Back to Baking!

So, yesterday I was in charge of making dessert because we were having the missionaries over for dinner. I decided I would make a Chocolate cake with coconut filling in the middle. Or as I would like to call it, Almond Joy Cake! It is DELICIOUS. So fluffy and perfect. Here is the finished product:

I also will post the recipe for future reference and for any of you who want to try it out :) Also, if you don't like coconut it makes for an AWESOME chocolate cake! Or you could even fill it with something else!

ALMOND JOY CHOCOLATE CAKE:

Ingredients:

Cake:

1 cup unsalted butter

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspon kosher salt

1 cup water

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

2 large eggs

1/2 cup sour cream 

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

Filling:

1 egg white

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup shredded coconut

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

2-3 tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 tablespoon vanilla bean paste

3 almond joy bars cut in-half (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a bunt cake pan with non-stick spray

Make cake:

2. In a small saucepan, add butter, cocoa powder, salt and water. Place over medium heat and stir until ingredients are combined and butter has fully melted. Remove from heat and set aside

3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and baking soda. Add half the cocoa mixture and whisk, just until combined. Add the remaining cocoa mixture and again, whisk just until combined. Next, add eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition until incorporated. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract. Whisk again until combined. Set aside.

Make filling:

4. In a clean, dry glass bowl whip the egg white until soft peaks form. Sprinkle sugar gradually into egg white and continue whipping egg white until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the coconut, flour and vanilla extract. 

5. Add half the chocolate cake batter to the prepared bundt pan and spread evenly. Dollop coconut filling over batter being sure to keep the coconut in the center and not letting it touch the sides of the pan. 

6. Spread the remaining cake batter into the bundt pan over the coconut and smooth top evenly.

7. Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, until a tester inserted comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Make Glaze:

8. In a small bowl, stir together heavy cream and confectioners' sugar starting with 2 tablespoons cream and adding more to achieve desired consistency. Stir in vanilla bean paste.

Assemble:

9. Drizzle cake with glaze and top with Almond Joy bars if desired. 

ENJOY! :)