Ingredients
- 1 box of chocolate cake mix
- 1 (12-ounce) can of evaporated milk, divided
- 1 cup of granulated sugar, divided
- 3-1/2 cups of mini marshmallows
- 3 cups of sweetened coconut
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) of unsalted butter
- 1-1/2 cups of chocolate chips
- 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup of sliced almonds, divided
Instructions
Prepare the cake in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan according to the package direction. Set aside to cool.
In a small saucepan, stir together 1/2 of the can of evaporated milk and 1/2 cup of the sugar; bring the mixture just up to a boil, but do not allow the mixture to continue boiling. Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the marshmallows until they melt and are well incorporated. Add the coconut, stir well and immediately spread this on top of the warm cake. Mixture may be thick; work quickly and drop in dollops and use a spatula to push the coconut layer out as evenly as possible.
In a separate small saucepan, combine the remaining evaporated milk, 1/2 cup of the sugar and the 4 tablespoons of butter; bring mixture just up to a boil – but do not let it continue to boil. Remove from the heat, stir in the chocolate chips and stir until melted and smooth. Add vanilla. Add about 3/4 cup of the almonds, stir and pour that over the coconut layer. The mixture should be fairly thick, but if it gets too thick, return it to a low burner briefly, stirring until it returns to a spreadable consistency.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of almonds over the top and let cool completely before cutting.
Cook’s Notes: If you skipped the tutorial above and you’ve never made this cake before, it is rich! Some mixes are particularly sweet to begin with, but we’re adding in sugar, marshmallows, coconut, butter and chocolate chips. Serve it up in modest portions and with an ice cold glass of milk! You can leave the burner on low and move the pot on and off of the burner as needed, to either loosen or thicken the mixture. Taking it off the burner will allow it to set a bit, if you need it to thicken slightly, while putting it back on the burner temporarily will allow it to warm and thin out to be more spreadable. This applies to the chocolate mixture below as well.