Magic Cocoa-nut Cake

Coconut and Fudge Brownie Cake 

I want to explain this creation but the question is where to start? Well, like all good creation stories it seems that the best place to start is at the beginning...
While travelling through Venice my mouth stumbled upon the most delicious cake. It was a moist zesty coconut cake that was topped with a layer of decadent chocolate cake. A giant slab of it was delivered to the table and I oggled it questioning whether, for once, my eyes and stomach could match up (sometimes my stomach lets down my eyes. You see, my eyes have the appetite of a  6 foot five sumo wrestler, whereas as my stomach has the appetite of the five foot two human being that I am). My stomach and eyes made a pact that night that neither would let me down and I demolished the coconut chocolate cake slab.
Fast forward six months and I have been dreaming about this cake and cursing the fact that I didn't ask them for the recipe. Undeterred I decided that I would take my never fail fudge brownie recipe and combine it with a tangy coconut cake. The only question remaining was which comes first - the chicken or the egg? Do I pour the coconut cake into the tin first and then top with the brownie fudge, or should it be the other way round? Now, I am no scientist and my attempt to test the batter "density" by lifting up the wooden spoons one at a time, while scratching my head Einstein-style, proved futile. So on a whim I decided: coconut on the bottom and brownie batter on top, crossed my fingers, toes and eyes and popped it into the oven.
Why is this cake called "magic" Cocoa-nut cake? I hear you ask. It is called magic because by some baking magic (think baking fairies  sprinkling icing sugar dust) the brownie batter inverted and landed on the bottom of the cake!

Here are some home truths about this cake:

1. It is dangerously delicious (and mum and I naughtily tucked into while hot, which is a big baking no no as it usually breaks the cake...even so...it was worth it!). Also the same baking fairies who flipped the brownie to the bottom, also ensured that the brownie remained gooey chocolaty heaven while the coconut cake was light and tangy.
2. Despite having to make two batters it is a really quick recipe.
3. It is not going to win any beauty contests. You know how people ask "Is he/she good looking?" and the person pauses and responds, "They have great personality". I have never understood this response...until I made this cake. It is not pretty. It has no "good sides" (I discovered this while trying to cut the perfect piece and take a photo). BUT, what this cake lacks in traditional baking beauty, it makes up for in bounds with punches of flavour and textural layers of personality.
4. It is best eaten on the day, and even it wasn't, it wouldn't last much longer as it would be devoured!

Coconut Cake (Adapted from Raspberricupcakes.com):

1 1/2 cups self raising flour
1/2 desiccated coconut
zest of 2 lemons
zest of 1 lime
1 cup caster sugar
125g butter
2 large eggs
1 cup milk

Pre-heat oven to 170 degrees Celsius. Line the bottom of a non-stick 20cm round baking tin with baking paper. Zest lemons and lime (don't be shy with the zest, the more the merrier). Sift flour into a large bowl. Then simply add all other ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon till smooth.  
  
Fudge Brownie: 

125g butter
125g dark chocolate
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs lightly beaten
1/3 cup plain flour sifted
1/3 cup cocoa sifted
1/4 tsp baking powder

Combine butter, chocolate and brown sugar over a low heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture is glossy (be careful with the heat, if it is too hot the sugar will crystallize and the chocolate will seize and become lumpy. A tip is to melt the chocolate and butter first, then add the brown sugar). Take the mixture off the heat and whisk in eggs. Next sift in the flour, cocoa and baking powder. Fold into mixture.

Pour the coconut batter into the prepared baking tin. Then using the back of a large spoon gently poor the fudge brownie of top of the coconut batter moving the bowl and spoon around in order to evenly spread the brownie mixture. (Using the back of the spoon is not essential but it stop the mixture from hitting the batter hard and sinking down into it).

Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool for 5 minutes in the tin. Then gently run a knife around the edges and ease it out of the tin.

Allow to rest on a cooling rack and then...DEVOUR!