Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a 8x8 or 9x9 baking pan.
In a small heavy saucepan, combine…
- 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 3 tablespoons heaving whipping cream
Cook over low heat until the butter melts, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat. Stir in…
- 1/3 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup coconut flakes
Spread the mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan and set aside.
In a double-boiler over hot, but not boiling, water, stir until smooth… (note: you can use a microwave instead of a double-boiler, by using a glass bowl and stirring every 30-seconds until melted)
- 2 ounces dark chocolate (1/2 bar, broken into pieces)
In a medium bowl, sift…
- 1 cup all-purpose (or cake) flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- pinch of salt
In another medium bowl, combine…
- 1/2 cup buttermilk (note: alternatively, use 1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar or lemon juice into a measuring cup, then enough whole milk to make 1/2 cup total. Stire and let stand for 5 minutes)
- 1/4 cup water
In stand-mixer, cream on medium speed…
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
And and beat…
- 2 eggs
Then add…
- saved melted chocolate from earlier
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Alternately, add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to the stand-mixer ingredients, stirring well after each addtion.
Once combined, pure over the topping in the baking pan.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick or table-knife comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake. Invert the pan onto a serviing plate and allow cake to cool before serving.