Coconut-Almond Cream Cake

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon almond extract 
• 0.5 cup almonds sliced
• 1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder 
• 1 cup brown sugar light packed
• 0.3 cup coconut milk 
• 5 large eggs 
• 3.5 cups flour all-purpose
• 1.3 cups granulated sugar 
• 12 servings kumquats fresh
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 2 cups coconut sweetened flaked
• 1.5 cups butter unsalted at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 
• 1 cup whipping cream 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking paper
• oven
• stand mixer

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 32
2. Bake coconut in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 minutes.
3. Place almonds in a single layer in another shallow pan; bake, with coconut, 7 to 9 minutes or until almonds are fragrant and coconut is lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
4. Line 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with parchment paper. Grease and flour paper.
5. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a very large bowl.
6. Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy; gradually add sugars, beating until blended. Beat 8 minutes or until very fluffy, scraping bottom and sides of bowl as needed.
7. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition (about 30 seconds per egg). Stir in whipping cream and next 3 ingredients.
8. Gently fold butter mixture into flour mixture, in batches, just until combined.
9. Pour batter into prepared pans.
10. Bake at 325 for 30 to 32 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 1 hour).
11. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate.
12. Spread half of chilled Coconut-Almond Filling over cake layer. Top with 1 layer, pressing down gently. Repeat procedure with remaining half of Coconut-Almond Filling and remaining cake layer.
13. Gently spread Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting on top and sides of cake. Press toasted coconut onto sides of cake; sprinkle toasted almonds on top.
14. Garnish, if desired.