Absolutely the best cake I have ever eaten
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup unsweetened chocolate
- 3/4 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
- 2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
- Carbohydrate 63.750919447976 g
- Cholesterol 199.103333333333 mg
- Fat 36.3960179228575 g
- Fiber 5.12574301154096 g
- Protein 10.4646581959711 g
- Saturated Fat 18.601869587162 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (173g)
- Sodium 504.566020836174 mg
- Sugar 58.625176436435 g
- Trans Fat 2.35967116693875 g
- Calories 594 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat two 8 x 2-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray. Line bottoms with wax paper; spray the paper. Dust with flour.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, granulated and brown sugars, baking soda, baking powder and salt. in a large measuring cup or bowl, whisk together milk, oil, eggs and vanilla. Add the milk mixture to the flour misture and mix until fully incorporated.
- Add the boiling water to the batter and mix well to combine (the batter will be thin). Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake until a wodden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat the heavy cream, sour cream and confectioners' sugar in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Place one of the cakes on a platter and spread 1 cup frosting over the top. Top with the remaining cake and frost with the remaining icing. Gently pat the coconut all over the cake. Serve immediately or refrigerate, up to 1 day.
When baking requires strictly measured components without specialized equipment beyond an electric mixer and standard round cake pans, precision in mixing order matters entirely. Boiling water introduced directly into the batter dissolves cocoa solids and hydrates flour proteins rapidly, creating a fluid consistency that might initially appear unworkable yet produces a remarkably moist crumb once baked at 350 degrees. Whisking the dry ingredients thoroughly before introducing the liquid components ensures that the baking soda and baking powder distribute evenly alongside the kosher salt, preventing pockets of uneven rise across the two 8 x 2-inch layers. If the batter remains lumpy, gluten develops unevenly and creates dense streaks through the center of the crumb. Cooling the layers for precisely ten minutes in their pans allows the internal structure to set sufficiently before inversion onto a wire rack prevents tearing. Frosting stability relies heavily on the inclusion of sour cream alongside heavy cream and confectioners' sugar, as the dairy acid stabilizes the whipped emulsion while yielding stiff peaks that securely anchor the two cups of unsweetened coconut flakes. Refrigeration should not exceed one day to maintain the optimal contrast between the tender chocolate interior and the crisp exterior coconut coating.
