Best Coconut Chocolate Cake

Total Time

Prep: 35 min. Bake: 20 min. + cooling

Makes

35 servings

Updated: Jan. 19, 2023
I hope other families enjoy this chocolate coconut cake as much as my family does. I've given almost 100 copies of this recipe to others who have tried the cake and liked it. —Dorothy West, Nacogdoches, Texas

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup butter, cubed
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup baking cocoa
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • TOPPING:
  • 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk, divided
  • 1-1/4 cups sugar, divided
  • 20 large marshmallows
  • 1 package (14 ounces) sweetened shredded coconut
  • 2 cups slivered almonds, toasted, divided
  • 1/2 cup butter, cubed
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, water and cocoa. Cook and stir until butter is melted; add to dry ingredients. Combine the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla; add to chocolate mixture and mix well.
  2. Pour into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  3. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine 1 cup evaporated milk, 3/4 cup sugar and marshmallows; cook and stir until marshmallows are melted. Remove from heat; stir in coconut. Immediately sprinkle 1 cup almonds over cake. Spread coconut mixture over top. Sprinkle with remaining almonds (pan will be full).
  4. In a small saucepan, combine butter with remaining milk and sugar. Cook and stir until butter is melted. Remove from the heat; stir in chocolate chips until melted. Drizzle over almonds. Cool on a wire rack.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 317 calories, 18g fat (10g saturated fat), 37mg cholesterol, 199mg sodium, 39g carbohydrate (29g sugars, 2g fiber), 4g protein.