Chocolate Coconut Macaroon Cake

I don't know about you but I have a bit of a problem when it comes to tasting desserts that I make. And by "problem" I mean that it is close to impossible for me to not eat 3-100% of said dessert. So it is always nice to find one that I don't care for--no temptation, no stomach ache. 

But don't let my super enticing introduction stop you from making this dessert. Everyone on the planet likes this chocolate coconut macaroon cake except me because the rest of the planet does not vehemently hate coconut flakes as much as I do. What tastes like soggy pieces of plastic to me is apparently delicious to everyone else! 

But you know what is enticing to me about this cake? Its simplicity: it includes very few ingredients and relies on very little equipment (which means there is very little to clean up, ding ding ding). Oh, and it is beautiful. Really beautiful. 

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Chocolate Macaroon Cake with Raspberry Frosting
adapted from mynameiyeh

Cake
1 14-oz bag sweetened shredded coconut
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 egg whites
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk

Frosting
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
pinch of salt
raspberry puree (or peach, strawberry, lemon, etc), to taste

Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray three 6-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, mix together the coconut, cocoa powder, and salt. In a second bowl, whisk together the egg whites, vanilla, and condensed milk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Spread one third of the batter into each cake pan and bake for about 18 minutes, until each layer is no longer shiny. 

Make the frosting: Beat all ingredients together until smooth.

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A Dessert I Will Not Eat

I do not care for shredded coconut except on the top of a Samoa cookie.  My husband does not feel the same way and because I am (as Ben would definitely say) a wonderful person, I decided to make the staple coconut macaroon for Passover, as well.

But I was still baking the dessert which meant that I was not going to make the typical gigantic, dry and crumbly things that you see pulled out of a Manischewitz canister.  I perused the interwebs (as my friend Steph would say) and found a recipe by Deb at Smitten Kitchen which had two nice updates: ground coconut and fresh raspberries.

These are beyond easy to make and, as I was told by Ben, delicious.

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Raspberry Coconut Macaroons
from Smitten Kitchen

Make the macaroons: Preheat oven to 325°F. Blend coconut in a food processor for one minute. Add sugar and blend for one minute. Add egg whites, salt, and almond extract and blend for one minute. Add raspberries and pulse a few times until the berries have broken down but are still quite large.

With a spoon, tablespoon, or scoop (I used a #50), scoop batter onto a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they look toasted on the top.

14 oz sweetened, shredded coconut
2/3 cup sugar
114 g egg whites (3 large)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 pint fresh raspberries, washed and dried

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