In a lot of ways, this cake is almost a German chocolate cake, and almond an Almond Joy cake. If I swapped the macadamia nuts with pecans, it’s basically German chocolate. If I omitted the caramel and swapped the macadamia for almonds, we have Almond Joy. This cake features chocolate, coconut, macadamia nuts, and salted caramel, just to create a balanced, sweet, salty, bitter, crunchy, and toasty experience. I have a chocolate and coconut cake, using coconut flour, oil, and milk to get that coconut flavor locked in there, with a coconut soak, coconut salted caramel, a coconut-macadamia-blonde chocolate crunch layer, a coconut French buttercream, and some chocolate twigs on top for some color contrast. Overall, this was a really fun cake to make, and if you’re in the mood for a decadent, rich cake, this one will surely fit the bill!

For the chocolate-coconut cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
a pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
3 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1/2 cup canola oil

In a bowl, sift together your flours, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, combine together the coconut milk, vinegar, vanilla, and oils. Mix together all of your ingredients to form your batter. Spread the batter evenly on a parchment-lined half sheet tray. Bake at 350 degrees F for 22 minutes. Cool down the cake completely before removing.

For the coconut milk soak:
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Combine together.

For the salted caramel:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fleur de sel
1/2 cup coconut milk, in two parts
2 teaspoons gelatin powder
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat up the sugar and fleur de sel in a pot. In another bowl, mix half of the coconut milk with the gelatin powder. Once the sugar begins to turn golden brown, add in the coconut milk, then the gelatin. Carefully stir the mixture until the sugar is fully dissolved into your liquid. Add in the coconut oil, then stir off heat until it is fully melted into the caramel mixture. Stir in the vanilla and allow the caramel to cool down to just above room temperature for assembly.

For the crunch layer:
1/4 cup macadamia nuts
1/2 cup coconut flakes
1/4 cup chopped blonde chocolate
a pinch of salt

Toast the macadamia nuts and coconut flakes at 350 degrees F for 3 to 4 minutes. Cool down and toss with the other ingredients. Keep cold.

For the coconut French buttercream:
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
2 sticks unsalted butter
a pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a pot, reduce the coconut milk with sugar until it begins to boil. Whisk that liquid into the egg yolks. Then whisk into that your butter, salt, and vanilla until combined into a smooth buttercream.

To garnish:
Dark chocolate

Melt dark chocolate over a double boiler and transfer into a piping bag. Pipe into cold water to form branches or twigs for a fun garnish on top!

For assembly:
Cut out two 6-inch rounds and two halves of a 6-inch round from your cake. Line a 6-inch ring mold with acetate. Place in the two half-rounds first. Add in 1/3 of your soak. Spread on 1/3 of the warm caramel, then your crunch layer, and then 1/3 of your buttercream. Repeat all of these steps for the second layer. For the third, just apply the cake, soak, buttercream, and caramel, reserving the crunch layer and your twigs to garnish. Freeze the cake for 2 hours then unmold. Garnish with teh remainder of the crunch layer and the chocolate twigs.