Almond-Crusted Chocolate Cake created by: Almond Board of California

servings 16
ingredients 1/2 cup soft butter
1 1/3 cups sliced natural (unblanched)almonds
2 squares (1 oz. each ) unsweetened
  chocolate
1 3/4 cups sifted flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup wheat germ, toasted
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp. almond extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. instant coffee granules
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
3 Tbs. sugar (for cream)
preparation Butter two 9-inch round layer cake pans, using 1 tablespoon butter for each. Sprinkle bottoms and sides of pans with 1 cup of the almonds. Chop remaining almonds and set aside. Melt chocolate over hot water; cool. Sift flour again with sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda into a large mixing bowl; stir in wheat germ. Add remaining butter, milk and almond extract. Blend until moistened, then beat at medium mixer speed for 2 minutes (300 strokes by hand). Add eggs and cooled chocolate; beat 2 minutes longer; stir in the 1/3 cup chopped almonds. Turn into the prepared pans. Bake in center of oven at 350 degrees, 35 to 40 minutes, just until layers test done. Let stand in pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool. When thoroughly cooled, turn instant coffee into a narrow, deep bowl; crush with back of spoon. Add cream and the 3 tablespoons sugar; beat stiff. Place 1 cake layer, almond side up, on serving plate; spread with 2/3 of the cream. Top with second layer, almond side down. Spoon remaining cream into a pastry bag fitted with fluted tube (No. 6 size) and decorate top of cake with “ruffled ribbons” of the cream. Decorate with a few additional almond slices, if you wish.