German Chocolate Cake Recipe
This German chocolate cake recipe is simply delicious, and easy to make. Contrary to the name, German Chocolate Cake is not of German origin.
The first published recipe for German's chocolate cake recipe showed up in a Dallas newspaper in 1957 and came from a Texas homemaker. The resulting spike in German's Sweet Chocolate sales put General Foods (which then owned Baker's Chocolate) on alert; the company quickly sent copies of the recipe and photos of the cake to newspapers across the nation.
Everywhere the recipe was published, food editors were swamped with requests for information on where to buy the chocolate. In a year, sales jumped 73%. Readers who missed the recipe asked that it be reprinted. In no time at all, German Chocolate Cake was on most every table.
German Chocolate Cake
Ingredients:
4 ounces Baker's German Sweet Chocolate
1/2 cup boiling water
1-3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, separated
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans, then line them with waxed paper, cut to fit.
2. Grease and flour the waxed paper or spray with baking spray. This is necessary.
3. Melt the chocolate in the boiling water. Set aside.
4. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
5. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form; refrigerate.
6. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar, allowing mixer to run for 5 minutes.
7. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Let mixer run an additional 2 minutes.
8. With mixer running, add vanilla and chocolate/water mixture.
9. Add dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, combining well. Gently fold the stiffly beaten egg whites into cake batter.
10. Pour the batter into the three prepared cake pans.
11. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on racks.
12. Frost top and fill between layers with Coconut-Pecan Frosting.
Coconut-Pecan Frosting
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups evaporated milk
1-1/3 cups sugar
4 egg yolks, slightly beaten
3/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups shredded coconut
1-1/2 cups chopped pecans
Directions:
1. Combine the evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, butter and vanilla.
2. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened, about 12 to 15 minutes.
3. Add coconut and chopped pecans. Cool until thick enough to spread, beating occasionally. Makes about 3 cups of frosting.
