Dark German Chocolate Cake Food

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Crack the eggs into a medium size saucepan and whisk to combine. Slowly pour in the evaporated milk, whisking it into the eggs as you pour. Add the brown sugar and salt and whisk to combine.
• Add the butter and set the pan over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Turn the heat down to medium and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the filling is slightly thickened, about 6-8 minutes.
• Pour the filling into a bowl and stir in the vanilla and coconut. Let cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerated until completely cool - at least 2 hours, and up to 3 days.
• Put the chocolate chips into a small bowl. Heat the cream in a saucepan or in the microwave until small bubbles start to appear around the edges. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir until the chocolate and cream are completely blended. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
• Stir the toasted pecans into the filling.
• Place one layer of Devil's Food Cake onto a serving platter or cake plate. Spread the cake with 1/3 of the coconut pecan filling, spreading the filing to within a half inch of the edges of the cake. Top with a second layer of Devil's Food Cake. Spread the second layer with another third of the coconut pecan filling. Top with the third layer of cake and spread the top with the remaining filling.
• Drizzle the milk chocolate ganache over the top of the cake. If you're using frozen cake layers, let the cake sit out at room temperature for 1-3 hours before serving. The assembled cake can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Bring the cake to room temperature before serving.

DARK GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line the bottom and sides of a deep 14x17-inch baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper.
• Sift sugar, flour, 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Transfer to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment; whisk dry ingredients together on low.
• Whisk milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract together in a separate medium bowl. Add to the flour mixture and mix at low speed until well incorporated, about 5 minutes. Gradually add hot water while mixer is on low speed until just combined. Pour batter into the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cake cool in the pan for about 1 hour.

DARK GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH TOASTED ALMOND-COCONUT GOO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Spread the coconut and almonds on separate baking sheets and toast, stirring occasionally, just until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Line the bottom and sides of a 14 by 17-inch baking sheet (with sides) with parchment or waxed paper. Sift together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Transfer to a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or use a hand mixer) and blend briefly.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla extract. Add to the dry ingredients and mix at low speed for 5 minutes. Gradually add the hot water, mixing at low speed just until combined. The batter will be quite thin. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean (a few crumbs are okay), 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in the pan.
• Caramel: Pour the sugar into the center of a deep saucepan. Carefully pour the water around the sugar, trying not to splash any sugar onto the sides of the pan. Do not stir; gently draw your finger through the center of the sugar to moisten it. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil without stirring. Reduce the heat to a fast simmer and cook without stirring until amber-caramel in color, 10 to 20 minutes. Immediately remove from the heat. Using a wooden spoon, slowly and carefully stir in the cream (it will bubble up and may splatter). Stir in the toasted coconut and almonds. Set aside.
• When ready to serve, cut the room-temperature cake in the pan into 6 even strips, each 3 inches wide. Using diagonal strokes of the knife, cut each strip into 4 triangles. If the sauce has stiffened, rewarm it over low heat (or in a microwave) until softened. Place a triangle on each plate, drizzle with sauce, and rest another triangle on top at a different angle. Drizzle with more sauce and serve.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat two 9-inch round cake pans with oil and dust with flour. Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a small bowl; set aside.
• Microwave the chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl on high power for 45 seconds; remove and stir. Microwave again at high power in 30-second increments, stirring in between, until the chocolate has melted completely; set aside.
• Beat the granulated sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in the melted chocolate. Alternate beating in the flour mixture and the milk, adding the flour in three additions and the milk in two, starting and ending with the flour, until just incorporated. Add half the milk, and mix until just incorporated. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture and milk, making sure not to overmix. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, run a thin spatula around the edges and then turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack to cool completely. (They will have a sugary "crust" on the top. This is from the melted chocolate and is not a problem. It will soften once the cake is assembled or if the layers are baked the day before.)
• For the filling: While the cakes cool, spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake, tossing once, until toasted, 8 to 10 minutes. Finely chop. Whisk together the milk and egg yolks in a medium saucepan until smooth. Add the brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, vanilla and salt, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened and coats the back of a spoon, 5 to 6 minutes. (It will be similar to the thickness of eggnog.) Pour the mixture into a large bowl. (Don't worry if it seems thin. The coconut and nuts will bind it.) Stir in the coconut and pecans; set aside to cool.
• For the frosting: Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat 1 cup of the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until steaming but not boiling, and pour over the chocolate. Let stand a few minutes, and then whisk until smooth; let stand at room temperature (or put in the refrigerator if your kitchen is hot) until thick but not set, 20 minutes to 1 hour. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons cream to the chocolate mixture, and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until lightened in color and fluffy, about 1 minute (do not overbeat, or it will become hard and grainy). The frosting should hold medium peaks and will continue to firm up a bit as it stands. Spoon about 1 cup frosting into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip.
• To assemble: Put one cake layer right-side up on a serving plate, and top with half the filling. Top with the second cake layer and the remaining filling, spreading it to about 1/2 inch from the edge. Frost the sides, and decorate around the top edge of the cake with the frosting in the pastry bag.
• Loosely cover the cake with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature overnight. Unwrap and serve.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH COCONUT-PECAN CAJETA FROSTING

Steps:

• Make the cake: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch-round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl.
• Melt the 12 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the cocoa powder and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, add the muscovado and granulated sugars and whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Add the coffee, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla extract and continue whisking until smooth and just combined. Add the dry ingredients and stir until the batter is smooth.
• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 40 to 45 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the wire rack and let cool at least 1 hour before frosting.
• Make the frosting: Combine the whole milk, coconut milk and goat's milk in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Keep warm while you prepare the caramel.
• Combine the sugar and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan over high heat and cook without stirring until a deep amber color, 8 to 10 minutes. Slowly and carefully whisk in the warm milk mixture and continue whisking until smooth. Add the vanilla seeds and corn syrup. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the sauce is reduced by half and the consistency of a caramel sauce, about 55 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, vanilla extract, salt and rum (if using). Transfer the sauce to a medium bowl and stir in the pecans and shredded coconut. Let the frosting cool to room temperature, stirring it occasionally, before frosting the cake.
• To assemble the cake, slice each cake in half horizontally. Place 1 cake layer on a cake round and spread one-third of the frosting evenly over the top. Repeat to make 3 layers, then top with the remaining cake layer, top-side up.
• Make the ganache: Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Put the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl, add the hot cream and the corn syrup and let sit for 30 seconds. Gently whisk until smooth. Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
• Set the cake on a wire rack placed over a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the chocolate ganache over the cake, letting the excess drip down the sides. Sprinkle the top with toasted coconut and pecans. Let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours before slicing.
• Slice the cake and top with a dollop of Coconut Whipped Cream.

DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter three 9-inch cake pans and dust with cocoa powder, shaking off the excess.
• Mix the chocolate into the hot coffee in a medium bowl and stir to melt. Set aside to cool completely.
• In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
• Combine the sugar, oil, salt and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed, 3 to 5 minutes. (This batter is fluid and tends to get lumps; mix carefully with the paddle, or even use the whisk attachment on low speed to avoid lumps.) With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape the bowl and continue mixing on medium-low speed until fully incorporated, 2 to 3 minutes. (Don't worry about overmixing at this stage; you need to make sure the batter base is fully mixed.)
• Stir the buttermilk into the coffee mixture. In alternating batches, add the flour and buttermilk mixtures to the batter base. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix. The batter should be thick but fluid. Stir or mix by hand to get rid of any lumps; strain if you feel compelled.
• Divide the batter among the prepared cake pans. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely.
• For the toffee: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine the butter, sugar and salt in a heavy-bottom saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer. Heat over medium-high heat to 300 degrees F (the hard crack stage), 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Pour over the prepared baking sheet and let cool completely. Break into small pieces, then process into a powder using a food processor or coffee grinder.
• For the buttercream: Combine 339 grams of the sugar, the water, corn syrup and salt in a heavy saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer. Heat over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium, being careful not to let the flames go up the sides of the saucepan. The target temperature for the syrup is 250 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. When the syrup has reached 230 degrees F, run the mixer on medium speed until the egg whites get frothy. Sprinkle the remaining 30 grams sugar into the egg whites and continue to whip on medium speed. (The egg whites should increases in size and form soft peaks by the time syrup reaches 250 degrees F.) Once the syrup reaches 250 degrees F, increase the mixer to high speed and carefully pour the hot syrup down the side of the bowl, being sure not to hit the whip. Whip the mixture until it has cooled to room temperature, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Replace the whisk with the paddle attachment. Gradually beat in the butter, a few cubes at a time, on medium-low speed. Mix until the buttercream comes together, then mix in the vanilla bean paste.
• Mix 3 to 4 ounces of the powdered toffee into 1 cup of the buttercream and set aside.
• For the chocolate feuilletine crunch: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Melt the dark chocolate and milk chocolate in a double boiler. Remove from the heat and mix in the feuilletine. Spread on the prepared baking sheet and let cool. Crumble into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
• To assemble the cake: Set one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with a thin, even layer (about 1/4 inch) of the buttercream, then spread with a thin, even layer (1/8 to 1/4 inch) of the toffee-buttercream mixture. Top with feuilletine crunch. Repeat with the remaining layers. Cover the cake with the remaining buttercream.

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.

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.

GLOSSY GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Line the bottoms of three 9 inch round cake pans with wax paper.
• Microwave the chocolate and water in a large bowl on high for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring halfway through heating time. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.
• Sift together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
• Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
• Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Stir in chocolate mixture and vanilla.
• Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating after each addition until smooth.
• Beat egg whites in another bowl with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks for.
• Do not over beat. Gently stir into batter. Do not over mix.
• Pour into prepared cake pans.
• Bake 30 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched in the center. Immediately run spatula between cakes and sides of pans. Cool 15 minutes. Remove from pans; remove wax paper.
• Cool completely on wire racks.
• Spread coconut pecan frosting between layers and over the top of cake.
• TAKE NOTE- Substitution for 4 ounce of German sweet chocolate: - 4 ounce bittersweet or semisweet chocolate plus 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar.