This show stopping German chocolate cake has a gooey coconut and toasted pecan filling, a dark and super-moist chocolate cake, and deliciously creamy chocolate buttercream on top! Get ready to indulge in the best chocolate cake on the planet. German chocolate cake, traditionally made with sweet baking chocolate, is known to be unapologetically decadent and indulgent. It’s pretty sweet by itself, but when paired with coconut pecan filling AND chocolate frosting, it makes my teeth hurt. And that says a lot considering I have a mouthful of sweet teeth!!
Ingredients
4 ounces German sweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup water
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups evaporated milk
3/4 cup butter
5 large egg yolks, room temperature, beaten
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1-1/2 cups chopped pecans
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon shortening
2 ounces semisweet chocolate
Method* Line three greased 9-in. round baking pans with waxed paper.
* Grease waxed paper and set aside. In small saucepan, melt chocolate with water over low heat; cool.
* Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 4 egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
* Blend in melted chocolate and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
* In a small bowl and with clean beaters, beat the 4 egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold a fourth of the egg whites into creamed mixture; fold in remaining whites.
* Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 24-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
* For frosting, in a small saucepan, heat sugar, milk, butter and egg yolks over medium-low heat until mixture is thickened and golden brown, stirring constantly.
* Remove from heat. Stir in coconut, pecans and vanilla extract.
* Cool until thick enough to spread. Spread a third of the frosting over each cake layer and stack the layers.
* In a microwave, melt chocolate and shortening; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cake.