Recipe: How to Make German Chocolate Cake Without a Mix

Image by Marshall Astor - Food Pornographer via Flickr

From Denny: Now that the economy has everyone so wallet conscious people are learning how to be more independent of convenience foods! I've never been a huge fan of cake mixes as the texture seems to be so, well, gummy. Too many preservatives and who knows what else is in there you don't know about. More than anything, it's a great idea to learn how to make your favorite foods without pre-packaged kitchen helpers so you don't become miserably co-dependent. You also end up with a much higher quality and fresher food!

Found this little gem of a recipe over at the AOL food section. I've always enjoyed German Chocolate Cake but the cake mixes often leave a lot to be desired. Here is the real deal like people used to make it in our grandmothers' time before the large conglomerate food companies started pushing cheap imitation cake mixes on busy women trying to get a good meal on the table in less time.

There are some things that just require the time to make them. You can always break up most recipes into smaller time allotments over a few days when you are pressed for time - or suffer from ADD and can't focus for long. Either way you get to eat well! :)

German Chocolate Cake

From: Stephanie Zonis, "For Chocolate Lover's Only," StarChefs.com
Adapted by StarChefs.com

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 35 mins

Ingredients:

Frosting:

2 cups shredded, sweetened coconut

1-1/4 cups chopped pecans

1 cup evaporated milk

4 egg yolks, from eggs graded "AA large" (Denny note: AA is fresher than A)

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

9 Tablespoons (1 stick + 1 Tablespoon) unsalted butter, cut into pats

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cake:

2 cups buttermilk

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pats

2-1/2 cups flour

2-1/4 cups granulated sugar

2/3 cup Dutch process unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

Pinch salt

2 eggs, graded "AA large" - beaten to mix

2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:

For Frosting:

Combine coconut and pecans in small bowl and set aside. Pour small amount of evaporated milk into heavy-bottomed, nonreactive 2 quart pot. Add egg yolks. With large spoon, beat to mix well. Gradually and alternately add remaining evaporated milk and both sugars, beginning with evaporated milk and stirring well after each addition. Add butter pats. Place over medium heat. Stir constantly until mixture just comes to a boil (it may appear as though very slight curdling takes place as mixture heats--OK). Remove from heat immediately; mixture will be thin. Stir in coconut and pecans, then add vanilla. Cool briefly, then chill. As frosting chills, beat occasionally with large spoon. Frosting should thicken considerably to spreading consistency in 2-1/2 to 3 hours, but it's OK if it needs to chill longer--this frosting won't harden completely.

For Cake:

Grease two 9" by 2" deep round layer cake pans with vegetable shortening. Line bottoms with wax paper cut to fit, grease paper, then dust entire inside of pan lightly with flour, knocking out any excess. Set aside. Adjust rack to center of oven; preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In small, heavy-bottomed, nonreactive saucepan, combine buttermilk and butter pats. Set over low heat; stir often just until butter is melted. Remove from heat; set aside to cool until just warm.

Meanwhile, into large bowl sift together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. With whisk or large spoon, mix well until of an even color. When buttermilk mixture is warm, add beaten eggs and vanilla; with fork, beat in to mix well. Add all at once to dry ingredients. With whisk or hand-held electric mixer, stir until dry ingredients are moistened, then beat just until batter is well-combined (a few small lumps may remain--OK). Divide batter, which will be thin, evenly among prepared pans. Run batter up sides of pans slightly by tilting pans in a circular motion. Drop each pan three times onto a flat surface from a height of about 3" to distribute air bubbles in batter.

Bake in preheated oven 30-35 minutes, reversing pans back-to-front and exhanging oven positions about halfway through baking time. Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in center emerges with only a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Do not overbake. Remove to cooling rack. Let layers stand 10-15 minutes.

Gently loosen cakes from sides of pans. Invert onto cooling racks; remove pans and gently peel wax paper from bottoms of layers. Re-invert to cool completely, right side up, before frosting.

To assemble:

If necessary, trim tops of cooled layers so they are level. Place one layer upside down on serving plate. Top with half of the chilled, thickened frosting. Spread frosting almost, but not quite, to edges of layer. Top with second layer, right side up. Press cake together gently to force frosting to edge of first layer. Top second layer with remaining frosting and spread evenly over top. Serve immediately or chill until needed; refrigerate any leftovers.

To cut this cake, you'll need a large, sharp, heavy knife. I use a knife with a serrated edge, though I know people who use a straight-edged knife here; try both and see which you prefer. You'll also need something to drink when you eat this--a glass of milk or a cup of coffee are fine accompaniments.



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Recipe: German Chocolate Cake

Image by Marshall Astor - Food Pornographer via Flickr

From Denny: Here is another goodie from the folks over at Best Chocolate Recipes. We love our desserts in Louisiana, especially various chocolate or lemon cakes!

German Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

1 package (4-oz.)sweet baking chocolate

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup shortening

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk

1 recipe Coconut-Pecan Frosting


Directions:

In a small heavy saucepan, or better yet a good double boiler, heat chocolate and water over low heat till chocolate is melted, stirring to blend. Cool.

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans.

In a small mixing bowl stir together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat sugar and shortening on medium speed of an electric mixer till fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat on low speed till combined. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed. Beat in chocolate mixture. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk or sour milk, beating on low speed after each addition just till combines.

Spread batter evenly in prepared pans. Bake at 350 about 30 minutes for 9 inch pans; 35 to 40 minutes for 8 inch pans, or until toothpicks inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes on wire racks. Remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks.

Assemble

Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Spread half of the Coconut-Pecan Frosting on top; repeat layers. If desired, frost the sides with Chocolate Butter Frosting. Store in the refrigerator till ready to serve. Makes 12 servings.

Coconut Pecan Frosting

2 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 1/4 sticks unsalted butter -- 18 tablespoons

17 ounces evaporated milk

6 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups chopped pecans -- toasted

10 1/2 ounces sweetened coconut flakes -- toasted

12 pecan halves -- for garnish

Directions:

Remove 1/2 cup of the toasted pecans and 2 tablespoons of the toasted coconut and set aside for garnish.

In a sauce pan on medium heat, mix evaporated milk and 2 1/4 sticks butter. Whisk and melt until thoroughly blended. Add sugar and whisk to blend and cook down the sugar. Whisking briskly so as not to cook the egg, add egg yolks one at a time.

Add vanilla and mix well. Cook over low-medium heat for about 12 minutes to cook it down and until it has a rich caramel color. Cool slightly. Stir in the coconut and toasted pecans; blend well.

Assemble Cake

Stack layers, using your frosting as filling. Frost top and sides. Use remaining pecans as garnish.

Recipe: German Chocolate Cake

Image by Marshall Astor - Food Pornographer via Flickr

From Denny: Here is another goodie from the folks over at Best Chocolate Recipes.

German Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

1 package (4-oz.)sweet baking chocolate

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup shortening

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk

1 recipe Coconut-Pecan Frosting


Directions:

In a small heavy saucepan, or better yet a good double boiler, heat chocolate and water over low heat till chocolate is melted, stirring to blend. Cool.

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans.

In a small mixing bowl stir together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat sugar and shortening on medium speed of an electric mixer till fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat on low speed till combined. Beat for 1 minute on medium speed. Beat in chocolate mixture. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk or sour milk, beating on low speed after each addition just till combines.

Spread batter evenly in prepared pans. Bake at 350 about 30 minutes for 9 inch pans; 35 to 40 minutes for 8 inch pans, or until toothpicks inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes on wire racks. Remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks.

Assemble

Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Spread half of the Coconut-Pecan Frosting on top; repeat layers. If desired, frost the sides with Chocolate Butter Frosting. Store in the refrigerator till ready to serve. Makes 12 servings.

Coconut Pecan Frosting

2 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 1/4 sticks unsalted butter -- 18 tablespoons

17 ounces evaporated milk

6 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups chopped pecans -- toasted

10 1/2 ounces sweetened coconut flakes -- toasted

12 pecan halves -- for garnish

Directions:

Remove 1/2 cup of the toasted pecans and 2 tablespoons of the toasted coconut and set aside for garnish.

In a sauce pan on medium heat, mix evaporated milk and 2 1/4 sticks butter. Whisk and melt until thoroughly blended. Add sugar and whisk to blend and cook down the sugar. Whisking briskly so as not to cook the egg, add egg yolks one at a time.

Add vanilla and mix well. Cook over low-medium heat for about 12 minutes to cook it down and until it has a rich caramel color. Cool slightly. Stir in the coconut and toasted pecans; blend well.

Assemble Cake

Stack layers, using your frosting as filling. Frost top and sides. Use remaining pecans as garnish.