German Chocolate Cake with Coconut Hazelnut Glaze

Ingredients:

Cake

• 165 g of butter at room temperature
• 2 and 1/4 cups premium flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp and 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1.5 cups muscovado sugar
• 1.5 cups of sugar
• 1.5 cups of strong brewed black coffee at room temperature
• 1.5 cups of kefir
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Caramel cream

• 1 and 3/4 cups whole milk
• 1 and 3/4 cups unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 cup goat's milk
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 vanilla bean seeds (split one bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds)
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 2 tbsp (30 g) butter
• 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 tsp coconut rum (optional)
• 1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped toasted pecans
• 1 and 1/4 cups coconut flakes

Ganache

• 1 cup heavy cream 33%
• 250 g finely chopped dark chocolate
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 0.5 cup coconut flakes
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted, for garnish
• Coconut whipped cream for decoration

Preparation:

1. Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 160°C. Line the bottoms of two 23cm round cake tins with parchment paper and grease them with butter.
2. Make chocolate sponge cake: In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, soda and salt.
   
   Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the cocoa powder and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat, add the muscovado and granulated sugar, and beat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the coffee, kefir, eggs, and vanilla extract and continue beating until smooth. Add the flour mixture and beat until the batter is smooth.
3. Pour the batter into two prepared pans and place in the oven. Bake for approximately 40-45 minutes. If a toothpick inserted into the batter comes out clean, the cake is ready. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 20 minutes. Then, invert the cakes onto a wire rack and let them cool for 1 hour before frosting.
4. Prepare the creamIn a saucepan, combine whole milk, coconut milk, and goat's milk and bring to a simmer over low heat. Keep the milk warm while you prepare the caramel.
5. Combine sugar and 1/4 cup (60 ml) water in a saucepan and cook over high heat without stirring for 8-10 minutes until a deep amber color appears. Slowly pour the milk mixture into the mixture, whisking constantly until smooth.
   
   Add vanilla seeds and corn syrup. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the caramel sauce has reduced by half. Cooking time: approximately 55 minutes.
6. Remove from heat, add butter, vanilla extract, salt, and rum (if using), and whisk. Transfer the resulting sauce to a bowl. Add the nuts and coconut flakes. Stir. Let the custard cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
7. To assemble the cake, cut each cake layer in half horizontally. Take one half and spread one-third of the cream evenly over it. Place the other half on top and spread the cream evenly over the entire surface. Repeat with the remaining cake layers.
8. Prepare the ganacheBring the cream to a boil in a saucepan. Place the chocolate in a bowl, add the hot cream and corn syrup, and let it sit for 30 seconds. Gently whisk until smooth. Let the mixture cool at room temperature for 10 minutes.
9. Place the cake on a wire rack set in a baking sheet. Pour the chocolate ganache over the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Sprinkle with coconut and pecans. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for 4 hours.
   
   Cut the cake into pieces and top with whipped coconut cream.