RICH CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH COCONUT FILLING AND GANACHE

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This recipe is originally from Food 52, I have made some slight changes to the recipe like doubling up the cream cheese and mixing it in a food processor.  It is always a slam dunk!

RICH CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH COCONUT FILLING AND GANACHE

 Serves 10 to 12

18 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, divided, chopped

2/3 cups shortening

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla, divided

1 1/2 cup strong black coffee

3 1/3 cups sugar, divided

3 cups cake flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

8 16 ounces softened cream cheese

1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut

1 cup heavy cream 3 Big bowls, seriously use Big bowls.

  1. Set out the cream cheese to soften. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. and dust with cocoa powder.
  2. Grease a 10-12 cup Bundt pan.
  3. In a small saucepan, melt 8 ounces of the chocolate with the shortening. Set aside to cool slightly. (this will take longer than you think, just pop it in the fridge)
  4. In a mixing bowl, food processors combine the cream cheese with 1 egg, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1/3 cup sugar and the coconut. Set aside.  Using a food processor will make this part super easy and light and fluffy.  If you just have it mixed it will be too heavy and settle to the top of your cake instead of floating in the middle.
  5. In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled chocolate mixture, 3 eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and coffee.
  6. In another mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, cake flour, soda and salt.
  7. Combine dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just incorporated.
  8. Pour half of the chocolate cake mixture in to the Bundt pan. Top that with the coconut/cream cheese mixture and then top that with the remaining cake mixture.
  9. Bake on the center rack of a 350 degree oven for 45-65 minutes or until tester comes out clean.

10. Cool the cake in the Bundt pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert the cake on a serving plate to cool further.

11. While cake is cooling, bring the heavy cream to a simmer. Remove from heat and whisk in 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate until smooth. Set aside to cool.

12. Once the cake has cooled, drizzle or pour (depending on how much icing you want) the ganache on to the cake.

*half way through this post you will notice that the cake pan changes from a traditional bundt to a Swirl, this is because I forgot to grease the first Bundt.. I blame my husband and the mimosas!