German Chocolate Cake- USA #76

German Chocolate Cake- USA #76

A layered, light chocolate cake with a sweet coconut pecan frosting and filling. It is named after an American baker, Samuel German, who originally made a dark chocolate cake in 1852 for Baker's Chocolate Company. It used to be called German's cake. Did you know that June 11th is National German Chocolate Cake Day in America?!

Cake:

1-1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for the pans
7 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 c. all- purpose flour
2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1-3/4 c. sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. buttermilk

Frosting:

3-1/2 c. pecan halves
2 sticks, plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2- 14oz. cans sweetened condensed milk
3/4 c. packed light brown sugar
5 large egg yolks
3 c. sweetened shredded coconut
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 salt

1. Preheat oven 350F.  Butter 2- 9inch baking pans and line with parchment paper.
2. Set a heatproof bowl over (but not in) a saucepan of simmering water.Add the chopped chocolate and melt, stirring occasionally.
3. In a bowl, whisk the flour with the cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
4. In a large bowl, beat 1-1/2 sticks of butter with the sugar until light and fluffy, 3 minutes.
5. Beat in the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, then beat in the vanilla.
6. At low speed, beat in the buttermilk and the flour mixture in 3 alternating batches, ending with the flour mixture.
7. Fold in the melted chocolate until incorporated.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.
9. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean.
10. Transfer the cakes to a rack and let cool completely.
11. Turn the cakes out of the pans and peel off the parchment paper.
12. Frosting:  Toast the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet until golden, 8-10 minutes.  Let cool slightly, then coarsely chop.
13. In a large saucepan, combine the butter, condensed milk and brown sugar and cook over moderately low heat, whisking frequently, until smooth.
14. Add the egg yolks and cook over moderately low heat, whisking frequently, until thickened, 8-10 minutes.
15. Transfer the frosting to a large bowl and stir in 3 cups of the pecans and coconut, vanilla and salt.  Let cool.
16. Spread half of the frosting evenly over one layer.
17. Top with second layer and spread the reaming frosting on top.
18. Garnish with the remaining pecans.

Results: This is not a difficult recipe. The cake is very good, and very sweet. I recommend making 1/2 quantity of the frosting, and not frosting the sides of the cake. If you look closely at the picture you can see the frosting sliding off the sides of the cake. LOL It's also such a sweet frosting you don't that much, that's coming from someone who wakes up to eat sweets.

Bottom Line: I would make it again, but only do half measure of frosting. 

Please share this blog with all Samuel German's family members and all those folks that thought this cake recipe was also from Germany, as I did.