Cook over medium heat – Stir constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon until the mixture thickens, about 5–8 minutes. It should coat the back of a spoon.
Add coconut and pecans – Remove from heat. Stir in the shredded coconut and chopped pecans.
Cool completely – Transfer the filling to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool to room temperature. You can refrigerate it to speed up the process.
Part 2: Make the Chocolate Cake Layers
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans. For best results, line the bottoms with parchment paper.
Mix dry ingredients – In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add wet ingredients – Add the warm milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes until smooth.
Add warm liquid – Stir in the warm water (or coffee). The batter will be thin – that’s correct.
Divide and bake – Pour the batter evenly into the three prepared pans. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool – Let the cakes rest in the pans for 10 minutes. Then turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely.
