German Chocolate Cake Paula Deen Food

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.

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.

UPSIDE-DOWN GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• In a saucepan over low heat, cook and stir brown sugar and butter until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted. Spread into a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Sprinkle with pecans and coconut. Drizzle with evaporated milk; set aside. , In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the chocolate, eggs and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients; gradually add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Pour over topping. , Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Serve with whipped topping if desired.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE PAULA DEEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray three 9-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray with flour. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the sour cream and vanilla, beating until combined. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture, alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Add the melted chocolate, beating until combined. Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove from the pans and cool completely on wire racks. Spread two-thirds of the Coconut-Pecan Filling evenly in between the cake layers. Place the cake in the freezer for at least 1 hour. Spread Chocolate Ganache Frosting evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Spread the remaining one-third Coconut-Pecan Filling evenly over the top of the cake. Arrange the pecan halves around top and bottom of cake if desired. Garnish with chocolate curls if desired. Store the cake in the refrigerator. Coconut-Pecan Filling: In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, sugar and egg yolks. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the coconut, pecans and butter, stirring until the butter is melted. Let stand until the mixture reaches room temperature. Yield: 5 cups. Chocolate Ganache Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine the chopped chocolate, butter and corn syrup. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate mixture. Let stand for 1 minute. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Chill for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the frosting is a spreadable consistency. Yield: 1 1/2 cups.

PAULA DEEN'S DECADENT CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• For cake, preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease and flour 2 (9-inch) round cake pans.
• In large bowl, combine cake mix, liqueur, water, oil and eggs.
• Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
• Pour evenly into prepared pans, and bake 28-30 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Let cool in pans 10 minutes.
• Remove from pans and let cool completely on wire racks.
• For almond-flavored cheesecake, preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Line a 9-inch round baking pan with aluminum foil, letting edges of foil extend over sides of pan; lightly grease foil.
• In large bowl, beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
• Add sugar, beating until smooth.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Stir in sour cream and liqueur.
• Pour batter into prepared pan; bake 45 minutes.
• Turn oven off; leave cheesecake in oven with door closed for 1 hour.
• Let cool completely in pan on wire rack.
• Cover and chill for 4 hours.
• Using edges of foil as handles, remove cheesecake from pan.
• Gently remove foil from cheesecake.
• For frosting, in large bowl, beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
• Add chocolate, beating until combined.