Almond Joy Cake

In December, I shared Chocolate Covered Coconut Almond Clusters with all of you.  For this recipe, you will need to make the coconut filling.  You can make the filling while your cake is baking, but make sure you get all the ingredients.  As I told you in December, I learned to make this cake for my friend Barb's birthday in August.  She just sent me the photos and said I should blog about it.

Ingredients

• Chocolate Covered Coconut Almond Cluster Filling
• 1 box white cake mix
• 1 box vanilla instant pudding mix
• 5 eggs
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup coconut flakes (you should have enough leftover from the filling above)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1/2 bag mini chocolate chips
• 1 bag shaved almond
• 2 pounds chocolate buttercream (I like to buy it directly from the grocery store bakery--it is delicious, and cheap)

Supplies

• Mixer & bowl
• Soft spatula for scraping
• Angled spatula for spreading
• Baker's spray (my best friend)
• Pan (I used two 6 inch square pans, but two 8 inch circles would be fine)
• Cooling racks
• Cake plate (I use a piece of cardboard covered in foil for transport)
• Large knife or leveler
• Piping bag

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water, oil, sour cream, coconut flakes, and vanilla.  Mix until combined, but be careful to not over mix.
3. Coat your pans with spray, and divide the batter evenly between both pans.

4. Bake for about 35 minutes (test with a toothpick, when inserted, it should come out clean or with a few crumbs, but no batter).  Let cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto cooling racks to cool completely.
5. Cut the top off of the cakes with a large knife, or leveler.

6. Smear a little frosting on the cake plate to secure the cakes.  Flip one cake cut side down.  Fill a piping bag with chocolate buttercream.  Cut a large hole at the tip and pipe a dam around the cake (this creates a barrier for the filling).  Spread the coconut filling inside the dam.  Sprinkle some chocolate chips and some almonds over the coconut.

7. Place the other cake on top of the first cake (cut side down again), and frost the entire cake.

8. Quickly, use your hands to sprinkle/press chocolate chips and almonds into the frosting before it dries.

Yum!  As an alternative, you might try making cupcakes.  Bake for about 18 minutes.  Pipe chocolate buttercream in a large circle on top, scoop coconut filling in the center, and finish with an almond.

I will be linking this up at these link parties.  Check out what else is out there!

Chocolate Covered Coconut Almond Clusters

Almond Joys are one of the candies that I discovered while in high school.  I love the different textures and flavors that make them so delicious.  A few months ago, my friend Barb wanted an Almond Joy Cake for her birthday.  What I created with her that day, became on of my favorite cakes to make (and eat).  I now use the filling to also make these delicious clusters that are a replica of the candy bar I love.

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon vanilla
• 2 Cups sweetened flake coconut
• 1 Cup powdered sugar
• 7 oz. sweetened condensed milk
• 1 bag milk chocolate chips
• 1 Cup whole almonds

Supplies

• glass dish or bowl
• Medium or large pot
• Medium or large glass bowl
• Fork
• Toothpicks
• Small melon baller
• Metal whisk
• Cookie sheet
• Parchment paper
• Mini muffin pan
• Mini muffin liners

Directions

1. Pour the sweetened condensed milk into the glass dish
2. Use the whisk to mix in the vanilla

3. Adding 1/2 cup at a time, whisk the powdered sugar into the mixture
4. Add the coconut to the mixture, and mix well
5. Spread the mixture so that it is even throughout the dish

6. Put dish in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour
7. Cover the cookie sheet with parchment paper
8. Remove the coconut mixture from the refrigerator, and scoop one scoop with the melon baller into your hands
9. Form into a ball and set on the parchment paper

10. Stick tray into refrigerator
11. Fill mini muffin pan with liners
12. Using the glass bowl, and pot, create a double-boiler (see instructions on White Chocolate Peppermint Popcorn)
13. Melt the milk chocolate completely
14. Use a toothpick to dip each ball into the chocolate

15. Use the fork to help transfer covered ball into muffin pan
16. Place one almond on top of ball
17. When you have covered all balls with chocolate, refrigerate for another hour
18. Chocolate should set, and you should be ready to enjoy!

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