Almond Joy Cake Recipe (2024)

If you are a fan of chocolate and coconut, this decadent Almond Joy Cake recipe is going to become your new favorite recipe!

Inspired by the popular candy bar, this homemade Almond Joy cake consists of decadent homemade chocolate cake layers, an amazing coconut filling, rich chocolate ganache, and a smattering of almond slices!

Table of Contents

How to Make an Almond Joy Cake

The rich chocolate cake that we used in this recipe is one of our go-to scratch recipes. This scratch Chocolate Cake is the best!

You can find the full, printable Almond Joy Cake Recipe with complete instructions and ingredients further down in this post. Here is a quick rundown of our steps!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Grease and flour three 8 inch cake pans. We also like to add a parchment circle to the bottom of each pan.
In a mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients: sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk for 1 minute to blend.
Next, add softened butter a few pieces at a time while the mixer is on low speed. Mix until the dry ingredients look like coarse sand and the dry ingredients are moistened. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, milk , vegetable oil and vanilla extract until blended.
Method is important when using the Reverse Creaming Method. With the mixer on low speed, SLOWLY add approximately ½ of the egg mixture to the dry ingredients. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 1 ½ minutes at medium speed. Don't mix above medium speed. Scrape the bottom and sides of bowl. Add the remaining egg mixture in 2 pourings, beating for 20 seconds after each pour. Scrape the sides and bottom of bowl.
Slowly add the cup of hot coffee and mix another 30 seconds until blended. The batter will be very runny. Don't worry, this is how it should be.
Pour the chocolate batter into the three prepared 8" pans and bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes or until the center of the cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool the cakes 10 minutes on a rack and then turn out of the pans.
This recipe makes about 9 cups of cake batter.

Coconut Filling

Thenext most important player in this Almond Joy Cake is the Coconut Filling! Some may even say it's the most important. Finding the perfect coconut filling can be tricky! But we've found it.

This coconut filling is nice and thick, but still a great consistency for spreading.

Its unique consistency is just like the filling of an Almond Joy or Mounds bar, and results from heating milk, sugar, and marshmallows in a saucepan. Then, coconut and coconut extract are added. You will love this recipe!

Rich Ganache Frosting

We added another layer of chocolate to this recipe with aSimple Spreadable Chocolate Ganache! This is a 2:1 ratio of chocolate to cream and makes a rich, surprisingly easy filling and frosting.

Ganache may sound fancy, but if you've never made it, don't be intimidated. With just two ingredients, it's just about the easiest frosting ever (and SO good).

It can be used as is, or you can whip it to create a smoother, slightly lighter consistency. You'll want to let it cool and thicken a bit before whipping into a fluffier consistency.

Assembling the Cake

When it is time to assemble the Almond Joy Cake cake, place the first chocolate cake layer on the cake base or pedestal.

Next, spread a thin layer of ganacheonto the top of the cake layer and follow with a layer of the coconut filling. Top with the next cake layer and repeat. Top with the third cake layer.

Next, we frosted the entire cake with the ganache frosting. When ganache becomes cool, it will begin to set up.

If the ganache becomes too thick or firm while you are frosting the cake, just pop the bowl intothe microwave for a few seconds at a time until it warmsto a spreadable consistency.

Frosting the Almond Joy Cake

When I frost my filled cakes (whether with chocolate buttercream or ganache), I apply a thin layer to the top and sides of the cake first. This is known as the crumb coat Then, I apply the second (final) layer of frosting with my offset spatula.

Decorate the cake however you like! You may prefer a textured look to your frosting (as with our ridged buttercream cake), or another style, but today we decided to frost the Almond Joy Cake around the sides with a smooth finish.

Frosting the Cake with a Smooth Finish

While rotating the cake on a turntable, I smoothed the frosting with a bench scraper. This step alone with give you a nice, smooth look.

However, for a super smooth finish to your frosting, chill the freshly frosted cake in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes or just until firm.

Then, heat your bench scraper (or spatula) in a pot of very hot water, dry off and glide it over the chilled frosting.

You may need to add a little fresh frosting here and there on stubborn places and then smooth over with the heated bench scraper. the ganache will melt just enough to give you a smooth finish. If you'd like more details, we have a tutorial on this hot knife method of smoothing.

Final Touches to the Cake

We topped off our ganache frosted cake with a layer of coconut filling and even more flaked coconut. We also pressed sliced almonds around the sides of the cake!

You can use sliced almonds in the filling alsoif you'd like! I love the look of the fluffy mound of coconut on top- I just want to dive in!

Almond Joy Cake vs. Mounds Cake

Mounds bars are basically the same as Almond Joy, minus the almond-- and I love them both! If you're feeling more like a Mounds Bar cake, you're in luck. This cake can be that cake too.

To make a Mounds Cake instead, simply leave the almonds out of this recipe!

You cannot go wrong either way. This cake recipe is a keeper!

More Chocolate Cakes

We have more fantastic chocolate cake recipes to share with you! You can find the full collection here: Chocolate Cake Recipes. We are posting a few of our favorites below.