Recipe

Directions

To make cake, heat oven to 350°F. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray; dust bottom and sides with flour, tapping out excess. Whisk together 2 1/4 cups flour and the baking powder. In heatproof bowl set over simmering water, melt 8oz (2 bars) of chocolate. With electric mixer using paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar and salt until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until smooth. Add half the milk, then half the flour. Add remaining milk followed by remaining flour. Add chocolate and coconut extract; beat just until smooth. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake in center of oven about 35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Cool in pans 15 minutes; unmold onto a rack and cool completely. Spread coconut on a baking sheet; toast in 300°F oven about 10 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally so that coconut browns evenly. Cool; reserve for assembly.

To make buttercream, in heatproof bowl of mixer set over simmering water, melt 6oz (1 1/2 bar) chocolate with cream. Whisk gently until smooth; cool to room temperature. Place bowl on mixer; using paddle attachment, gradually beat in butter. Beat in sugar, coconut extract and salt; continue to beat until buttercream is smooth and fluffy.

To assemble cake; sandwich cake layers together with 1 cup of the buttercream; frost sides and top of cake with remaining buttercream. Decorate cake with toasted coconut. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until buttercream is firm enough to cut.