It all started with this ....

All of my birthdays since I was 10 have been sucky.  Everyone tries to make it better, do something special, but it just doesn't seem to happen.  Day before my 10th birthday our house burnt down after we left for school.  And that's when it all began.  Then for my 40th birthday, the month before I lost my job.  Told you sucky right?!?  So this year I was going to make it a little better, or try to.  One of my favorite candy bar's is Almond Joy, so WHY can't I have a cake that is made to taste like an almond joy?  Well I can.  And it was so very very close .... I used the recipe found at http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/almond-joy-layer-cake and of course made my famous tweaks.

My tweaks were:
I used a mix of milk chocolate and dark chocolate unsweetened cocoa powder, I replaced 1 cup white sugar with 1 cup of dark brown sugar, and almond extract instead of vanilla.  The only thing I think I would do a little different is create more liquid for the filling.  Using 3 cup of coconut with that little of a liquid was just a little dry.  But the whipped cream frosting has coming in handy for other cakes.  *laughs*


Here is the cake made:

This cake started the request that hubby and I make the birthday cakes this year.  This being a "candy bar" cake started a trend in the family.