Chocolate Cake with Coconut-Pecan Frosting
A chocolate cake enjoys an exalted presence when frosted with an irresistibly sweet, buttery spread. A garnish of shaved coconut takes the cake from diner counter to dinner-party finale.
Martha Stewart Living, August 2007
http://www.marthastewart.com/316151/chocolate-cake-with-coconut-pecan-frosti
Ingredients
- Vegetable-oil cooking spray
- 2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), plus more for pan
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 5 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
- Coconut-Pecan Frosting (http://www.marthastewart.com/263088/coconut-pecan-frosting)
- 1 cup unsweetened shaved or flaked coconut, lightly toasted, for decorating
- 15 pecan halves, toasted, for decorating
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Line bottom with parchment paper, and coat with cooking spray. Dust with flour, tapping out excess. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Beat in flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk. Beat in chocolate. Pour batter into prepared pan, and smooth top.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes. Remove cake from pan, peel off parchment, and let cool completely on rack. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour (or overnight) to make it easier to slice.
- Using a serrated knife, slice cake horizontally into 3 layers. Spread 1/3 of the frosting over bottom layer. Repeat, layering cake and frosting, finishing with frosting. Mound coconut in center, and arrange pecan halves around edge.
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