spread remaining buttercream over top and side of cake. Serve with cream.

That’s it – easy peasy and oh so tasty. Armed with a cup of tea, I can face the winter and work off my cake with a bit of neighbourhood dog walking now!

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