Chocolate coconut cake

Ingredients (serves 10)

• 125g butter, softened
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut essence
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups Healthy Baker self-raising flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• 1 cup milk
• double cream, to serve

• Chocolate buttercream

• 200g butter, chopped
• 200g dark chocolate, chopped

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a 6.5cm-deep, 20cm (base) round cake pan. Line with baking paper. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and coconut essence until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
2. Sift half the flour and half the cocoa over butter mixture. Add half the coconut. Stir to combine. Add half the milk. Stir to combine. Repeat with remaining flour, cocoa, coconut and milk. Spoon into prepared pan. Smooth top. Bake for 55 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
3. Make Chocolate buttercream: Place butter and chocolate in a glass or ceramic bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature. Beat mixture with a wooden spoon until thick and spreadable.
4. Using a serrated knife, cut cake in half crossways. Place bottom of cake on a plate. Spread with one-third of buttercream. Sandwich with cake top. Spread remaining buttercream over top and side of cake. Serve with cream.