I have been thinking about making a classic southern coconut cake. Then I realized that I never do classic so what was I thinking? Now, there are some changes I always do on my chocolate cakes: coffee, dark cocoa powder, and extra extract. I did stay classic on the filling to give you the flavor of the candy bar. The frosting and the ganache, of course, I took some liberties with, but again some rules aren’t meant to be followed. This is a special treat – not your everyday dessert. This is super rich and will wow your guests. I hope you like it.

Cake:
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cups dark cocoa
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup oil
1 cup hot coffee
1 cup milk

Filling:
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

3 cups unsweetened coconut
4 tablespoons sliced almonds

Frosting:
8 ounces butter
2 teaspoons coconut extract
4 cups powdered sugar
4-6 tablespoons of milk

If you want, add a pinch of salt, but those with BP issues can leave it out.

Chocolate ganache:
10 ounces dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup cream

Preheat oven to 350.

In bowl 1, mix flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder.

In bowl 2, mix eggs, oil, sugar, vanilla, and milk and whisk to combine.

Add dry ingredients to wet and combine with whisk.

Add hot coffee slowly while whisking.

Butter and flour 3 cake pans.

Pour batter in each pan equally.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Let cool on rack for one hour.

Mix coconut and sweetened condensed milk and set aside.

In another bowl, cream butter, salt and coconut extract.

Add cream.

Add powdered sugar 1 cup at time until mixed and incorporated.

In a microwave safe bowl, add chocolate chips and cook in 30 second bursts, stirring between bursts, until melted; add milk slowly until smooth.

Assembly:
Trim lower two tiers of cake to make flat surfaces.
Place bottom layer on cake platform.
Top with half of the coconut mixture, then top with almond slices.
Place next cake layer on top.
Top with second half coconut mixture, then top with almond slices.
Place third cake layer on top.
Frost cake.
Top with ganache, letting ganache drip down the sides.
Place in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Optional: add dollops of frosting around the cake (but you might have to make more frosting).
Add almond joy bars.