Ingredients
Cake – recipe from America’s Test kitchen German chocolate cake
4 oz semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
1/4 cup (3/4oz) Dutch processed cocoa powder
1/2 cup (4 oz) boiling water
2 cups (10 oz) all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (7 oz) granulated sugar
2/3 cup (4.66 oz) light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup (6 oz) sour cream

Buttercream – recipe from America’s Test kitchen
1 1/4 lbs (5 sticks) unsalted butter, each stick cut into quarters and softened
5 cups (20 oz) confectioners sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons coconut extract

Filling
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
280 grams sweetened shredded coconut

Ganache
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Almonds
Mini almond Joy bars

Steps
Cake

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350°F. Grease three 8 in round cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease parchment paper and flour pans. Combine chocolate and cocoa in a bowl, add boiling water, cover and let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk chocolate mixture until smooth, then let cool completely. Whisk flour and baking soda together in second bowl.
2. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, over at a time, and beat until combined. Add vanilla, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until light and fluffy, about 45 seconds. Reduce speed to low, add chocolate mixture, then increase speed to medium and beat until combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down bowl once (batter may look curdled). Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with sour cream in 2 additions, scraping down bowl as needed. Give batter a final stir by hand (batter will be thick).
3. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth top with rubber spatula. Gently tap pans on counter to settle batter. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 21-22 minutes.
4. Let cakes cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, discarding parchment, and cool completely on rack, about 2 hours.
   Frosting
5. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter, cream, coconut extract, and salt on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low, slowly add sugar, and beat until incorporated and smooth, about 4 minutes.
6. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
   Coconut filling
7. Add shredded coconut and sweetened condensed milk until mixed. Set to side until assembling the cake.

Ganache

1. While cake is cooling, microwave heavy cream for about 45 seconds. Pour in chocolate chips and let sit for about 5 minutes.
2. Start mixing the chocolate and cream. The mixture will look broken, but will come together creamy after a few minutes of mixing.
3. Put in refrigerator to cool for 20-30 minutes.

Assembly

1. Once cakes are cooled, take the first layer and place on cake board or plate.
2. Pipe a wall of frosting on the outside perimeter of the cake, this will keep the coconut filling from falling out. Take half of the coconut/condensed milk mixture and spread on the cake, inside the frosting wall. Spread Almonds over the mixture.
3. Take the second layer of cake and repeat step 2, pipe the frosting and spread the coconut mixture and almonds.
4. Take the third layer and add it to the top of the second coconut layer.
5. Take the frosting and complete a thin crumb coat over the entire cake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until the frosting is firm to the touch.
6. Continue to frost the cake until it is completely covered on the top and sides, keeping a portion of the buttercream to decorate the top.
7. Refrigerate for another 30 minutes.
8. Take the ganache and using a spoon, drip it down the sides to complete the drip look. Spoon some of the ganache on top and using an offset spatula, smooth out the top.
9. Put the almonds in your hand and gently pat the almonds on to the ganache, around the entire cake.
10. Using a piping bag, with the tip of your choice, pipe frosting in piles around the cake.
11. Add an almond joy to each of the piles.
12. Refrigerate the cake for a few hours to overnight to set.
13. Enjoy