Ingredients
Cake
1 ½ sticks unsalted butter (room temperature)
7 ounces semisweet chocolate (finely chopped)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 ¾ cups sugar
3 eggs (large at room temperature)
1 egg yolk (room temperature)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
Frosting
3 ½ cups pecan halves (14 ounces)
2 sticks unsalted butter (plus 2 tablespoons at room temperature)
28 ounces sweetened condensed milk (about 2 cans)
¾ cup light brown sugar (packed)
5 egg yolks
10 ounces sweetened shredded coconut (about 3 cups)
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Directions
Make the cake
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch baking pans and line with parchment paper.
Step 2
Use heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Add chopped chocolate and melt, stirring occasionally. Chocolate can be melted in microwave too. Let cool slightly.
Step 3
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, beat 1 1/2 sticks of butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. One at a time, beat in the eggs, egg yolk, ending with vanilla. At low speed, beat in the buttermilk and flour mixture in 3 alternating batches, ending with the flour mixture. Fold in the melted chocolate till blending.
Step 4
Batter into prepared pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until a cake tester (toothpick) comes out clean. Let cool completely. Turn the cakes out of the pans and remove parchment paper.
Frosting
Step 1
Toast pecans on a rimmed baking sheet for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden. Let cool slightly, then coarsely chop. In a large saucepan, combine butter, condensed milk, and brown sugar and cook over moderately low heat, whisking frequently, until smooth. Add egg yolks and cook over moderately low heat, whisking frequently for about 8 to 10 minutes until thickened. Transfer the frosting to a large bowl and stir in 3 cups of the pecans and the coconut, vanilla and salt; let cool.
Step 2
Using a spoon or offset spatula, spread half of the frosting evenly over one cake. Top with the second cake layer and spread the remaining frosting on top. Garnish with the remaining pecans.
