Roasted Coconut & Dark Chocolate Truffle Cake
150g desiccated coconut
1/4 cup shredded coconut
250g self-raising flour
220g caster sugar
250ml buttermilk (available in supermarkets)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
150g canola oil
For the dark chocolate truffle filling
350g good-quality dark chocolate (I used Valrhona Fèves Equatorial 55%)
250ml cream
1/4 cup best-quality berry jam

Roasted Coconut & Dark Chocolate Truffle Cake:
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Spread the desiccated coconut in an even layer on a baking tray and cook for 5 minutes, stirring once. Remove and cool. Toast the shredded coconut for the topping using the same method and set aside.

Butter or spray a 20cm round cake tin and line it with baking paper. Sift the flour into a large bowl and stir in the cooled desiccated coconut and caster sugar. In another bowl mix the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and oil.

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients = and pour in the wet mixture. Fold gently together until well combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 50 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes in the tin then turn out on to a cake rack to cool.

When completely cooled (overnight preferably) slice the cake horizontally into three layers.Using a piping bag or a spatula, spread a third of the dark chocolate truffle filling (recipe follows) over the bottom layer then repeat with the remaining layers, ending with the filling. Sprinkle the top with toasted shredded coconut.

For the dark chocolate truffle filling:
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over boiling water, taking care that the water does not touch the bowl. In another small saucepan (or in the microwave) warm the cream.

Remove the melted chocolate from the heat and quickly mix in the heated cream, stirring until glossy. Stir in the berry jam.

Cool in the fridge for 1 hour, stirring occasionally until thickened.