SERVES 10 TO 12
For an accurate measurement of boiling water, bring a full kettle of water to a boil, then measure out the desired amount. When you assemble the cake, the filling should be cool or cold (or room temperature, at the very warmest). Be sure to use cake pans with at least 2-inch-tall sides. To be time-efficient, first make the filling, then use the refrigeration time to prepare, bake, and cool the cakes. The toasted pecans are stirred into the filling just before assembly to keep them from becoming soft and soggy. Click here for more information on splitting cake layers evenly. Click here for more information on frosting a layer cake. See the sidebars that follow the recipe.
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FILLING |
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4 |
large egg yolks, room temperature |
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1 |
(12-ounce) can evaporated milk |
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1 |
cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar |
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¼ |
cup packed (1¾ ounces) light brown sugar |
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6 |
tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces |
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⅛ |
teaspoon salt |
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2 |
teaspoons vanilla extract |
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2⅓ |
cups (7 ounces) sweetened shredded coconut |
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1½ |
cups (6 ounces) pecans, toasted and chopped fine |
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CAKE |
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4 |
ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine |
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¼ |
cup (¾ ounce) Dutch-processed cocoa powder |
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½ |
cup boiling water |
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2 |
cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour |
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¾ |
teaspoon baking soda |
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12 |
tablespoons unsalted butter, softened |
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1 |
cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar |
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⅔ |
cup packed (4⅔ ounces) light brown sugar |
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¾ |
teaspoon salt |
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4 |
large eggs, room temperature |
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1 |
teaspoon vanilla extract |
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¾ |
cup sour cream, room temperature |
1. FOR THE FILLING: Whisk egg yolks in medium saucepan, then gradually whisk in evaporated milk. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, and salt and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is boiling, frothy, and slightly thickened, about 6 minutes. Transfer mixture to bowl, whisk in vanilla, then stir in coconut. Cool until just warm, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cool or cold, at least 2 hours or up to 3 days. (Do not stir in pecans until just before cake assembly.)
2. FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, and flour pans. Combine chocolate and cocoa in small heatproof bowl, pour boiling water over mixture, and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Whisk mixture gently until smooth, then let cool to room temperature. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl and set aside.
3. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined. Beat in vanilla, increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 45 seconds. Reduce speed to low, add chocolate, then increase speed to medium and beat until combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down bowl once (batter may appear curdled). Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream in 2 additions, scraping down bowl as needed. Give batter final stir by hand (batter will be thick).
4. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth tops with rubber spatula. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking. Let cakes cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, discard parchment, and let cool completely, about 2 hours, before filling. (Cooled cakes can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and kept at room temperature for up to 1 day. Wrapped tightly in plastic, then aluminum foil, cakes can be frozen for up to 1 month. Defrost cakes at room temperature before unwrapping and frosting.)
5. Cut 1 horizontal line around sides of each layer; then, following scored lines, cut each layer into 2 even layers using long serrated knife.
6. Line edges of cake platter with 4 strips of parchment paper to keep platter clean. Place 1 cake layer on prepared platter. Stir toasted pecans into chilled filling. Spread 1 cup filling evenly across top of cake layer, spreading filling to very edge. Carefully place next cake layer on top of filling, aligning cuts so that layers are even. Repeat using remaining filling and cake layers. Carefully pull out pieces of parchment from beneath cake before serving. (Assembled cake can be refrigerated for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before serving.)