Cake:
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
5 eggs
1 (16 oz.) can chocolate syrup
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
Ganache:
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. instant espresso powder
1 Tblsp. almond flavored liqueur (optional)
1/2 lb. semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted, for garnish
Cake:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan (straight sided) with non-stick spray. Line bottom with waxed paper; coat paper.
Beat butter in a largebowl on medium-high speed until fluffy, 1 minute. Add both sugars; beat 3 minutes, until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add syrup and extracts; beat 1 minute. On low, beat in flour and salt; beat on medium 1 minute. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until toothpick tests clean. Let cake cool in pan on rack 15 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack; remove paper. Cool completely. (Keep cake bottom-side up.)
Ganache:
Bring cream to a boil in saucepan. Stir in espresso to dissolve. Stir in almond liqueur, if using.
Place chocolate in medium-sized bowl. Pour hot cream mixture over top; let stand 1 minute. Stir until very smooth. Cover; refrigerate until good spreading consistency, 45 minutes.
Toast almonds on baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.
Place cooled cake on wire rack placed over baking pan. (The smooth bottom becomes the top; do not turn it right-side up.) Spread ganache over sides. Then pour ganache over the top of the cake.Spread evenly over top.
Before ganache sets, gently press almonds onto the sides of the cake, using enough almonds to just cover the sides. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
