German Chocolate Cake

The past few weeks, Ryan has been clamouring for one of his all time favorite desserts: German Chocolate Cake. Being the good fiance that he is, Ryan typically eats whatever I put in front of him - unless it's fresh tomatoes, that stubborn bum - so it was rare for him to suggest a dish with such gusto. How could I deny him? Though I wasn't particularly excited about making this cake, having not had German Chocolate Cake often and being slightly unsure about what it was suppose to taste like, a promise was a promise. After my yoga class on Sunday, I picked up the ingredients from Vons and set about baking up a storm.

The cake was a bit tedious to make, but nothing too time consuming. I just hate whipping up egg whites for some reason. When I took the cakes out of the oven, I took my customary nibble and instantly thought they were a bit dry. Oh no! Potential failed recipe?? I tried to hold judgement but it was with a glum heart that I began making the filling.



Even though the filling looked slightly porridge-y and unappetizing, it tasted heavenly. It tasted like pecan pie filling with coconuts. As many of the reviewers advised, I toasted the cocunuts and pecans to enhance the flavor. The mixture remained thin for a while but really thickened up at ~10 min. Once it was cooled, I set about assembling my cake. Sadly, the third cake pan I had was slightly smaller than the other two so the top layer was rather stunted. Over all it still looked quite nice once I drizzled some melted chocolate on top (omitted shortening).



Naturally, Ryan and I dug in soon after I took the final picture. To my surprise, the final product wasn't dry at all. Everything about it from the flavor to the texture was absolutely delicious. Perfect with a glass of milk. We ended up serving it the next day when Ryan's family came over for a cookout (post pending) and it was even better the next day! This is highly recommended for a crowd pleaser and I'd suggest making it the day before for optimal wow factor.

German Chocolate Cake
Courtesy of AllRecipes.com

1/2 cup water
4 (1 ounce) squares German sweet chocolate
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 egg whites

1 cup white sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter
3 egg yolks, beaten
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon shortening
1 (1 ounce) square semisweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 3 - 9 inch round pans. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a small saucepan, heat water and 4 ounces chocolate until melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a large bowl, cream 1 cup butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 4 egg yolks one at a time. Blend in the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, mixing just until incorporated.

In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter, then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain.

Pour into 3 - 9 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, then turn out onto wire rack.

To make the Filling: In a saucepan combine 1 cup sugar, evaporated milk, 1/2 cup butter, and 3 egg yolks. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in coconut, pecans and vanilla. Cool until thick enough to spread.

Spread filling between layers and on top of cake. In a small saucepan, melt shortening and 1 ounce of chocolate. Stir until smooth and drizzle down the sides of the cake.