German Chocolate Cake

The recipe I used was from Pass the Sushi (http://passthesushi.com/german-chocolate-cake). I changed some things about the recipe (ex. I substituted cornstarch + flour for cake flour and used more pecans because the bag that I purchased contained 1 ½ cups of pecans and the original recipe only called for 1 1/3 cups) and included them below:

German Chocolate Cake

(Adapted )From Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

Ingredients

For the German Chocolate Cake Layers:

·         2 1/4 cups cake flour, or 2 cups cake flour substitute* + ¼ cup flour

·         3/4 cup dark, unsweetened cocoa powder

·         1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

·         1/2 teaspoon baking soda

·         3/4 teaspoon salt

·         1 cup hot coffee, or 1 cup boiling water + 2 teaspoons espresso powder

·         1 cup buttermilk (I used regular 2% milk)

·         1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

·         2 1/4 cups sugar

·         5 large eggs

·         1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

·         4 ounces dark chocolate, melted and cooled

*To substitute one cup of cake flour, place two tablespoons of cornstarch in a 1-cup measuring cup and fill the rest of the cup with flour.

For the Coconut Pecan filling:

·         1 ½ cups shredded sweetened coconut

·         1 cup sugar

·         1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

·         1 cup evaporated milk

·         1 teas pure vanilla extract

·         3 large egg yolks

·         1 ½ cup toasted pecans, chopped coarsely

Preparation:

Make the German Chocolate Cake Layers:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter three 8-inch cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, and butter the parchment. Dish with flour, and knock out the excess flour.

Sift the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium mixing bowl. In a small bowl, wish together the coffee and buttermilk.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Add the vanilla and beat to incorporate. The mixture will look light and fluffy.

Add the flour mixture, alternating with the coffee/buttermilk mixture, in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the melted chocolate.

Divide the batter among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the rack and remove the pans and let cool completely. Remove the parchment.

Make the Coconut Pecan Filling:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Spread half of the coconut evenly across the pan and place in the oven for 5 minutes or until the coconut begins to brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

In a large saucepan, stir together the sugar, butter, evaporated milk, vanilla, and egg yolks. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. After the mixture begins to boil and thicken, remove from heat and stir in the toasted coconut, regular coconut, and pecans.

Place the pan over an ice bath (a large bowl fitted with ice) and stir the mixture until cooled.

Assemble the Cake:

Trim the top of each cake to create a flat surface. Place one cake layer on a serving platter and evenly spread one third of the filling on top. Add the next layer and frost with one third of the filling, then add the third layer and frost with remaining filling.

The cake will keep in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 2 days.

Three cakes 

 Cakes leveled with dental floss

Toasted coconut

Today I learned that German chocolate cake did not originate in Germany! The cake is named after Sam German, an American man who developed a type of dark chocolate for Baker’s Chocolate Company in 1852. The product was called Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate. In 1957 a recipe for German’s Chocolate Cake was submitted to a newspaper and then distributed to other newspapers once General Foods learned of its existence. The possessive form in the name was dropped leaving us with “German Chocolate Cake”. The name gives us the false impression that the cake originated in Germany. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_chocolate_cake)