2 Step German Chocolate Cake Food

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Bake the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans. Line the pans with parchment and butter the parchment. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and whisk to combine well. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl. Turn the mixer down to medium and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, again scraping down the bowl as necessary. Beat in vanilla and melted chocolate until smooth. In a small bowl, combine coffee and yogurt.
• With the mixer on low, add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture, and mix to combine. Add the coffee mixture and mix to combine. Then add the remaining flour mixture, scraping the bowl one more time to make sure everything has been combined. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, smooth the tops and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer cakes in the pans to a rack to cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen the cakes and invert them onto racks to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, prepare the filling: On two separate trays lined with parchment paper, toast coconut and pecans at 325 degrees, stirring occasionally, until coconut is deep golden brown and nuts are fragrant, about 5 to 10 minutes. Watch carefully - coconut and nuts can quickly turn from golden to burned. Remove from oven, roughly chop the pecans, and transfer both coconut and pecans to a large bowl.
• In a medium saucepan, cook evaporated milk, egg yolks, brown sugar and salt over medium heat, whisking at first and then stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened enough to leave a line on the back of a wooden spoon, 5 to 7 minutes. Be careful not to let the mixture curdle. Lower the heat as necessary.
• Remove from heat and add the butter, stirring until it has melted. Add vanilla and stir to combine. Add the milk mixture to the coconut and pecans, stirring to combine. This mixture will thicken slightly as it cools.
• To assemble the cake, set one layer on a serving plate. Top with 1/3 of the coconut mixture. Repeat two more times, so the top of the cake is covered in coconut.
• If desired, finish with ganache: Heat heavy cream over medium heat until very hot. Place the chocolate in a medium bowl, and pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let stand 5 minutes. Add salt and whisk until smooth. Let this mixture stand at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until it is thick enough to spread around the sides of the cake.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Grease two 8 or 9-inch round baking pans. I like to cut a round piece of wax or parchment paper for the bottom of the pan also, to make sure the cake comes out easily.

CHOCOLATE CAKE FOR TWO

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-2-inch round cake pan with parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray.
• Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat together the buttermilk, egg and vanilla in a measuring cup. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and beat with a wooden spoon until well combined, scraping the side and bottom of the bowl once or twice with a rubber spatula. Stir in the hot water until it is all absorbed and the batter is smooth (it will be thin).
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake until the top is shiny, the cake is just beginning to pull away from the side of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a crumb or 2 attached, about 20 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 20 minutes. Turn the cake out of the pan, remove the parchment paper and let the cake completely cool on the rack, right-side up, about 1 hour. (The cake will be thin, but don't worry-it will magically be OK once it's stacked with frosting.)
• For the frosting: Pulse the butter, cocoa powder, confectioners' sugar and salt in a food processor 10 times, stopping halfway through to scrape the bottom and side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the corn syrup and vanilla, and pulse 5 times. Scrape the bottom and side of the bowl, drizzle in the chocolate and pulse 5 more times to combine. Transfer the frosting to a small bowl.
• To assemble: Cut the cooled cake into 4 even quarters. Frost the top of each quarter with about 2 tablespoons of the frosting (an offset spatula helps spread the frosting evenly). Stack the frosted quarters directly on top of each other on a serving plate, resulting in a 4-layer wedge of cake with frosting between layers and on top. Frost all 3 sides of the cake with the remaining frosting until completely covered. Let sit for 30 minutes. Halve and serve.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Scatter the pecans evenly over the baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 5 minutes, until lightly toasted and fragrant. Cool the nuts completely and chop.
• In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, cream of coconut, and butter and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the butter is completely melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt together until smooth. Slowly pour in about ¼ cup of the hot milk mixture to temper the eggs, so they won't curdle, and then, whisking constantly, add the remainder of the milk in a steady stream. Continue to whisk until the mixture thickens, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the coconut and pecans.
• Let cool completely before frosting the cake. The frosting can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking pan or coat with nonstick spray. Line the pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.
• Put the chocolate in a medium bowl and pour in the hot coffee and vanilla. Let stand for about 2 minutes to melt the chocolate, then stir until smooth.
• While the chocolate is melting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld mixer), combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Let the mixer run on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes to aerate the flour.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and oil together until thick, satiny, and light in color. Whisk in the sour cream, being careful not to overmix; leave some visible streaks of white.
• Pour in the melted chocolate mixture and mix until just combined.
• With the mixer on medium speed, add the chocolate-sour cream mixture to the dry ingredients in thirds, mixing until well blended. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand (if using) and, using a rubber spatula, incorporate any ingredients hiding at the bottom of the bowl, making sure the batter is completely mixed.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Tap the pans firmly on the countertop to remove any air bubbles from the batter.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 20 minutes, then use the parchment "handles" to lift the cake out of the pan and set it on the rack to cool completely.
• Transfer the cake to a serving platter (you can keep the edges of the platter clean while you frost the cake by sliding strips of parchment underneath the cake). Frost the top and sides of the cake with the frosting.
• The cake can be stored, loosely covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 9-inch square pans or 3 8-inch round pans. Line bottom of pans with wax paper.
• Pour boiling water on chocolate, stirring until chocolate is melted; cool. Mix sugar and butter in large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs yolk, one at a time. Beat in chocolate and vanilla on low speed.
• Mix in flour, baking soda and salt alternately with buttermilk, beating after each addition until batter is smooth. Fold in egg whites.
• Divide batter among pans. Bake square pans 40-45 minutes or round pans 35-40 minutes. Check for doneness with toothpick in center. Cool and top with Coconut-Pecan Frosting.
• Coconut Pecan Frosting: Mix sugar, butter, milk, vanilla and egg yolks in saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 12 minutes. Take off heat. Stir in coconut and pecans. Beat until spreading consistency. Allow to cool & thicken before icing cake.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Cake.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
• In a standing mixer, cream butter and sugars together until fluffy in a standing mixer.
• Beat in eggs and vanilla.
• Put the water, chocolate, and espresso powder in a small saucepan and stir on low heat until melted. Allow to cool slightly and then beat into butter mixture.
• Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt and stir into batter alternately with sour cream.
• Divide batter evenly between the 2 pans and bake for 25 minutes, until a tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
• Allow to cool for 15 minutes in the pans, then turn cakes out onto a plate or rack to cool completely.
• Goopy Topping.
• In a medium pot, whisk together cornstarch, cream, corn syrup, sugars, and egg yolks.
• Cut up butter into small pieces and add to pot.
• Over medium heat, whisk goopy topping constantly until bubbly and shiny, about 4-5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and immediately scrape out topping into a bowl, to halt the cooking process.
• Stir in vanilla, salt, pecans, and coconut.
• Cover and chill completely.
• Frosting.
• Melt chocolate in a bowl over a pot of simmering water or in the microwave at medium heat, stirring every 20 seconds. Set aside. Let cool slightly.
• Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff peaks.
• Bring water and sugar to a boil and cook over high heat until temperature reaches 240 degrees F (softball stage). You can use a candy thermometer, or test by spooning a little of the hot sugar syrup into a glass of ice water - if you can roll it between your fingers into a soft ball, then it is ready.
• While beating whites at medium speed, slowly add sugar syrup (be careful - it's hot!) until all the syrup has been added. Continue to beat whites until cool, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Start adding butter to egg whites, a little at a time, while mixing constantly and scraping the sides of the bowl often, until all the butter has been incorporated. If the frosting looks like it's separating or looks curdled, don't worry - just keep mixing and it will come together.
• Mix in melted chocolate, vanilla, cocoa powder and salt. Keep at room temperature to ice cake. If making a day ahead, chill frosting but bring to room temperature and beat well before using.
• To Assemble.
• Level cakes if necessary, using a serrated knife. Spread a dollop of chocolate frosting on one layer of cake. Spoon a third of the goopy topping over frosting. Spread in the centre of the cake leaving an inch from the edge of the cake, without topping.
• Place second cake on top of first and dollop a generous amount of chocolate frosting on top. Spread to edges of cake, working from the middle and turning the cake as you work around. Ice the sides of the cake, but leave about ½ cup of icing for piping, if desired.
• Spread remaining goopy topping on top of cake, leaving ½ inch around the outside edge. If you do not wish to pipe outside edge with chocolate frosting, simply garnish the cake with toasted pecan halves.
• To pipe an edge, place frosting in a piping bag fitted with a star tip or leaf tip. Pipe frosting as desired. Remember - it's just frosting! If you're not pleased with how it looks, just scrape it off and start again. Again remember to lick your fingers often!
• Cake can be chilled until ready to serve. Frosting will firm up once chilled.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Filling: Combine all ingredients in a saucepan.
• Stir constantly over medium heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly.
• Reduce heat to low and cook stirring for 1-2 minutes more.
• Let filling cool until spreadable.
• Will keep 1 week in refrigerator.
• Soften before using.
• Spread filling between cake layers and on top of cake.
• Ice sides with very soft ganache.
• Coat sides with pecans.