CHOCOLATE COCONUT CAKE

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup low-fat buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Coat 2 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

In a bowl whisk the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together; set aside.

In a large mixer bowl, beat the softened butter until smooth. Add the brown sugar and beat until blended. Beat in the eggs one at a time then beat in vanilla. On low speed, alternately beat in the flour mixture and the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Spread the batter evenly between the two prepared pans.

Bake cakes at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Cool in the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Invert the pans onto the wire racks to remove cakes. Allow to cool completely.

While your cakes cool, make the following frosting:

1 box (1-lb) powdered sugar
1/4 cup boiling water
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut up
4-oz reduced-fat cream cheese, cut up
1/4 tsp coconut extract
3 cups sweetened flake coconut
Fresh raspberries for garnish, if desired
Fresh mint leaves for garnish, if desired

In a large mixing bowl, pour the powdered sugar. Beat the boiling water into the powdered sugar. Add the butter and cream cheese, beating well on medium speed after each addition. Beat in the coconut extract. Refrigerate until consistency starts to firm up. This should take 30 to 60 minutes.

Place 1st cake layer on cake plate. Spread 1 cup of the frosting over the top and sprinkle with 1/2 cup coconut. Add the second cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Press the remaining coconut gently into the frosting.

 Note: This is a file photo.