- Total: 1 hr
- Prep: 15 min
- Cook: 45 min
- Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups flaked or shredded coconut
1 1/4 cups sliced almonds
3 cups sugar
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons best-quality cocoa (recommended: Dutch-process)
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups whole, 2 percent fat, or 1 percent fat milk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups very hot water
Caramel:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Spread the coconut and almonds on separate baking sheets and toast, stirring occasionally, just until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Line the bottom and sides of a 14 by 17-inch baking sheet (with sides) with parchment or waxed paper. Sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Transfer to a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or use a hand mixer) and blend briefly.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla extract. Add to the dry ingredients and mix at low speed for 5 minutes. Gradually add the hot water, mixing at low speed just until combined. The batter will be quite thin. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean (a few crumbs are okay), 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in the pan.
- Caramel: Pour the sugar into the center of a deep saucepan. Carefully pour the water around the sugar, trying not to splash any sugar onto the sides of the pan. Do not stir; gently draw your finger through the center of the sugar to moisten it. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil without stirring. Reduce the heat to a fast simmer and cook without stirring until amber-caramel in color, 10 to 20 minutes. Immediately remove from the heat. Using a wooden spoon, slowly and carefully stir in the cream (it will bubble up and may splatter). Stir in the toasted coconut and almonds. Set aside.
- When ready to serve, cut the room-temperature cake in the pan into 6 even strips, each 3 inches wide. Using diagonal strokes of the knife, cut each strip into 4 triangles. If the sauce has stiffened, rewarm it over low heat (or in a microwave) until softened. Place a triangle on each plate, drizzle with sauce, and rest another triangle on top at a different angle. Drizzle with more sauce and serve.
