Chocolate Coconut Cake Roll

Oops… I did it again. I made another cake roll. This one is full of chocolate and coconut.
That’s just how I roll.

by: crazyforcrust.com

Last weekend I had the perfect Easter recipe planned and ready to make. It was a riff on these cupcakes combined with these muffins. It failed. TWICE.
As I sat there just staring at the second recipe that tasted really good but looked really bad, I just wanted to throw up my hands and fire myself. But I really wanted to make a new recipe for today.
{Because obviously the 15 or so I have in my queue ready to edit and post just aren’t good enough.}
Whenever I have a failure that causes the waste of DOUBLE the ingredients (and I was out of carrots) I turn to something dependable. A recipe that I know will work, with a little twist. Would you believe me if I told you that, for me, the easy little recipe that is foolproof would be a chocolate cake roll?
Because really, this recipe is foolproof. It works every single time. Cake rolls really are easy, especially if you have the right tools, follow the rules, and have made a few.
This Chocolate Coconut Cake Roll is the product of my carrot cake recipe fails. I’m kind of glad those muffins didn’t work. Because now we have this:


This cake roll has so many elements and layers that I just want to start talking about them. This might just be one of my favorite cake rolls ever. But it has a lot of competition.
The chocolate cake is filled with a fresh coconut flavored whipped cream. I toasted 2 cups of coconut for this dessert. Half gets folded into whipped cream that’s scented with coconut extract, the other half gets dusted on top. In regards to coconut extract, I use imitation. It’s hard to find pure coconut extract in the stores. I’m not even sure if it exists. If you have an aversion to the imitation extract, you can leave it out.
Before you fill the cake with whipped cream, you spread Nutella all over the cake. This was a total snap decision because I’d just eaten a spoonful of Nutella and it was staring me in the eye begging me to eat more. I thought, why not? And why not indeed? It just adds another chocolatey layer to the cake. If you don’t have or like Nutella, just skip this part.
Then the cake is topped with chocolate ganache and more toasted coconut. It’s like a chocolate and coconut lover’s dream, this dessert. But you know what? This cake roll has a dirty little secret. Want to know what it is?

My cake roll cracked. #keepingitreal
I have no idea why the cake cracked. I get comments on my cake rolls a lot that someone has had a roll crack on them and they want to know why. The answer? I don’t know.
I’ve made this cake roll what seems like a gazillion times. Mint, truffle, ice cream…all those cakes are this same one. Plus, this cake roll is also in my book. It’s never cracked on me before. Here’s why it could have cracked:

• I baked it too much.
• I didn’t bake it enough.
• I beat it too much.
• I didn’t beat it enough.
• It was hot.
• It was cold.
• It was humid.
• It was Sunday.
• Scandal was a re-run.

Get my drift? They crack for any number of reasons. But a cracked cake roll isn’t a loss, obviously. This one cracked bad. One whole section practically broke off one end. What did I do? I filled it like normal. The crack got rolled into the cake. Then I poured ganache over it.
Ganache and coconut hide a lot.
My point is, cake rolls crack. Even for people like me who make them all the time. Just glue it back together with filling and frost the top. #problemsovled
Also? This flavor combo is probably my favorite. Chocolate and coconut? What’s better than that???

Not much!!
Before you make this cake roll, be sure to check out my cake roll tutorial and my rules for cake roll making.

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Chocolate Coconut Cake Roll

A chocolate cake roll that's filled with coconut whipped cream and Nutella, then topped with ganache and toasted coconut! The perfect showstopper cake that is so easy to prepare!

Ingredients:

For the Cake

• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons brewed coffee (or water)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• Powdered sugar, to aid in rolling

For the Filling & Topping:

• 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 3/4 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
• 4 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup Nutella, optional
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Make the Cake: preheat oven to 350°F. Line a jelly roll (10x15”) pan with foil and spray with cooking spray (I like to use the spray with flour).
2. Beat eggs at high speed for 3 minutes, until frothy and dark yellow. Beat in sugar, coffee or water, and vanilla extract.
3. Whisk together cocoa, salt, baking powder, and flour. Stir into wet ingredients just until blended.
4. Spread in prepared pan. Batter will be in a very thin layer and you will need to use a wooden spoon or spatula to spread it to all the corners of the pan. Make sure it's even. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to release air bubbles. Bake for 10-12 minutes. You’ll know it’s done because if you lightly poke the top with your fingertip it will slightly bounce back.
5. While the cake is baking, set a clean kitchen towel out on a large work surface. Sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar (about 1/4 cup). As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, turn it over on the kitchen towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Remove foil carefully.
6. Working at the short end, fold the edge of the towel over the cake. Roll tightly, rolling up the cake into the towel. Let cool completely while rolled, at least one hour (or you can wrap it and chill it overnight).
7. Toast the coconut by adding it to a medium skillet and cooking over low heat, stirring constantly, until it turns golden. Immediately remove to a plate to cool.
8. Make the Filling: beat 1 cup of heavy whipping cream in an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. (You can also use a hand mixer, but it will take longer.) Slowly add in powdered sugar during beating, one tablespoon at at time. Add both extracts. Beat until whipped cream forms. Stir in 1 cup of toasted coconut.
9. Assemble Cake: once the cake has cooled, unroll it carefully. If you wish, spread nutella evenly over the cake. Spread the whipped cream on the cake, leaving 1” without filling at either end. Re-roll cake, scooping out any filling that spills out as you roll. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour before frosting.
10. Make the topping: place chocolate chips in a bowl. Heat 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream in a small saucepan over low heat for a few minutes or in the microwave for 60-90 seconds until it just simmers. Pour over the chocolate chips and let sit for one minute, then whisk until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Chill for about 10 minutes.
11. Place cake roll on a wire rack set over a cookie sheet. Pour the ganache over the cake evenly. Top with remaining toasted coconut. Chill until set.
12. Note: The cake should stay chilled until right before serving or the whipped cream filling will get warm and it will be hard to slice.

Notes:

If your cake cracks, don't worry. Just be careful when you roll. Whipped cream and the Nutella can act as glue. Plus, you're coating this with ganache. No one will see! See this post for a cake roll tutorial.

© Crazy for Crust. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe.

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