1-Preheat: Preheat to 375°F and grease two 8- or 9-inch round baking pans, lining the bottoms with parchment paper to make removal easy. In a large bowl, stir together 2 cups sugar, 1 3/4 cups flour, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt for even mixing.

2-Mix wet ingredients: Next, in a separate bowl, mix 2 large eggs, 1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until well combined. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ones, then stir in 1 cup boiling water the batter will be thin, but that’s normal. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

3-Cool the cakes: After baking, cool the cakes for 5 minutes, then invert them onto wire racks to cool completely. For the coconut frosting, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 3 large egg yolks, and 3/4 cup evaporated milk in a saucepan. Bring to a low boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened, then remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon vanilla, 1 cup chopped pecans, and 1 cup shredded coconut. Let it cool fully before use.

4-Prepare chocolate frosting and assemble: For the chocolate frosting, melt 1/2 cup butter and stir in 2/3 cup cocoa powder, then gradually add 3 cups powdered sugar and 1/3 cup milk, beating until spreadable. Adjust with more milk or sugar as needed, and mix in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. To assemble, place one cake layer on a plate, spread a thin layer of chocolate frosting, add half the coconut frosting with a 1/2-inch border, top with the second layer, and finish with the remaining frostings.