Chocolate Buttermilk Cake with Toasted Coconut Cream
275g castor sugar
125g chopped dark chocolate
90g butter
175ml water
225g plain flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
100ml buttermilk
2 eggs
50ml coconut liqueur ( optional)
500ml double cream
50g desiccated coconut
2 tablespoons icing sugar
Set the oven to 170c. Line a 10 inch cake tin with parchment paper.
Place the sugar, chocolate, butter and water in a saucepan and cook gently until the chocolate and butter have melted. Cool
Whisk in the buttermilk and eggs. Sift the flour and baking soda together and fold into the mixture.
Spoon into the cake tin and bake for 45 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. If using the coconut liqueur, skewer over the top of the cake and drizzle over the liqueur. Cool the cake.
Sprinkle the coconut over a tray lined with parchment paper and cook for about 5 minutes in a 200oc oven or until golden brown. Cool.
Whisk the cream to soft peaks, whisk in the icing sugar and 40g of the coconut.
Split the cake in half and spread over half the cream. Top with the remaining cake. Pipe the remaining cream over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining coconut.
Iced chocolate Cocktail
300ml water
200g castor sugar
Juice 1 lemon
175g chopped dark chocolate
Good splash coffee liqueur, brandy or whiskey
Simmer the water, sugar and lemon juice.
Remove from heat and whisk in the chocolate until melted. Cool.
Add loads of ice and liqueur.
Serve.
