Description
A moist, three-layer chocolate cake crowned with a buttery coconut-pecan frosting—nostalgic, celebratory, and easy for home bakers.
Ingredients
Scale
- Cake Layers
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- ½ cup strong hot coffee
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Coconut-Pecan Frosting
- 12 fl oz evaporated milk
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large egg yolks, beaten lightly
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups sweetened flaked coconut
- 1 cup chopped pecans (toasted lightly)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 9-inch round pans; line bottoms with parchment.
- Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Combine buttermilk, hot coffee, and vanilla.
- Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
- Beat in eggs one at a time.
- Alternate dry ingredients with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with dry; mix just to combine.
- Divide into pans; bake 25–30 min until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
- Frosting: Cook evaporated milk, sugar, yolks, and butter over medium heat 10–15 min, stirring constantly, until thick and lightly caramel. Off heat, stir in vanilla; fold in coconut and pecans. Cool until spreadable.
- Assemble: Layer cake with frosting between layers and on top; broil briefly to toast the top if desired; chill 1 hour before slicing.
Notes
- Room-temperature eggs and butter improve texture.
- Hot coffee deepens chocolate flavor without a coffee taste.
- Stir frosting constantly; it thickens more as it cools.
- Toast pecans for extra aroma and crunch.
- Warm, wipe knife between cuts for clean slices.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 cake)
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 45 g
- Sodium: 260 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg