1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180°C). Grease two 8 inches (20cm) and one 7 inches (18cm) springform tin lightly and line with some baking parchment. Set aside. Melt the butter and let it cool down. 

 

2. Mix the flour with the almond flour, the two sugars, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a second, smaller bowl, mix the eggs with the buttermilk and then add them to the large bowl together with the melted (and cooled) butter and the vanilla extract and mix well. Add the hot coffee and stir in – the dough will be quite thin, but that is ok.

 

3. Divide batter between the springform tins and bake in the middle of the oven for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Take out of the oven and place on a wire rack. Let cool in the tin for about 10-15 minutes and then remove from the tins and let cool completely on the wire rack.

 

4. For the buttercream add the room temperature(!) butter to a large bowl and mix on high speed for about 5 minutes until very light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and salt and mix in. Gradually add the sweetened condensed milk very slowly to the bowl and mix in, then mix on high speed until light and fluffy. If the buttercream is too soft, place in the fridge for some time to cool, then whisk again.

 

5. For the chocolate ganache chop the white chocolate coarsely and add together with the heavy cream to a bowl – warm up in the microwave until the chocolate has melted. Mix to combine and let cool down again until the mix becomes thick. Set aside.

 

6. Cut all cakes horizontally into two layers. Place a first layer of the larger cakes on a cake board (8 inches or slightly smaller), continue with the other three cake layers alternating with a layer of buttercream. Add the two smaller cake layers and buttercream on top – do not place them in the center but slightly offset to the edge (this will be the front of the whale). Fill the gaps between the cake layers with buttercream and smooth them down. Place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

 

7. As soon as the buttercream is firm, shape the cake. You need a back that goes down and upfront a little bit like a belly – in the video* you can see quite well where and how to cut. Cover the whole cake with the white chocolate ganache and smooth out. Place in the fridge for another 10-15 minutes.

 

8. Roll out the white fondant a little thicker for the mouth of the whale. Cut a curve into the fondant on one side and place it on the front of the cake with the curve facing up. Remove overlapping fondant on the bottom and press lines to mimic the lines in the mouth of a whale. Roll out the blue fondant slightly larger than the cake and once again cut a curve into the fondant on one side. Place that side flush with the white fondant and then carefully pull it over the back of the cake and smooth it down. Cut off excess fondant on the bottom. Shape a fin with the rest of the blue fondant. Make the eyes with the black fondant and the rosy cheeks with the pink fondant – stick both to the whale ;) Place the whale and fin on a larger plate and place in a cool place until serving.