Chocolate Coconut Cake by Zarnak Sidhwa

Ingredients for Chocolate Coconut Cake:

• Boiling water 1/2 cup
• Chopped chocolate 4 oz
• Flour 2 cups
• Cocoa 1/4 cup
• Baking soda 1 tsp
• Salt 1 tsp
• Sugar 2 cup
• Unsalted butter 1 cup
• Separated eggs 4
• Vanilla essence 1 tsp
• Butter milk 1 cup
• Coconut-pecan filling
  

For Frosting:

• Sugar 1 cup
• Evaporated milk 1 can
• Unsalted butter 1/2 cup
• Egg yolks 3 eggs
• Vanilla 1 tsp
• Flaked coconut 2-1/3 cup
• Chopped walnuts 1-1/2 cups
  

Method:

1. Melt chocolate and set aside.
2. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. Beat sugar and butter until very light.
4. Add egg yolks, one at a time, until well incorporated.
5. Add chocolate mixture, boiling water and vanilla.
6. Add flour, alternating with buttermilk and ending with dry ingredients.
7. Beat egg whites to soft peaks.
8. Gently stir beaten whites into batter.
9. Divide batter equally between greased and floured pans and spread evenly
10. Bake at 180 degrees C on middle rack of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 350 minutes.
11. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
12. Use a knife to loosen cake from sides of pan and invert onto wire rack to cool completely.
13. Place 1 layer on a cake plate and top with half the coconut-walnut filling.
14. Repeat with layers and remaining filling.
15. For Filling: In a sauce pan. combine the sugar, milk, butter, egg yolks and vanilla.
16. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes.
17. Stir in coconut and walnuts.
18. Transfer to a bowl and stirring occasionally, allow to cool to room temperature before frosting the cake.