2 1/2 c. cake flour
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk

GANACHE
1 c. heavy or whipping cream
12 sq. (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate, chopped

COCONUT LAYER:

1/2 c. sweetened cream of coconut
1/4 c. light corn syrup
2 c. shredded coconut (about 6 oz.)

SIMPLE SYRUP:

1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. water

GARNISH:

3/4 c. sliced almonds, toasted and chopped fine

Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 3 (9 inch) round cake pans. Line each with wax paper. Grease paper and flour pans.

Combine dry ingredients in bowl. Beat butter and sugar in mixer bowl at medium speed until light. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk until well blended, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Pour evenly into prepared pans.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire racks 5 minutes. Invert cakes; remove pans and peel off paper; invert again to cool completely.

Ganache: Bring cream to boil in medium saucepan. Remove from heat; add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Transfer to medium bowl and chill until slightly firm, 10 minutes.

Coconut Layer: Bring cream of coconut and corn syrup to simmer in medium saucepan. Stir in shredded coconut; cool.

Simple Syrup: Bring sugar and water to boil in small saucepan; cook until sugar is dissolved, 1 minute.

To assemble, brush each cake layer with syrup. Place 1 layer on serving plate and spread with 1/3 cup ganache, then 1/2 cup coconut. Repeat with second layer, ganache and coconut. Top with third layer, ganache and coconut.

Top with third layer. Frost sides with 1/2 cup ganache. Frost top with 1/3 cup ganache, then spread with remaining 1 cup coconut. Refrigerate remaining 1/2 cup ganache until firm.

Spoon ganache into pastry bag fitted with #4 star tip. Pipe decoratively around top edge of cake. Pat chopped almonds around sides. Makes 12 servings.