Make Ahead

Less Offensive Rich Chocolate Cake with Coconut Filling and Ganache

by:
February 15, 2010
0
0 Ratings
  • Serves 10-12
Author Notes

I made this cake yesterday for my parents 71st wedding anniversary (not a typo). I used unsalted butter instead of the other, more controversial ingredient. The cake was delicious. —nannydeb

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 18 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped, divided
  • 2/3 cup unsalted butter
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups strong black coffee
  • 3 1/3 cups sugar, divided
  • 3 cups cake flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
  • 1 cup heavy cream
Directions
  1. Set out the cream cheese to soften.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  3. Grease a 10 -12 cup bundt pan and dust with cocoa powder.
  4. In a small sauce pan, melt 8 ounces of the chocolate with the unsalted butter. Set aside to cool slightly.
  5. In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese with one egg, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and the coconut. Set aside.
  6. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled chocolate mixture, 3 eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and coffee.
  7. In another bowl, whisk together cake flour, 3 cups sugar, baking soda and salt.
  8. Combine dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until incorporated.
  9. Pour half of the chocolate cake mixture in to the prepared bundt pan. Top that with the coconut mixture, then top that with the remaining cake mixture.
  10. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 45 - 55 minutes, or until tester comes out clean (this time I had to bake it for 55 minutes).
  11. Cool on a wire baking rack for 10 minutes in the pan. Invert the cake onto the serving plate to continue cooling.
  12. While cake is cooling, bring the heavy cream to a simmer. Remove from heat and whisk in 10 ounces of the bitter sweet chocolate. Set aside to cool.
  13. Once the cake has cooled, drizzle or pour (depending on how much icing you want) the ganache onto the cake.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Kelsey Banfield
    Kelsey Banfield
  • mrslarkin
    mrslarkin
  • La452
    La452
  • lastnightsdinner
    lastnightsdinner
nannydeb

Recipe by: nannydeb

Former restaurant manager (and waitress, bartender, etc). I love food: eating, trying new recipes, shopping for it, talking/emailing about it, etc. My foodie friend and pen pal got me interested in recipe contests and also turned me on to food52 and now I'm obsessed!

4 Reviews

Kelsey B. February 17, 2010
This is such a sweet picture, and what a wonderful cake!
 
mrslarkin February 15, 2010
Oh my gosh, beautiful! And the cake's not so bad either! When did they get married, when they were, like, two? P.S. I say, bring on the shortening! Congrats to mom & dad!
 
La452 February 15, 2010
What great photos! I am glad your tried it this way too, though I was not offended by that OTHER ingredient :-)
 
lastnightsdinner February 15, 2010
I had to go back to the original (i.e. "offensive") recipe to figure out what all the fuss was about. Whoa.

Anyway, though I am not a baker, both versions of this cake sound lovely and indulgent, and what a great way to celebrate. Congrats to your parents on 71(!) years!