Dessert: Chocolate Cake with Caramel-Coconut-Almond Filling

To many people living in the middle of the country, celebration cakes must be chocolate cakes — especially German chocolate cakes. This one embellishes the tradition, using unsweetened chocolate instead of sweet chocolate, a luscious caramel-coconut filli

Ingredients

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup water
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder or coffee powder
2 1/4 cups (packed) dark brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottoms with waxed paper. Butter waxed paper. Combine chocolate, 1 cup water and espresso powder in heavy small saucepan. Stir over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Cool completely, stirring occasionally.
Using electric mixer, beat brown sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add chocolate mixture and vanilla and beat until blended. Sift four, baking soda, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture alternately with sour cream in 3 additions, beginning with dry ingredients and beating well after each addition.
Divide batter equally among prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes. Using small knife, cut around sides of pans to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks. Remove waxed paper; cool completely.