12 to 15 servings
YouTube instructional video is at the bottom.
What you’ll need
All-purpose flour
Sugar
Salt
Baking powder
Baking soda
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Instant decaf coffee
Gelatin
Cornstarch
Creme of tartar
Unsalted butter (Room temp)
Large eggs (Room temp)
Whole milk (Room temp)
Sour cream (Room temp)
Heavy whipping cream
Light corn syrup
Unsweetened baking chocolate
Semi-sweet baking chocolate
Vanilla extract
Butter extract
Almond extract
Sliced almonds
Tools you’ll need
Baker’s joy non-stick baking spray
9 by 13-inch baking pan (Cake)
8 by 8-inch baking pan (Almonds)
Cooling rack
Hand or stand mixer
Preparation of ingredients
Dry ingredients (Cocoa flour mixture)
Step 1- Sift 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt into a medium-sized bowl. Stir all ingredients together and set aside.
Wet ingredients (Coffee milk mixture)
Step 2- Add 1/2 cup hot whole milk and 1/2 teaspoon instant decaf coffee into a separate medium-sized bowl. Stir until combined and let cool for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup sour cream (Room temp), 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon butter extract. Stir with a whisk until combined and set aside.
Cake batter
Step 3- Add 2 sticks unsalted butter (Softened and at Room temp), and 1 2/3 cups sugar into stand mixer bowl. Mix on high speed for 5 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl.
Step 4- Add 4 large eggs (Room temp), into the batter one at a time while mixing on a medium speed. Scrape down sides of bowl.
Step 5- Melted 2 ounces of Unsweetened baking chocolate in the microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir and let cool for 5 minutes.
Step 6- Alternate the Cocoa flour mixture and the Coffee milk mixture into the batter 3 separate times. When you add the cocoa flour mixture and the coffee milk mixture into the batter for the 3rd and final time, add the 2 ounces in weight of the melted unsweetened baking chocolate. Mix on medium low speed for 15 to 20 seconds or until combined.
Step 7- Add 1/2 cup sliced almonds and fold into the batter with a spatula.
Baking the cake
Note- You can make the marshmallow topping while the cake is baking.
Spray baking pan with Baker’s joy non-stick baking spray.
Preheat oven to 325-degrees.
Step 8- Add prepared cake batter into the baking pan. Spread around as evenly as possible. Shake pan slightly. Place into a preheated 325-degree oven on the bottom rack, let bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Once the baking time has ended, remove the cake from the oven. Toothpick test inserted into the cake should come out clean. Let the cake cool for 3 to 4 hours or until the cake has cooled completely.
Making the marshmallow topping
Water/cornstarch mixture
Step 9- Add 3/4 cup cold water, 1 tablespoon Cornstarch, 1 teaspoon creme of tartar, 2 teaspoons gelatin, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon butter extract and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract into a medium-sized bowl. Stir with a whisk until combined and set aside.
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Step 10- Add 3/4 cup light corn syrup, 3/4 cup sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt into a small or medium-sized pot. Stir with a whisk until combined. Add the water/cornstarch mixture and stir with a whisk until combined. Let simmer for 4 to 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Turn fire off and let cool for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Step 11- Add cooled marshmallow mixture and 1 teaspoon Gelatin into stand mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment. Mix on high speed for 6 minutes. Once done place into fridge for 10 to 12 minutes.
Roasting the almonds
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Step 12- Add 1 cup sliced almonds into an 8 by 8-inch baking pan. Place into a preheated 375-degree oven for 5 to 6 minutes. Every 2 minutes remove the pan from oven and toss the almonds with the baking pan. Place back into the oven. Make sure you pay attention to the color of the almonds. Should be a light brown color once they are roasted.
Chocolate Ganache
Preheat fire to medium heat.
Step 13- Add 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream into a small pot. Let get hot until it reaches a temperature of 130 degrees F. Once the temperature is reached, turn your fire off. Add 4 ounces of semi-sweet baking chocolate and let sit for 3 to 4 minutes. From there add 2 teaspoons light corn syrup, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla and a light sprinkle of salt. Stir with a whisk until combined. Add warm chocolate ganache into a squeeze bottle.
Decorating the cake
Step 14- Flip the cooled cake on to a cooling rack with an 11 by 17-inch baking pan underneath it. If you want to more leveled cake you can trim off the top portion of the cake with a large knife.
Step 15- Spread the marshmallow topping onto the cooled cake using an offset spatula. All the roasted sliced almond on top of the marshmallow (1 cup). Drizzle the chocolate ganache onto the cake going in a zig zag motion going from the bottom left edge to the top right edge of the cake. Do the exact same pattern going from the top left edge to the bottom right edge of the cake.
Step 16- Place cake into a fridge for 15 to 30 minutes or overnight. When cutting the cake make sure you heat the knife you are cutting the cake with. This will help cut through the marshmallow and the chocolate ganache more easily.
YouTube instructional video
