I love baking cakes for my family’s birthdays! I’m starting this particular blog post with my son’s birthday cake: SAMOAS CAKE!

Obviously he loves Girl Scout Samoas Cookies, so I set out to find a cake to duplicate that ooey gooey coconut chocolate goodness, and I think I nailed it. It’s so moist and delicious, and even if you have people that don’t like coconut, they will die for the chocolate cake! Topping that cake with a caramel buttercream puts it over the top!

SAMOAS CAKE WITH CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

(adapted from Spicy Southern Kitchen)

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 -16 oz package light brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 – 8oz container sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup hot water

Caramel Frosting
3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1/4 cup jarred caramel sauce
3 cups powdered sugar
2 -3 TBSP heavy cream or milk

Toppings
1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, toasted (place in 350 degree oven for ~ 10 minutes or until golden brown)
Caramel Sauce
Hot Fudge Sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease and flour and bundt pan.
Melt chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl (heat at 20 second intervals) until smooth when stirred. Set Aside.
Beat butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until blended well, about 5 minutes.
Beat in eggs one at a time.
Beat in melted chocolate just until blended.
Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.
Add flour mixture to batter, alternating with sour cream, beating at LOW speed just until blended after each addition.
Slowly, with mixer on LOW speed, add hot water.
Stir in vanilla.
Pour batter into prepared Bundt pan.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool 20 minutes in pan then remove cake from pan to cool completely.
To make frosting, beat butter and caramel sauce until creamy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Beat in enough heavy cream to get to desired consistency.
Spread frosting on cooled cake.
Sprinkle toasted coconut on cake and drizzle with caramel sauce and hot fudge sauce.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROSS!