Chocolate Coconut Cake

This chocolate coconut cake recipe is like eating an Almond Joy in cake form! A rich chocolate cake layered with a chocolate ganache frosting, and covered in a coconut buttercream, and more coconut!

This cake. Aw this cake. Where do I begin to sing its praises? If we were friends, I would walk over to your house, bringing you a slice. Or two. Because one wouldn’t be enough. I’d bring one for me too. 

Man I wish I had another slice.

You could call this cake maybe Almond Joy Cake? Snowball Cake? It’s got everything you want. Moist chocolate cake, infused with almond extract. Then in between the cake layers. Oh boy oh boy. Whipped chocolate ganache frosting.  Then a coconut buttercream on the outside. And then more coconut…yes I want another slice.

How To Make This Chocolate Coconut Cake Recipe

This chocolate cake is adapted from Hershey’s kitchen recipe. I’ve used variations of this to also make perfect chocolate cupcakes. It’s always moist and fluffy. And seriously so easy. One bowl. No mixer. Who needs cake mixes when homemade cakes are so easy?

You want to prepare your cake pans before you start and pre-heat your oven.

Start by whisking together your dry ingredients in a bowl – all purpose flour, granulated white sugar, baking powder, baking soda, natural cocoa powder, and salt.

Then you want to whisk in your wet ingredients- eggs, milk, oil, and extracts. And then whisk in the boiling water. This batter will be very thin. 

You want to the divide the cake batter between your pans and bake.

How To Make The Whipped Ganache Frosting

This whipped ganache frosting couldn’t be easier. Start by making a ganache that has a ganache ratio of 1:1, meaning equal parts heavy cream to chocolate. 

Once the ganache has cooled you can then whip it in your mixer until light and fluffy.

How easy was that?

How To Make This Coconut Buttercream

Let’s talk about this coconut buttercream. Oh my word, grab me a spoon.  It’s my go to buttercream frosting recipe but with coconut extract. 

You can check out my Ultimate Guide To Making The Best Buttercream Icing here. It’s light and fluffy. Just be sure to whip the heck out of this stuff in your stand mixer. You want it to be light and airy. Not a block of butter sitting on top of your precious cake. 

Can You Substitute Dutch Process For Regular Cocoa?

No unfortunately you can’t. You can read the differences between natural cocoa and dutch process cocoa.

So when it comes to swapping out these cocoa powder you will be upsetting that chemical balance that was originally achieved when the recipe was written. So save yourself the headache and use the cocoa powder called for.

How Far In Advance Can I Make This Cake?

You can make the chocolate cake layers up to 2 days in advance, unfrosted. Just wrap in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature. You can also make the cake layers and freeze for up to 2 months.

The frosting and filling can be made up to a week in advance. Just store in your refrigerator for up to a week. You may need to place them back in your mixer and rewhip back to the same consistency.

If the cake is frosted, it can stay fresh at room temperature for 4 to 5 days, according to the Kitchn.

Tips For Making This Chocolate Coconut Cake 

• Be sure to measure your flour accurately. You want to make sure to first fluff your flour. Then spoon your flour into the cup and level off.
• When baking these, it’s best to rotate the pans halfway through their baking time. Every oven can have hot spots so they may not bake evenly. Give them a turn in the oven, so they all bake up pretty.
• Once they are baked, be sure to take them out of the pans and cool on a cooling rack. Leaving them in your pans means they will continue to bake and could end up dry.

More Recipes To Try

If you love coconut as much as I do then be sure to try my coconut macaroons recipe. These gluten free cookies are foolproof and are dipped in chocolate for a special treat.

And if you’re craving more cake, then give my Sock it to me cake a try. It’s an easy bundt cake made with pecans and a simple icing.

Or if it’s a layer cake you’re needing, my berry chantilly cake is a must try. It’s better than Whole Foods!