Chocolate-glazed Coconut-almond Cake

Total Time: 3 hrs Preparation Time: 2 hrs Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3 1/2 ounces almond paste, broken into pieces
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 1 teaspoon imitation coconut extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup canned cream of coconut (such as coco lopez)
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 3 ounces imported chocolate, chopped (such as lindt)
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 12 ounces bittersweet chocolate or 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• sliced almonds, toasted

Recipe

• 1 for the cake-----------.
• 2 preheat oven to 325f degrees.
• 3 butter and flour 9" diameter cake pan with 2" high sides.
• 4 using electric mixer, beat 1 cup sugar, almond paste and butter in large bowl to blend.
• 5 add yolks, extract and salt and beat 1 minute.
• 6 on low speed, beat in flour alternately with milk in 3 additions each.
• 7 mix in coconut.
• 8 using electric mixer fitted with clean dry beaters, beat whites in large bowl to soft peaks.
• 9 gradually beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff but not dry.
• 10 fold whites into batter.
• 11 pour batter into prepared pan.
• 12 bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour.
• 13 cool cake in pan on rack 20 minutes.
• 14 run small sharp knife around sides to loosen cake.
• 15 turn out cake onto rack; cool completely.
• 16 for filling-----------.
• 17 bring cream of coconut and butter to simmer in heavy medium saucepan over low heat.
• 18 add chocolate; stir until melted.
• 19 pour into bowl and cool.
• 20 add cream cheese and beat until smooth.
• 21 mix in coconut.
• 22 chill until spreadable, about 30 minutes.
• 23 for glaze-----------.
• 24 bring 3/4 cup whipping cream and corm syrup to a simmer in heavy medium saucepan.
• 25 add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.
• 26 cool until just pourable, about 15 minutes.
• 27 using serrated knife, cut cake horizontally in half.
• 28 place 1 cake layer cut side up on plate.
• 29 spread filling over.
• 30 top with second cake layer cut side down.
• 31 pour half of glaze over top of cake, spreading with spatula to cover sides and smooth top (reserve remaining glaze for sauce).
• 32 press almonds around sides and in 1" border around top edge of cake.
• 33 refridgerate cake until glaze sets, about 1 hour.
• 34 (can be made 1 day ahead. cover cake with cake dome; chill. chill remaining glaze. let cake stand 2 hours at room temperature before continuing.) mix reserved glaze and remaining 1/4 cup whipping cream in saucepan.
• 35 stir over low heat until sauce is heated through.
• 36 slice cake; serve with sauce.