Ghirardelli German Chocolate Cake Food

BAKER'S ORIGINAL GERMAN SWEET CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Coconut-Pecan frosting (recipe follows).
• Oven at 350ºF.
• Melt chocolate in water, cool.
• Cream butter and sugar.
• Beat in egg yolks.
• Stir in vanilla and chocolate.
• Mix flour, soda, and salt.
• Beat in flour mixture, alternately with buttermilk.
• Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into batter.
• Pour batter into three 9-inch layer pans, lined on bottoms with waxed paper.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until cake springs bake when lightly pressed in center.
• Cool 15 minutes; remove and cool on rack.
• Frost cake.
• COCONUT-PECAN FROSTING.
• Combine evaporated milk, sugar, slightly beaten egg yolks, butter or margarine and vanilla in saucepan.
• Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat.
• Stir in shredded coconut and chopped pecans.
• Cool until thick enough to spread.
• Makes 4-1/4 cups.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• 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, 5-7 minutes. 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.

GHIRARDELLI CHOCOLATE FROSTED CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 muffin pans with paper liners; set aside.
• Into a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium speed for 1 minute.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the vanilla, oil, and buttermilk.
• With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the liquids; beat until combined after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Divide the batter evenly between the cups so that each is two-thirds full. Bake, rotating halfway, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack to cool.
• Chocolate Frosting: Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler; stir occasionally until smooth, about 5 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, stir together the cocoa and boiling water. Let both the chocolate and the cocoa mixture cool to room temperature.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the melted chocolate on low speed, and then beat in the cocoa mixture.
• To Assemble: Pipe frosting onto cupcakes. Let frosting set for 5 minutes. Decorate the cupcakes by placing a Ghirardelli Chocolate Bunny on top of the frosting.

GHIRARDELLI® MINI BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Line with parchment paper. Grease and flour the paper; set pan aside.
• In a small saucepan, place 3/4 cup of the dark chocolate baking chips with the shortening. Heat over low heat until melted and smooth; set aside to cool.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat 3/4 cup butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar and beat 2 minutes more or until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low after each. Beat in chocolate mixture and vanilla. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk into butter mixture, beating on low after each addition. Spread batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile for the frosting: Melt the remaining 1 cup dark chocolate baking chips and cool. In a very large mixing bowl, beat 3/4 cup butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Beat in melted chocolate, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup of the powdered sugar until combined. Beat in milk and vanilla. Gradually beat in the remaining powdered sugar. If necessary, beat in enough additional milk until smooth and spreadable.
• Cut rounds of the cake using a 3-inch round cutter or heart cutter.* Halve the cakes crosswise to form 2 thin layers. Spread frosting over each round (both layers). Stack one frosted round over the other. Sprinkle with mini baking chips.