Bolo prestígio (Brazilian chocolate coconut cake)

Method
Prep:40min  ›  Cook:40min  ›  Ready in:1hr20min 

Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 180 C / Gas 4. Grease and flour two 25cm square cake tins.
2. In an electric mixer, beat 250g butter and sugar until fluffy and pale. Still beating, add eggs (one by one), cocoa powder and vanilla. When mixture is smooth, add flour alternating with milk, continuing to beat.
3. Divide mixture into the two prepared tins and bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes. The cake is done when a skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean). Remove from oven and cool.

Filling:

4. In a medium saucepan heat condensed milk, coconut, coconut milk, butter and egg yolks over medium heat. Stir until thickened, but still pourable. Spread filling over one of the cakes, top with the other cake.

Icing:

5. In a saucepan heat the cream, cocoa, butter, icing sugar and milk chocolate (if using) over medium heat, stirring until thickened. Let cool slightly and pour over the cake. Let set before serving

Desiccated coconut:

If you like, you can use desiccated coconut rather than fresh and rehydrate it before using: Combine 2 parts coconut and 1 part water (by volume) or equal parts by weight. Put the coconut and water in a small bowl and mix lightly with a fork so that all of the coconut becomes moistened. Compact the mixture with the back of a spoon, cover and let stand until the water is fully absorbed, which takes about 30 minutes).