DIY Friday {German Chocolate Cake}

DIY

Apr 4

So its time for another DIY Friday! I made a cake for my friend Ashley's Birthday Celebration this week and she has this special love for a good german chocolate cake, so i set out to make one from scratch. I found a good recipe off pintrest and made it my on my own! Warning: its kinda complicated and could take quite a bit of time, but its so worth it!

German Chocolate Cake:

From Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

Ingredients:

For the German Chocolate Cake Layers:

2 1/4 cups cake flour ( i used pillsbury softasilk and it was divine)

3/4 cup dark, unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teas baking powder

1/2 teas baking soda

3/4 teas salt

1 cup hot coffee (cant really taste it)

1 cup buttermilk

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

2 1/4 cups sugar

5 large eggs

1 1/2 teas pure vanilla extract

4 ounces dark chocolate, melted and cooled

For the Coconut Pecan filling:

1 1/3 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 1/3 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, coat the pans with butter. 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 (if you don't have a sifter or cant find yours just blend with fork).

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 or foil.

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. (beware of coconut smoke when you open the over, this bombarded my eyes)

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. (I did not add the coconut until I assembled the cake as layers.)

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

Assemble the Cake:

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

The cake will keep in an airtight container, at room temperature, for up to 3 days.