Rich and moist chocolate cake that is drizzled with a creamy coconut custard instead of frosting. A refreshing twist! It’s the perfect end-of-summer dessert.

Chocolate Cake with Coconut Custard from The Food Charlatan

I just saw an ad today for a new product: “The wearable tracker for mindfulness, [our product] gives you awareness of when you’re feeling tense.”

Are you kidding me? I understand the Fitbit phenomenon. Who doesn’t want a constant reminder of how healthy they’re being (or not being).

Chocolate Cake with Coconut Custard from The Food Charlatan

But a freak-out tracker??  “ALERT: Karen, you’re feeling VERY TENSE right now. HIGH STRESS SITUATION GOING ON.” How exactly is this supposed to help me? (It’s like when someone tells you you’re in a bad mood. Nothing makes me grumpier than someone calling me out, even when it’s deserved.) Hold up, don’t stress Karen, but YOU ARE STRESSED.

Chocolate Cake with Coconut Custard from The Food Charlatan

Speaking of high stress situations. We took the kids to Chuck E Cheese this weekend. Like, whoa. I’ve never been as an adult. Eric went once as a kid and his only memory is that he threw up in the ball pit. Kinda hard to forget that one. (Those poor, poor Chuck E Cheese employees. I bet the stress-tracker would have gone haywire on them.)

We arrived and found security guards at the entrance. Um, excuse me, what exactly is going on in here that we need a bouncer outside? The kids loved it though, of course. (The games and pizza. Not the guards.) They thrive in greasy situations. (The kids. Not the guards.) (This is the best I can offer as a description for Chuck E Cheese.)

Chocolate Cake with Coconut Custard from The Food Charlatan

Now let’s talk decadent cake. This beauty is dreamy, creamy, and rich (anything but greasy :) The cake is moist and flavorful, thanks to the buttermilk. I like it because it doesn’t feature your typical sugary frosting. Instead it is topped with a thick and creamy coconut custard, which is not as sweet as frosting, but still offers amazing flavor and texture. I love this combination! Chocolate and coconut is the perfect match for late summer. I like it served cold or warm, but warm would be especially appropriate for the coming fall months.

Chocolate Cake with Coconut Custard from The Food Charlatan

Chocolate Cake with Coconut Custard from The Food Charlatan

P.S. Can I make a formal complaint about the Whack-a-Mole game? They’ve ruined it. It’s digitized so that you are whacking a computer screen instead of an actual mole. No wonder we need stress-trackers these days. We can’t even whack a real mole to let it all out. Am I beating a dead horse? A dead mole?

Chocolate Cake with Coconut Custard

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Chocolate Cake with Coconut Custard

5 from 1 vote
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 32 minutes
Cooling Time: 15 minutes
Total: 1 hour 12 minutes
Servings: 8 Servings
Rich and moist chocolate cake that is drizzled with a creamy coconut custard instead of frosting. A refreshing twist! It's the perfect end-of-summer dessert.
 

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 2 cups cake flour, spooned, leveled, and sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon coconut extract
  • 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs

For the Coconut Custard:

  • 1 cup Almond Breeze Almondmilk Coconutmilk Vanilla Unsweetened
  • 1 cup cream
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon water, cold
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a bundt pan well, then sprinkle with a little cocoa powder. (You can use flour, but it might show up on your cake.)
  • In a medium bowl, sift 2 cups of cake flour. Stir in the baking soda and salt.
  • In another medium bowl, whisk together cocoa, water, buttermilk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 teaspoon coconut extract.
  • In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy, scraping sides. Add the white and brown sugar and beat for another minute. Add 2 eggs and beat very well, scraping sides.
  • Add half the cocoa mixture and half the flour mixture, and beat. Add the remaining cocoa mixture and flour mixture. Beat until combined, making sure to scrape the sides.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan, then place in the oven at 350.
  • Bake for about 32-36 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake is beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes (set a timer!) Loosen the edges of the cake as carefully as you can with a knife, then invert onto a cake plate.
  • While the cake is finishing up in the oven, start the custard sauce. Add the Almondmilk Coconutmilk to a medium saucepan, along with the cream. Turn the heat to medium and add the sugar.
  • Stir occasionally for about 4-5 minutes or until the liquid is just about to boil. Meanwhile in a small bowl whisk together 4 egg yolks.
  • Temper the eggs by gradually adding the hot milk to the egg yolks. Whisk constantly. Once you have added a half cup or so of the liquid, add it all back to the pot, whisking as you go. You don't want the eggs to curdle.
  • Continue to cook over medium heat for about 7-10 minutes, or until it just barely starts to boil. At this point it should be getting thicker. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon COLD water. Add this to the custard and stir. Turn the heat to low if it is starting to pop and boil.
  • Stir together until thick. You should see marks on the top of the custard when you drag the whisk over the surface, and it should coat the back of a spoon.
  • Remove from heat and add salt, almond extract, and coconut extract.
  • Serve warm with the warm cake. Store in the fridge. It's also really good served cold on a room temperature cake.

Notes

You can make this cake in a 9x13 inch pan too! You may have to adjust baking times. I would start checking at 30 minutes to be safe.
You can drizzle some of the custard over the top of the cake, like in these photos, or you can spoon it over individual slices. If you pour it over the top, store the cake in the fridge; otherwise it can sit on the counter.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 685kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 219mg | Sodium: 573mg | Potassium: 274mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 72g | Vitamin A: 1039IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 151mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 685
Keyword: chocolate cake, Coconut, custard
Did you make this? I'd love to see it!Mention @thefoodcharlatan or tag #thefoodcharlatan!

Other cakes you will love!

Cranberry Cake with Warm Vanilla Butter Sauce << seriously one of the best cakes I’ve ever put in my mouth.

Cranberry Cake with Warm Vanilla Butter Sauce from TheFoodCharlatan.com

Coconut Almond Sheet Cake: (this one’s vegan!)

Coconut Almond Sheet Cake from The Food Charlatan

Cinnamon Cake with Maple Pecan Frosting (a fall favorite of mine :)

Cinnamon Cardamom Cake with Maple Pecan Frosting from The Food Charlatan

Or if you REALLY love the coconut custard… may I suggest a whole Coconut Cream Pie!

coconut cream pie on a plate with caramel drizzle and whipped cream and graham topping.

More cakes and custards you will love!

Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake from How Does She
Irish Apple Cake with Custard Sauce from my girl Kayley at The Kitchen McCabe
Vanilla Custard Bundt Cake from Las Recetitas de Mirasen << This blog is in Spanish but it looks so good! I want to try it.

This post is sponsored by Almond Breeze Almondmilk. All opinions are my own of course! Thanks for backing up my sponsors!

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