Chocolate Coconut Cherry Layer Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat sugar, eggs and vanilla until blended. Beat in melted butter. In a small bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder; gradually add to batter and mix well., Spread into a greased 9-in. springform pan. Bake 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack., Drain cherries, reserving 1/2 cup juice. Arrange cherries evenly around top edge of brownie; place remaining cherries over top. In a large bowl, beat confectioners' sugar, butter and reserved cherry juice until creamy. Spread evenly over cherries., In a large bowl, combine coconut and milk. Sprinkle over cherry layer, carefully smoothing down near edges and pressing gently to form an even layer., Place chocolate in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate. Let stand 5 minutes; whisk until smooth. Pour over coconut layer. Refrigerate until set. Loosen sides of pan with a knife. Remove rim from pan. Sprinkle with walnuts.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with nonstick spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• Sprinkle half of the shredded coconut on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven until golden brown, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet.
• Combine the instant espresso and water in a measuring cup; stir until dissolved. Add to a medium bowl, along with the cake mix, vegetable oil and eggs. Beat for 2 minutes with a handheld mixer on medium speed. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans and smooth the tops.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto a baking rack and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, combine the cream cheese, butter, coconut milk, salt and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Beat with a handheld mixer on medium speed until light, fluffy and smooth, about 4 minutes. Stir in the remaining (untoasted) coconut with a rubber spatula.
• If the cakes have domed in the center, trim to level the tops. Place one cake layer, up-side down, on a platter or plate. Spoon one-third of the frosting on top and spread evenly, almost completely to the edge. Place the other layer, up-side down, on top, pressing gently to anchor. Using an offset spatula, evenly frost the entire cake; if the frosting gets too soft, place it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Gently press the toasted coconut around the outside of the cake and sprinkle it over the top.
• Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Steps:

• For the cake: Position racks in the middle and lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter three 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper; butter the parchment, dust with flour and tap out the excess. Set aside.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the buttermilk and cream of coconut in a small bowl. Beat the butter and 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla and coconut extracts. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk mixture, until combined.
• Beat the egg whites and the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl with clean beaters on medium-high speed until stiff glossy peaks form, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the batter in three batches until just combined (do not overmix). Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cakes are lightly browned and the centers spring back when lightly pressed, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool 20 minutes in the pans, then run a small knife around the edges of each cake and carefully invert onto the racks; remove the parchment and let cool completely.
• For the frosting: Beat the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in about half of the confectioners' sugar until combined. Add the remaining confectioners' sugar, salt and vanilla and coconut extracts and beat until combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium high and continue beating, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Place one cake layer on a cake stand or platter and top with a heaping 2/3 cup frosting. Add another cake layer, more frosting and the last cake layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle the coconut all over the top and sides of the cake, gently pressing to adhere.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of 2 greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease paper., In a large bowl, combine cake mix, cinnamon, yogurt, eggs, milk and vanilla. Beat on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium 2 minutes. Transfer to prepared pans., Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. , Place 1 cake layer on a serving platter. Spread 1-3/4 cups whipped topping in a circle 1-1/2 in. wide around outer top edge of cake. Fill in center with 1 cup cherry pie filling. Top with remaining cake layer., Remove and discard 1/3 cup thickened cherry sauce from pie filling. Using some of the cherries, outline a star shape on top of cake; fill in center with remaining pie filling. Spread or pipe 1-3/4 cups whipped topping around the star. If desired, pipe remaining whipped topping around bottom edge of cake. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Store in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition., Transfer to two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and extract until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar and cherry juice; beat until smooth. Stir in pecans and cherries. In another bowl, combine the frosting ingredients; beat until smooth., Cut each cake horizontally into two layers. Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1 cup filling. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Garnish with chocolate curls and a cherry if desired. Refrigerate until serving.

Steps:

• Melt chocolate in hot water. Set aside to cool. Cream butter and sugar, adding beaten eggs. Add chocolate mixture, buttermilk and vanilla to butter mixture. Sift flour, cocoa powder, salt and soda together; add to batter. Pour in greased and floured 10" cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes or until tested with cake tester for doneness.
• While cake is baking, mix together boiling water with the jello until dissolved. Store in refrigerator to cool down but remove before it starts to gel. You just want it to thickened a little. Poke large holes in top of cake using a cake tester or potato nail, etc. Pour jello in holes**. Then drizzle some of the mixture over top of cake. When cake is cool add frosting. I also added some shaved chocolate on top in the middle.
• Frosting: Cream butter and cream cheese well. Add vanilla and coconut extract; add powdered sugar and mix well. If more sugar is needed for spreading consistency then add little at a time. Spread on cake. Add coconut by hand on top and sides of cake. Add shaved chocolate if desired.
• *Tip: To make your coconut really taste "fresh" process it in blender for 10 to 20 seconds, stopping at intervals to distribute it. It is so good!
• **Tip: I use a plastic capped "salon" bottle with a long tip dedicated for the use of drizzling on sauces, icings, etc. If you need the tip bigger (I have 2) cut the end to size you need. This works well drizzling into holes.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and dust with flour, tapping out excess.
• Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk the melted butter, buttermilk, egg, vanilla and 1/2 cup water together in another bowl until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, whisking until just combined. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans, smoothing the tops. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through cooking, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
• Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Discard the parchment paper and flip the cakes right side up again. Let the cakes cool completely.
• Make the cherry filling: Quarter the cherries and transfer them to a medium bowl with the 2 tablespoons reserved syrup. Combine the gelatin with 1 tablespoon cold water in a small bowl and let stand for 5 minutes to soften. Heat the gelatin in the microwave until it melts completely, about 10 seconds, stirring to dissolve. Combine the gelatin, cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, salt and almond extract in a food processor and process until smooth. Scrape the cream cheese mixture into the bowl containing the cherries and stir to combine. Refrigerate, checking every 5 minutes, until the filling is just set enough to spread, 5 to 15 minutes. (Do not let the filling firm up too much.)
• Place one cake on a cake stand and pile the cherry filling in the center, spreading it in a thick layer almost to the edge. Top with the remaining cake, aligning the layers directly on top of each other so the cake does not lean. Refrigerate the assembled cake for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make the chocolate ganache: Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan then remove from the heat. Add the chocolate, shaking the pan gently to submerge it. Allow the pan to stand, off the heat, for 3 minutes to melt the chocolate. Whisk the ganache until smooth, then refrigerate until it is just thick enough to spread (like mayonnaise), about 15 minutes. (Do not let the ganache harden too much.)
• 15 to 20 minutes. (Do not let the ganache harden too much.)
• Stir the ganache again and scoop it on top of the cake, spreading it over the top and sides. Refrigerate the cake until the ganache is set, at least 2 hours or overnight.

Steps:

• Combine cake mix, cherry pie filling, and three eggs. Mix until well blended.
• Bake in well greased and floured 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 to 40 minutes.
• To Make Frosting: Combine sugar, butter or margarine, and milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook 1 minute.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in chocolate pieces until melted and smooth.
• Frost when cake is cool.

Steps:

• Prepare the cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan with olive oil.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder and baking powder until evenly distributed and no lumps remain. To a separate large bowl, add the 1/2 cup oil, eggs, milk, almond extract and salt and whisk until smooth, at least 30 seconds. Gently whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until the last streak of flour disappears.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and tap gently against the counter to pop excess air bubbles. Bake until a skewer or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan.
• Microwave the cherry preserves in a small bowl in 30-second intervals or in a small saucepan over medium heat until looser and slightly liquidy. Spread the preserves evenly over the cooled cake.
• Make the frosting: In a large bowl, combine the sugar, cocoa powder and salt and pour over the hot water. Either by hand or with an electric mixer, whisk until smooth. Add the heavy cream and continue whisking until billowy soft peaks form. When you turn the whisk upside-down, a peak of cream should flop over slightly like a Santa hat. Spread the frosting over the cake and, if using, garnish with the cherries. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.