Aliyyah’s frosting is a secret family recipe that she was not willing to share (we totally understand), so we created a chocolate frosting for her cake that may not be as great as the original, but we think it comes pretty darn close.
Recipe information
Yield
one 2-layer cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
Coconut Pecan Filling
Chocolate Frosting (see Note)
Preparation
Step 1
To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper, butter the parchment, and then dust with flour.
Step 2
Put the chocolate and 1/2 cup water in small microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high power, stirring once, until the chocolate melts, 1 minute. Stir until smooth.
Step 3
Sift the cake flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
Step 4
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in the melted chocolate. Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk, alternating, blending until everything is combined.
Step 5
Using a large balloon whisk or a hand mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whites into the batter. Fold in the chocolate chips, if using. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely, about 2 hours.
Step 6
To make the filling, combine the evaporated milk, butter, egg yolks, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla in a large saucepan over low heat. When the butter melts, raise the heat to medium and simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut and pecans. Let cool completely.
Step 7
To make the frosting, melt the chocolates in a medium bowl in the microwave. Let cool.
Step 8
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar and beat on high speed until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the cooled chocolate and the vanilla, and mix until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Step 9
Top 1 layer of the cake with a little less than half of the filling. Set the second cake layer on top, and cover with the rest of the filling. Frost the sides with the chocolate frosting.
