Samoa Shooter Desserts

My Samoa Bar cookies are so good, I decided to try a shooter version with cake.  You could use any chocolate cake, even from a box, but I made mine from a homemade chocolate cake recipe that I make often and love!  I'll list the ingredients and instructions for it below.  The frosting is a little time consuming, as it is a buttercream meringue.  However, it really is the best frosting for these shooters.  These are worth the time and effort! :)

Samoa Shooters
1 chocolate cake, crumbled into small chunks (see below)
1 jar Mrs. Richardson's Butterscotch Caramel (or any brand of caramel you like)
2 cups coconut, toasted
1 recipe Buttercream Meringue (see below)

Hershey's Deep Dark Chocolate Cake  (makes 2 - 9 inch rounds)
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups flour (+ 2 Tbsp. for high altitude)
3/4 cups Hershey cocoa
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup boiling water
    Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.  In a large mixer bowl, stir together sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Add boiling water and stir in by hand (batter will be thin).  Pout batter into cake pans and bake for 30 minutes.  Cool 10 minutes before removing from cake pans and set on a wire rack to finish cooling.

Toasting coconut:
    Spread coconut flakes onto an ungreased cookie sheet with sides.  (I use the bottom pan of my roasting set)  Place into a 300 degree oven.  Stir the coconut around every 2-3 minutes and don't let it burn!  It takes about 10-15 to toast it to the color I like.  Remove it from the oven when it is golden brown all over and let it cool completely.

Buttercream Meringue Frosting
3 large egg whites
3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cubed
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
        Combine the egg whites and sugar in a medium sized, heat proof bowl. (I use a glass mixing bowl) Place the bowl over a pan of water and turn the heat on medium.  Use a candy thermometer to keep track of the temperature of the egg whites and sugar mixture.  Using a wisk, stir the mixture continuously until the temperature reaches 150 degrees.  It takes about 10-15 minutes for this part.  You need to keep stirring to keep the egg whites from cooking.  You will end up with a glossy white and thick mixture.  Pour this mixture into the mixing bowl for your stand mixer and place the wisk attachment on your mixer.  Turn the mixer on low for 2 minutes.  After 2 minutes turn it to medium for 5 minutes.  Then turn it to high for about 4-5 minutes until soft peaks form.  You are slowly cooling the egg whites and sugar. When it begins to form soft peaks add the cubed, soft butter one piece at a time and let it mix in completely.  Next add the vanilla.  The frosting may look a little grainy at this point, it's okay!  Don't worry!  Change to the paddle attachment on your mixer and turn the mixer up to high.  Mix the frosting until it becomes glossy and bright.  It takes mine about another 6-7 minutes.  Remove from the mixer and it's done!  You can use it right now, or let it chill for a few minutes if you want it a little stiffer.

For the shooters:
In your shot glasses add a layer of cake, then frosting, next is caramel topped with toasted coconut and then repeat!