German Chocolate Cake Recipe

Cake -

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 C boiling water
1C cold unsalted butter, diced (2 cubes)
2C sugar
4 eggs- separated
2tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/4 C flour
1 C buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom of 2 9inch cake pans. Cut 2 pieces of parchment paper or wax paper to fit, put in bottom, grease those.

Combine chocolate in a small bowl with boiling water, let sit 2 min before stirring. Stir until completely melted.

Place butter and sugar in bowl of a mixer with paddle attachment and beat on high for about 5 min until light and fluffy. It took 7 min when I did it. With mixer on low add egg yolks, one at a time, scraping down sides. Combine salt, baking soda and flour in a bowl. Add one third of dry ingredients, one third of buttermilk, and continue in 3 additions, ending with buttermilk.
Now unless you have 2 mixers you will have to pour this mixture in a large bowl and wash out your mixer bowl. Make sure to wash and dry. Add the reserved egg whites to this bowl and beat on high until SOFT peaks form. Careful, it doesn't take that long, you don't want stiff peaks that stand up on their own.
Divide cake batter between pans and bake 30-35 min. Mine took 29 min. Set your timer for 25 min and start checking. Use toothpick in center. When it comes out with a few moist crumbs on there its done. Don't overbake! Cool completely.

Filling -

2C shredded sweet coconut
1 C toasted chopped pecans
1 10 oz can evaporated milk
1 1/2 C sugar
3 eggs yolk
1/2 C unsalted butter
2 tsp vanilla

Place coconut and pecans in large bowl, set aside. Combine evaporated milk, sugar, eggs and butter in saucepan over med-hi heat, whisking CONSTANTLY until it comes to a boil. Careful, it will scorch if you don't stir it. It takes a while. Remove from heat as soon as it starts boiling. Mix in pecans and coconut, add vanilla and refrigerate til cool.

Ganache Frosting -

1 1/2 lb. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/3 C light corn syrup
2 C heavy whipping cream

Combine chocolate and corn syrup in large bowl, set aside. Place cream in saucepan over med heat. Bring to boil, then pour over chocolate mixture. Let it sit about 2 min, then whisk until smooth. I put it in the frig for 25 min to get it thick enough to spread. Yours might not take that long.

Assembly -

Remove cakes carefully from pans onto wax paper. If you want cut them in half horizontally to make 4 layers. Or, just use the 2. Get out your filling and reserve about a cup for the top of your cake. Set aside. Place one on your platter right side up spread 1/2 the filling. Put next layer on, spread rest of filling. Beginning with the sides spread a very light layer of frosting on sides and top. Put in refrigerator about 30 min. Now you are ready to frost it for real. Do sides 1st, then top. Put your reserved filling in the middle top of cake, spread carefully so is just in the middle. Refrigerate your cake, but let it sit out 45 minutes before serving. Enjoy!