German Chocolate Cake is actually Texan -- not German. The Baker's chocolate company bought a company called German's that made a mild dark chocolate. In the fifties, a Dallas newspaper printed a recipe for chocolate cake using "Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate," and the rest is history.
Ingredients:
XXQDirections:
Preheat oven to 350°°. Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans, then line them with waxed paper, cut to fit. Grease and flour the waxed paper or spray with Baker's Joy. Redundant, but necessary.
Melt the chocolate in boiling water. Set aside.
Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form; refrigerate.
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar, allowing mixer to run for 5 minutes. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Let mixer run an additional 2 minutes. With mixer running, add vanilla and chocolate/water mixture.
Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk, combining well. Gently fold stiffly beaten egg whites into cake batter.
Pour batter into three prepared cake pans. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on racks. Frost tops only with Coconut-Pecan Frosting.
Coconut-Pecan Frosting:
Combine the evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, butter and vanilla. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened, about 12 to 15 minutes. Add coconut and chopped pecans. Cool until thick enough to spread, beating occasionally. Makes about 3 cups of frosting.