My father is a man of few vices. Well, there’s the occasional cigar. Alright, and a whiskey neat in the afternoons. However, none of these are particularly prominent.
However, my father has one huge problem: he LOVES coffee. The man would drink it all day every day if he could. We have to remind him to keep count of how many cups he has, for the sake of his health. He would rather have a coffee with Swiss Miss stirred in than anything else. When we go out for ice cream, he opts for coffee flavored.
So, for his birthday, there had to be coffee involved. However, he is also a man of tradition, which means that German Chocolate cake must be involved. Luckily, chocolate, coffee, and coconut are a pretty classic combination.
I also did not want to pipe pretty little swirls on this cake or sprinkle it with chocolate shavings. I needed this cake to be rustic and masculine (pardon my use of gender binaries). Crunchy brown coconut along the edges gives it a strong, almost wooden look. That was perfect.
It boasts a classic chocolate cake with coconut pecan filling and coffee buttercream, garnished with toasted pecans and coconut. The texture is also perfect for those of us that prefer to eat our cake in a bowl with milk, which is how my mother and I have always done it.
This cake is ideal for any coffee lover, chocoholic, or coconut craving. The flavors work in perfect harmony, complementing each other without overpowering. Whether a birthday, a holiday, or simply a weekend, this cake belongs on the table.
INGREDIENTS:
For cake:
2 cups flour
2 sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 sticks unsalted butter
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup shredded cocounut
1/4 cup chopped pecans
For frosting:
1.5 sticks softened butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1.5 tablespoons instant coffee
2 tablespoons milk of choice
3 cups powdered sugar
For assembly:
Toasted coconut (I throw some in the oven while it’s preheating and while I’m mixing up the cake)
Toasted pecans (Same deal)
1 batch coconut pecan frosting (Can be store-bought or homemade. I used store-bought because I already made one frosting).
To prepare:
Preheat oven to 350
Get your tea kettle going with one cup water. You’ll need it to boil.
In one bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt (Probably don’t use a metal bowl, because you’re putting boiling water in this later). In another smaller bowl, combine buttermilk, baking soda, vanilla, and eggs.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter and cocoa powder. Stir until combined and bubbling along the edges. Pour in the boiling water (1 cup) and allow to boil rapidly for a minute.
Pour the chocolate mixture into the flour mixture and stir until slightly cooled. This is why you don’t want a metal bowl, unless you happen to have no nerves in your hands.
Finally, add the egg mixture into the chocolate/flour mixture and stir. Fold in the coconut and pecans.
Pour into two greased 9 inch cake pans (This also makes a sheet cake, or doubles well for a 4 layer). Bake for 20-25 minutes.
For the mocha frosting: Mix together the coffee, cocoa, and milk to form a paste. Add butter and beat until combined. Slowly add the powdered sugar until thick and fluffy.
To assemble: Turn out one cooled cake, spread the coconut pecan frosting on top, really thick. Add a layer of toasted coconuts and pecans.
Turn the other layer out on top. Spread the sides and top with mocha frosting, and press coconut into the sides.
Finally, add a circle of coconut and pecan to the top (it should spread right on top of the mocha. If it’s not working, chill the cake for a second to let the mocha frosting set).
Decorate with pecans and enjoy!
whenkathycooks 