German Chocolate Cake

Three layer Frosted German  Chocolate Cake

Cake Ingredients:

1 box Baker's German's Chocolate

1/2 cup boiling water

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

2 cups sugar

4 egg yolks, unbeaten

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2 1/2 cups cake flower

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

4 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Coconut Pecan Topping:
4 egg yolks
1 tablespoon flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream or 1 large (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2  cups chopped pecans
7 ounces flaked coconut (2 1/3 cups)

Chocolate Frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/3 cup (+ 1 tablespoon) evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cake Method:
Preheat  oven to 350*. Butter and flour three 8 or 9 inch round or square pans. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper.

Baker's German's Chocolate Bar

Break chocolate squares into a glass bowl and add boiling water. Stir until chocolate squares are melted. Set aside. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating after each. Add vanilla and melted chocolate and mix until well blended. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk, beating after each addition until batter is smooth.
Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour batter into prepared  pans. (about 2 1/3 cups batter into each) Bake for 35 minutes or until a pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 30 minutes. Slide a knife around the side of  the pans, invert and remove paper. Finish cooling.

Coconut Pecan Topping Method:
In a large saucepan, combine egg yolks, flour, sugar, salt, cream, butter and vanilla. Cook over medium heat for 12 minutes, or longer, stirring until mixture thickens and turns a caramel color. Add pecans and coconut. Beat until cool and spreading consistency.
Place a cake layer, bottom side up, on a platter. Top cake with one third (about 2 1/3 cups) of Coconut Pecan Topping. Repeat with remaining cake layers and topping.

A Traditional German Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Frosting Method:

Place butter in a large (8 cup) glass bowl. Microwave for 30 second intervals until melted. Stir in cocoa powder. Add powdered sugar alternately with 1/3 cup of the milk, beating after each addition. If the frosting is too thick, add the extra tablespoon of milk to make a good spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla. Spread on sides of the cake and use a frosting bag and tip to decorate the top and bottom circumference of the cake. If desired, garnish with halved Maraschino cherries.  

Notes: A traditional German Chocolate Cake has unfrosted sides. To make the cake fancier, frost the sides and decorate the edges with chocolate frosting. To learn more about the origin of German Chocolate Cake, please see: "The Origin & History of German Chocolate Cake" at: carriekitchencreations.blogspot.com (Hint: It's not from Germany.)