Almond Cake With Meringue and Whipped Cream Filling

Description: Crisp layers of almond-filled meringue baked on top of cake layers, then sandwiched with whipped cream and drizzled with melted chocolate!

Ingredients:

• 1 (510 g) packaged vanilla cake mix or 1 (510 g) white cake mix
• 1/2 cup toasted ground almonds
• 4 eggs, separate yolks and reserve whites
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 2 tablespoons butter

Steps:

1. Grease and flour three 9" round cake pans.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Cake:.
4. Pour cake mix and ground almonds into a large bowl, add milk, oil and egg yolks. Beat on low speed until blended, then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
5. Divide batter between the three prepared pans. Set aside.
6. In a bowl, whisk egg whites until foamy, continue whisking gradually adding 1 cup of sugar until stiff peaks form.
7. Gently fold in sliced almonds.
8. Spread mixture evenly over the cake batter in pans.
9. Bake as directed on package, approximately 25 - 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.
10. Cool 20 minutes, remove from pans.
11. Cool completely before you put the filling between the layers.
12. Filling and decoration:.
13. Whip cream, sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Place one cake layer on serving plate; spread one half of the cream on cake layer. Put second layer on top, repeat the process and place third layer on top.
14. Melt chocolate over low heat and stir in butter.
15. Drizzle cake with chocolate mixture.
16. Chill before serving.
17. Enjoy!