German Chocolate Cake with Ooey-Gooey Caramely Coconut Frosting

I know, I know -- I haven’t posted here in f.o.r.e.v.e.r.  But I want to get back to it, at least once in a while; if not to share recipes and adventures with others, but also to have a record of things that I want to do again (i.e. a place to easily find them).

And away we go….

This week, on Monday night in fact, I made a German Chocolate Cake for an awesome friend’s birthday on Tuesday night.  It was only the second or third time I’d ever made a cake from scratch at home.  I had hesitated to make scratch cakes because they just aren’t the same as boxed ones, and we (the collective we of society) have become so accustomed to what comes out of those boxes that the texture, and even the color, of homemade cakes can seem….odd.  Right?  But Jason reminded me that this is what cakes are *supposed* to be like, and being a food purist/snob/=P, I realize that this is the way I should have been making cakes all along, and it’s also how I *will* make cakes from now on.  From scratch.

The recipe looks complicated at first, but it really wasn’t.  A little time-consuming?  Yes.  But totally worth it.  And like I said to the group before we cut into this thing: “It isn’t the prettiest cake, but hell if it ain’t gonna taste good; between the cake and frosting it contains almost a full pound of butter!"

I Googled as I usually do to find a recipe that I thought looked good, and settled on this one because it calls for buttermilk, which we just happened to have some leftover from making pancakes with no real ideas in sight as to how else to use it up.

The very few inconsequential changes that I made to the recipe I have marked in red.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pkg.  (4 oz.) BAKER'S GERMAN'S Sweet Chocolate
• ½ cup  water
• 4 eggs, separated
• 2 cups  flour
• 1 tsp.  baking soda
• ¼ tsp.  salt
• 1 cup  butter, softened
• 2 cups  sugar
• 1 tsp.  vanilla
• 1 cup  buttermilk

DIRECTIONS:

HEAT oven to 350°F.

COVER bottoms of 3 (9-inch) -- I only used two -- round pans with waxed paper; spray sides with cooking spray. Microwave chocolate and water in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

BEAT egg whites in small bowl with mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form; set aside. Mix flour, baking soda and salt. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each. Blend in melted chocolate and vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating until well blended after each addition.

ADD egg whites; stir gently until well blended. Pour into prepared pans.

BAKE 30 min -- I had to bake mine longer because I was using fewer pans -- or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Immediately run small spatula around cakes in pans. Cool cakes in pans 15 min.; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

While the cakes are baking, prepare the frosting….

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 egg yolks
• 1 can  (12 oz.) evaporated milk
• 1½   tsp.  vanilla
• 1½  cups  sugar
• ¾ cup  butter or margarine
• 1 pkg.  (7 oz.) BAKER'S ANGEL FLAKE Coconut (2-2/3 cups)
• 1-1/2 cups  chopped PLANTERS Pecans (I omitted the nuts due to a guest's allergy)

DIRECTIONS:

BEAT egg yolks, milk and vanilla in large saucepan with whisk until well blended. Add sugar and butter; cook on medium heat 12 min. or until thickened and golden brown, stirring constantly. (I found that I had to cook it for a lot longer than 12 minutes to get a good, thick consistency suitable for spreading as a frosting that wouldn't run off the cake.  I probably hit 25 minutes.  I also didn't stir it constantly, and alternated down to low heat during the times I wasn't actively stirring it.  But beware, it will build up hidden bubbles if you don't stir constantly, and then explode/splash very hot caramel sugar onto you when you being stirring again.)  Remove from heat.

ADD coconut and nuts; mix well. Cool to desired spreading consistency.

Finally, spread the frosting between the cake layers and onto top of cake.

This was a very heavy cake.  I was actually surprised at how literally heavy it came out, given that it seemed very fluffy (whipped egg whites) when it went into the oven.  I suppose a lot of the weight comes from the frosting.  Just beware when cutting slices -- go thin.  It's quite a substantial dessert.