This creole cake from Kim Nelson of Daisy Cakes is a Louisiana favorite your family will love!

Instructions:

1. In large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups of sugar, 2 eggs, ½ cup of canola oil, and ½ cup of buttermilk until well combined. As you do this, preheat your oven to 25°F.
2. In a separate bowl, mix 2 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons of cocoa, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Stir well to evenly disperse the ingredients.
3. Then carefully fold the dry ingredients into the buttermilk mixture. Stir to combined.
4. Finally, add the teaspoon of vanilla, along with the cup of boiling water. Blend all of the ingredients together.
   
5. Pour the batter into the 9-by-13-inch ungreased glass baking dish, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
6. As the cake bakes, prepare the coconut topping. You will need unsalted butter, light brown sugar, shredded coconut, and evaporated milk, and chopped pecans.
7. Begin by mixing together ½ cup of melted butter, 1 cup of light brown sugar, 1 cup of coconut, and ½ cup of evaporated milk in a large bowl. Set aside along with the pecans until the cake is finished baking.
8. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pour the coconut mixture over the cake, and top with the cup of chopped pecans.
9. Once the topping is evenly layered onto the cooked cake, return the baking dish to the oven for another 15 minutes so that the topping can brown.

This featured recipe has been adapted from the cookbook Daisy Cakes by Kim Daisy (Lydia Inglett Publishing/Starbooks.biz). For more delicious treats, pick up your own copy of Daisy Cakes online.