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Coconut Cake with Vanilla and Chocolate

For this marvelous Coconut Cake with Vanilla and Chocolate I needed shredded coconut and I was really determined to get it. I happened to need it some another times and because I didnt’ find it in any grocery store, I had to replace it with desiccated coconut flakes which is a product that can be found everywhere in Romania. Fortunately, coconuts are easy to find here and they are also quite cheap (one coconut costs only 0.75$); so I bought one and I made my own coconut flakes at home. I broke open the coconut, I removed the shell and I grated the coconut meat using a box cheese grater. I baked the flakes for a few minutes into the oven and so I got myself about two cups of coconut flakes ready to be used in a cake.

As for the taste, this cake is incredible good. The coconut sponge cake (soaked with pineapple syrup), the chocolate ganache and the vanilla pastry cream are just wonderful together. I’ve frosted my cake with whipped cream and decorated it with coconut flakes and that’s it. Easy to make and delicious 🙂

Ingredients Coconut Cake with Vanilla and Chocolate

(for a 16-18 cm diameter cake, 10 servings)

The coconut sponge cake

3 egg whites
150 g granulated sugar
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
60 g desiccated coconut flakes (or 100 g fresh, finely grated coconut meat)

+ 100 ml pineapple syrup (from a pineapple can)

The Chocolate Ganache

100 g dark chocolate, chopped
200 g whipping cream
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar

The Vanilla Pastry Cream

3 egg yolks
75 g granulated sugar
½ vanilla bean
300 ml whole milk
25 g starch
100 g butter, chopped

For finishing

150 g whipped cream (sweetened)
50 g shredded coconut

Preparing Coconut Cake with Vanilla and Chocolate

Preparing the coconut sponge cake Coconut Cake with Vanilla and Chocolate

Preheat the oven at 175 Celsius and prepare a 16-18 cm round pan by lining it with a disc of baking paper. Whisk the egg whites along with a pinch of salt until foamy, then add the sugar gradually, continuing whisking until a stiff meringue forms and all sugar is dissolved. Add flour and homogenize using a spatula, then incorporate the coconut.

Put the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for about 30 minutes (until its surface gets golden and the toothpick inserted in the middle gets out clean). Let the cake cool for a few minutes, then take it off the pan and place it on a wire rack to cool completely. Coconut Cake with Vanilla and Chocolate

Preparing the Chocolate Ganache Coconut Cake with Vanilla and Chocolate

Heat the cream, add the sugar, homogenize quickly and pour it over the chocolate. Let stand for about 2 minutes (to give time for the chocolate to soften and melt), then stir gently (I prefer to use a balloon whisk) until all chocolate is melted and the mixture gets homogeneous and creamy.

Preparing the Vanilla Pastry Cream Coconut Cake with Vanilla and Chocolate

In a bowl, mix the egg yolks with sugar and cornstarch. In a medium saucepan, combine milk and vanilla bean and seeds and bring to a simmer, then pour it slowly over the egg yolk mixture, stirring vigorously, until it has been incorporated.

Pour the mixture back into the saucepan; and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens. Turn off the heat, remove vanilla bean and add the butter. Transfer the mixture into a clean ceramic bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming.

Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Just before using, beat the pastry cream (using a hand mixer or a whisk) until smooth.

Assembling Coconut Cake with Vanilla and Chocolate

In a removable bottom pan (or an adjustable ring cake) place the coconut sponge cake, pour the syrup and allow to soak. Pour over the chocolate ganache, level it and let cool until the chocolate hardens. Put the vanilla pastry cream, level it and cover it with a plastic wrap, sticked directly onto the surface so the pastry cream wouldn’t dry out.

Refrigerate for several hours (better overnight), until all the layers harden and stick together.

Then remove the cake from the mold, place it onto a serving plate, frost it with whipped cream and decorate with coconut flakes. Keep into the fridge until serving.