Chocolate Coconut Cake

This was for my husbands birthday. I asked him what kind of cake he wanted for his birthday and he ran into the bedroom and came out with this recipe- photo copied from Family Circle magazine. He said- "I have been saving this!" He is a big time coconut lover- me, not so much. He has this cake all to himself, which works fine for my shedding the baby weight diet! (Although, if I wanted, I could make my indulgence a little less detrimental to my diet by sprinkling on some Sensa. Have you heard of this stuff? Amazing...) He did love it though, if you were wondering!

Cake-
2 c. flour
1/2 c. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 c. buttermilk

Frosting-
16 oz powdered sugar
1/4 c. boiling water
1 1/2 sticks butter, cut up
4 oz cream cheese, cut into pieces
1/4 tsp coconut extract
3 c.  sweetened flake coconut

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Coat two 9" pans with nonstick spray. 

Cake-
Beat butter and brown sugar until blended.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Alternately mix in dry ingredients and buttermilk. Mix well.  Spread into prepared pans.  Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes.  Invert onto cooling racks to cool completely. 

Frosting-
Place powdered sugar in a bowl, pour in boiling water and beat well.  Add butter & cream cheese, beating well after each piece.  Beat in extract.  Refrigerate until a firmer consistency, 30 minutes to an h our.

Place one layer of cake on plate or pedestal.  Spread with 1 c. of frosting and 1/2 c. coconut.  Add second layer. Spread frosting on top and side of cake.  Press remaining coconut onto the frosting.