Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake
2 cups sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa
2 tsp . baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup soured milk (just add a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to the milk)
1 cup brewed black coffee, (or prepare a single cup of instant coffee)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Caramel Coconut Pecan Filling
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup evaporated milk (undiluted, straight from the can)
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tbsp vanilla
2 cups dried coconut, toasted
1 1/2 cups pecans, toasted and rightly chopped (or walnuts)
For the Chocolate Frosting (optional)
1 cup chocolate chips
4 cups icing sugar powdered sugar
- 4 tbsp cocoa
- 1 cup butter
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp milk (approximately)
Instructions
To prepare the Chocolate Cake
This cake can be baked in 2 nine inch round pans or in a 9×13 rectangular pan. The 9×13 will get cut in half lengthwise and the layers stacked if you want to make it as a bar cake.
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat with electric mixer for 2 minutes.
Pour into 2 greased and floured 8 or 9 inch cake pans (or one 9×13 baking pan)
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
NOTE
I’ve added this note because so many people ask about the coffee in this chocolate cake recipe. The recipe calls for a cup of brewed coffee, meaning prepared as you would drink it. It does NOT mean a cup of ground coffee or a cup of instant coffee granules either; although I always smile when someone asks that because my late friend Anne did that once, bless her soul. Let’s just say her husband wasn’t impressed!
A little coffee accentuates the flavour of chocolate but if you like, you can just substitute and additional cup of milk for the coffee. It’s not a problem.
To prepare the Caramel Coconut Pecan Filling
First toast the coconut and pecans so they can cool before using them. I toast pecans at 350 degrees on an aluminum baking sheet for about 8 minutes or so, turning them once during the toasting time.
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