Flourless Chocolate-Coconut Cake
Author: Nicole
Ingredients
Cake
  • 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
  • 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • ⅔ cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut (see Notes)
  • Scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean (see Notes)
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1-2/3 cups almond meal/flour
Ganache
  • 2 ounces dark chocolate (70%), roughly chopped into small pieces
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  • 3 tablespoon water
  • Scraped seeds of ¼ vanilla bean (see Notes)
  • 1-1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small cubes
  • Garnish with flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)
Instructions
To make cake:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease base and sides of a 9x5-inch loaf pan or a 9-inch round springform pan (see Notes) and line with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. Place butter, sugar, coconut, vanilla seeds and salt in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment in place. Beat on medium-high speed, until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Turn speed on low, add almond meal/flour and mix until just combined.
  3. Scrape mixture into the pan and bake for 40 minutes if using the loaf pan or 50 minutes if using the round pan, or until the cake is golden brown on top and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
  4. Remove the cake from the oven and place pan on a wire rack to cool completely. Invert onto a serving plate when cool. (Don’t worry if the cake cracks a little bit as the ganache will cover it up.)
To make ganache:
  1. Wait until cake is cooled before preparing the ganache.
  2. Place chocolate in a medium bowl and set aside.
  3. Add sugar and corn syrup to a small saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Stir to combine. When sugar has melted, increase heat to medium and bring to a boil, stirring gently from time to time. Continue to boil for about 5 minutes, until the color is a pale amber.
  4. Remove from heat and carefully pour in water. Don’t worry if the mix seizes – just return pan to heat and add vanilla seeds and stir gently and continuously until it returns to a boil and sugar has melted again.
  5. Remove from heat and wait 1 minute before pouring caramel over the chocolate. Allow to stand for about 3 minutes, then whisk to combine. (If the chocolate hasn’t completely melted, microwave for about 30 seconds and stir). Add butter, a couple of cubes at a time, whisking after each addition. Continue until all the butter has been added, whisking to combine until the consistency is that of thick syrup.
  6. Spread the ganache over the top of the cake, letting it run down the sides a little. Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the top. Serve at room temperature.
  7. This cake will keep well for up to 5 days in an airtight container at room temperature. It can be eaten on the day of making, but it tastes even better served at room temperature the following day.
Notes
* You can bake this cake in a loaf pan or a 9-inch springform pan. You can see from the photo that I used a round pan as I prefer that look for entertaining.
* I used Let’s Do Organic Shredded Coconut (unsweetened and fine shred). If you prefer more sweetness, you can use sweetened coconut flakes
* Vanilla beans are a key ingredient in both the cake and ganache. For ease in baking I often use vanilla bean paste – 1 whole vanilla bean = 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste = 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. You get more flavor from a vanilla bean or vanilla bean paste but you can also use vanilla extract. Nielsen-Massey is my go-to for all things vanilla.
* Almond meal and almond flour are the same thing – it’s simply ground up almonds. I used regular grind – not super fine – for this cake.
* Don’t skip sprinkling the flaky sea salt (such as Maldon) on top of the cake as it intensifies the chocolate.
Recipe by Riegl Palate at https://www.rieglpalate.com/flourless-chocolate-coconut-cake/