3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature

2/3 cup sour cream, room temperature

3 whole eggs, room temperature

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 tablespoon coconut emulsion or extract

1/8 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup cake flour or all-purpose flour

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

1 (15.25 oz) box chocolate cake mix

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 pinch salt

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 teaspoons coconut emulsion or extract

1/4 cup heavy cream

7–8 cups powdered sugar

1 cup marshmallow fluff

1/2 cup prepared coconut buttercream (from above)

2–3 cups shredded coconut

2 drops pink coloring gel

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Preheat oven to 325°F (convection) or 350°F (traditional). Grease and flour three 6-inch cake pans.
In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, sour cream, eggs, oil, vanilla, and coconut extract.
Sift in cake mix and cocoa powder. Fold until combined. Optionally fold in chocolate chips.
Divide batter evenly into prepared pans. Bake 25-27 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely, then wrap and freeze until assembly.
For coconut buttercream: Beat butter until fluffy. Add salt, vanilla, coconut extract, and heavy cream. Gradually mix in powdered sugar. Beat until light and fluffy.
For marshmallow filling: Mix marshmallow fluff with 1/2 cup coconut buttercream.
For pink coconut: Pulse shredded coconut with pink food coloring in a food processor until evenly pink.
To assemble: Place one cake layer on a turntable, spread coconut buttercream, pipe a buttercream dam, and fill with marshmallow filling. Repeat with second layer.
Apply crumb coat, freeze 3 minutes, then frost with final layer of buttercream.
Press pink coconut onto the cake. Pipe buttercream dollops on top and smooth with a wet finger for rounded shapes.

You can substitute coconut extract with vanilla if needed.

For a less sweet cake, reduce powdered sugar or swap marshmallow fluff with whipped cream.

The cake layers can be made ahead and frozen for up to 2 months.

If buttercream is too thin, add powdered sugar gradually.

Can be made gluten-free using a gluten-free cake mix and flour.