Almond Joy Chocolaty Cake

Prep: 5o minute (2 hours chilling)  

Cook: 30 minutes

Why bake from the box when you can make this? This creamy-dreamy chocolate cake with almond-coconut filling is a cinch! It will have you licking your fingers and not wanting to stop at just one slice. Now I must admit that I took this recipe from a recent Rachel Ray magazine but I just could not pass up this beauty!

Ingredients

 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 stick unsalted butter (4oz.)

½ cup semisweet chocolate chopped

2 ¼ cups granulated sugar

4 tsp. pure vanilla extract

½ tsp. salt plus a big pinch

3 eggs

1 ½ cups flour

1 ½ tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 bag (14oz) sweetened shredded coconut

2 cups sliced almonds

3 cups heavy cream

1/3 cup powdered sugar

The Process

1. Preheat oven to 325*

2. Butter two 8-inch-by-2 inch round cake pans. Like so

3. In a medium sauce pan bring 2/3 cup water to a boil. Whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Add in the 1 stick butter and chopped semisweet chocolate. Whisk it in until melted. Remove from heat and add in 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, 2 tsp. vanilla and ½ tsp. salt. Whisk together.

4. Whisk in 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition.

5. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and baking powder. Pour in the chocolate mixture until smooth. Stir in 1 cup coconut.

6. Divide the batter between the pans and bake in the lower third of the oven for about 30 minutes or until firm in the center. Let it cool in the pans on a rack for about 10 minutes then remove the cakes from the pans so the cakes can cool completely.

7. While the cake cools, spread the almonds on a cookie sheet and toast them for about 10 minutes.

8. In a sauce pan combine ¾ cup cream, the remaining ¾ cup granulated sugar and pinch salt and simmer, stirring over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved.

9. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tsp. vanilla and 3 packed cups coconut. When the mixture is cooled fold in 1 ½ cups almonds.

10. Split the cake layers to make 4 layers. Place the first layer cut side up on the cake stand and spread with about 1 cup of the coconut-almond mixture. Top with the second layer cut side down and spread with 1 cup more of the mixture. Repeat with the remaining 2 layers.

 11. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours to firm up.

12. After the cake has firmed whip the remaining 2 ¼ cups cream with the powdered sugar until stiff. This will take awhile so don’t give up… just keep whipping it. Spread over the cake. Sprinkle the top with the remaining almonds.

13. FINALLY ENJOY!!