German Chocolate Cake with Coconut Pecan Frosting and Another Birthday

One type of cake I don’t see too often is German chocolate cake. I am not sure if it just looks difficult to make or if it’s been locked away in some 1950’s homemaker time capsule. I have made this cake since I was young, always for my father’s birthday. German chocolate cake is his favorite (that and butter pecan ice cream).

Truth is, I haven’t made it for him in years and this year I figured it was time for me to get back on track and make him one….even when I had 7 other cakes on my February roster. Yes, I said February…and yes…I realize it is now March and I am just now getting to posting. Oops!

I don’t typically use melted chocolate in my cake batters, not sure why. I think I read in a cake book somewhere that you should only use melted chocolate in brownies. But just about every German chocolate recipe said to use the ‘German chocolate bars’, melted. So that is what I did. Despite omitting the cake flour (something I just didn’t have in my pantry that day), the cake was still positively light and fluffy. I think I would attribute that from separating the eggs and folding in the egg whites in the last step of mixing.

The only problem I had with the cake this go around was making the frosting. For some reason, the first time I made it, it turned out soupy. I think I didn’t let the egg mixture thicken enough before I added the coconut. I did a second round of it and waited for the egg mixture to thicken a bit more and didn’t have a single problem. I also provided a ‘doubled’ recipe…because let’s face it folks…it’s ALL about the frosting in my family! So, if you don’t want it on the sides of the cake, by all means, cut the recipe for the frosting in half.

It’s funny, when I brought the cake out; I got so many ‘ooohs and ahhs’. For someone who has made this cake since I was a young girl, it makes me feel good that something I think is so seemingly simple to make can still impress the ones that I love. Because after all…what’s the point but to impress them and make them happy.

German Chocolate Cake
Recipe derived from Allrecipes.com
Yields: 2, 8-inch rounds

Ingredients for cake:
1 (4-oz.) package of Baker's Sweetened Chocolate
1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
4 egg yolks
4 eggs whites
1 teaspoon Vanilla
2 cups sifted all purpose flour (The recipe calls for 2 ½ cups cake flour you can use that if you have it)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk

Ingredients for the frosting:
2 cup evaporated milk
2 cup sugar
6 beaten egg yolks
1 cup butter
2 teaspoon vanilla
2 2/3 cup Baker's Angel Flake Coconut
2 cup chopped pecans (toasted)

Directions for the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Grease and flour 2 - 8 inch round pans (There is enough batter here that you can make 2 – 9inch rounds). Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat water until boiling. Pour over 4 ounces chocolate and stir until melted. Allow to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, cream 1 cup butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. I usually do this on low. It may take about 5 minutes for it to really incorporate. Beat in 4 egg yolks one at a time. Blend in the melted chocolate mixture and the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, mixing just until incorporated. The whole process of adding the flour and buttermilk shouldn’t take any longer than 60 seconds. You do not want to over mix.

In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form (a metal or glass bowl are preferred because they are considered non-reactive. A plastic bowl will adhere to the proteins in the egg whites and inhibit the whites from forming any peaks). Gently fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter with a rubber spatula, and then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain.
Pour into 2 - 8 inch pans Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack, then turn out onto wax paper.

Directions for the frosting:
Begin by toasting the pecans on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes. You do not need cooking spray but keep an eye on them and stir them maybe half way through. You will know when they are getting close to being done because you will begin to smell them. Keep an eye on them though, they burn fast! You can also do this on the cook top in a dry skillet…just keep a close eye on them and stir them frequently. Let them cool a bit and roughly chop them.

In a heavy bottomed saucepan combine 2 cups sugar, evaporated milk, 1 cup butter, and 6 egg yolks. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened, about 12 minutes. (If the mixture doesn’t look thickened at 12 minutes, do not proceed until it does) Remove from heat.

Stir in coconut, pecans and vanilla. Cool until thick enough to spread.
Spread filling between layers and on top of cake. The sides are a bit messy and difficult, just stick it on with a spatula and spread it lightly.

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