Prep Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 8-10

 

Ingredients for cake:

2 C. all-purpose flour

2 C. sugar

3/4 C. cocoa

2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 C. milk

1/2 C. vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 C. boiling water

 

 

Ingredients for frosting:

1   C. heavy cream or 1 can (12-ounce) evaporated milk

1 T. of cornstarch

1/2 tsp. salt

1   C. sugar

3   large egg yolks

1/2 C. unsalted butter

 

1   T. vanilla extract

1 1/2 C. chopped pecans

2 1/3 C (one 7-ounce package) flaked coconut

 

 

What to do for the cake:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease two 8-inch or two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray

In mixing bowl add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until well combined.

Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well mixed. Reduce the speed to low and add boiling water to the cake batter a little bit at a time. Once the water is all mixed in, beat on high for about 1 minute.

Evenly distribute cake batter between the two prepared cake pans.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes on a wire cooling rack. Remove from the pan and cool completely.

 

What to do for the frosting:

In a large saucepan combine heavy cream, cornstarch and mix; add in salt, sugar, egg yolks, butter and vanilla. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and coconut. Let cool 1 hour then spread on cooled cake. To make this cake easy to slice, layer cake with frosting, and then set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or more, then slice and serve.

 

Christina’s Notes:

If you are layering the cake, I always double the frosting recipe above and have a little extra frosting for later use. If you are doing a 9×13 sheet pan the recipe should be sufficient.