CHOCOLATE COLA CAKE WITH DULCE DE LECHE, COCONUT AND PECAN ICING

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE CAKE:

2/3 cup (157 ml) hot black coffee

1/2 cup (43 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder

2/3 cup (157 ml) cola drink, such as Coke or Dr. Pepper

2 3/4 cup (332 grams) cake flour

1 1/4 teaspoon (6 grams) baking soda

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 3/4 cup (415 ml) vegetable oil

2 cups (400 grams) sugar

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

FOR THE ICING:

2 14-ounce cans (400 grams) dulce de leche (see Note)

1 cup (112 grams) Diamond of California Chopped Pecans

1 cup (95 grams) shaved coconut, sweetened or unsweetened

DIRECTIONS:

TO MAKE THE CAKE:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter three 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper, then dust the pans with flour.

In a small bowl, whisk together the hot coffee and cocoa until smooth. Stir in the cola drink and set aside to cool. In another bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking soda and cinnamon.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the oil and sugar until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each. Add the vanilla. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the chocolate cola mixture, and ending with the dry ingredients.

Pour batter into prepared cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

TO MAKE THE ICING:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. On an ungreased sheet pan, spread the shaved coconut and chopped pecans side-by-side. Toast in the oven until coconut just starts to turn golden brown, stirring coconut once, about 2-3 minutes. Watch carefully to make sure it doesn't burn.Put the dulce de leche in a bowl and microwave 1-2 minutes, stirring every 30 minutes, until it is warm and pourable. In a large bowl, combine the dulce de leche, toasted coconut and pecans.

TO BUILD THE CAKE:

Place one cake layer on a platter or cake stand and spoon 1/3 of the icing on top. Repeat with the remaining cake layers and icing, allowing the icing to drip down the sides. Place in the fridge for at least one hour to set before serving.

Store the cake in the fridge for up to three days.

Note: To make your own dulce de leche - pour 2 14-oz cans of sweetened condensed milk into a glass baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Place the baking dish inside another larger baking dish. Fill the pan with water to reach halfway up the side of the smaller pan. Bake for 2 hours, stirring once or twice, until the milk is a caramel color. Carefully remove the dish from the water bath and remove the foil. Transfer the caramelized milk to a bowl and whisk until smooth. Let cool slightly before using or store in the fridge to use later.