German Chocolate Cake

[reneeinnorthwes]

We are having a birthday party for my husband in a few weeks. I read on this board that someone (sorry.. I can't remember who) - lets their kids pick the flavor of their birthday cake. We don't have kids.. but I thought it would be fun to do that for my husband. He picked German Chocolate Cake! I'm hoping to make the cake selection a tradition. In the past I have wanted it to be a surprise. I think this might be more fun though!

I tried to do a search but came up with so many that had either chocolate or cake in it.. but not both and German was no where to be found. Two things:

1) Does anyone have a T&T recipe for German Chocolate Cake? I'd love to make him something amazing!

2) Please let me know if there is someway to make the search feature do what I want. Sometimes I have great luck.. and other times I get lots of interesting stuff ... but not what I requested. Any tips?

Thanks in advance,
Renee

[Chocolate Rose]

Here's a couple that I've made that we've liked. The first one is a doctored-up cake mix and is very good. The second is a CL recipe and is also very good.
I'm looking forward to seeing what other recipes people share!!

* Exported from MasterCook *

German Chocolate Upside Down Cake

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cakes & Frostings

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 cup pecan -- chopped
1 cup coconut
1 package German Chocolate cake mix -- prepared as directed
1/2 cup butter or margarine
8 ounces cream cheese
1 pound powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375°.

Prepare a 9x13" pan as follows: Grease pan, cover bottom of pan with waxed paper, grease waxed paper.

Sprinkle pecans and coconut evenly in prepared pan.

Prepare cake mix according to directions on package. Spread cake batter evenly over pecans and coconut.

In a saucepan, melt margarine and cream cheese, stirring, until creamy and smooth. Stir in powdered sugar. Pour evenly over cake mix in pan.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, until cake tests done.

Cool pan on rack for 10 minutes. Turn over onto serving plate, immediately peel off waxed paper.

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* Exported from MasterCook *

German Chocolate Bundt Cake

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Cakes & Frostings

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
Streusel (I double this):
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons chilled butter -- cut into small pieces
1/3 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1/3 cup chopped pecans
Cake:
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 ounce sweet baking chocolate
1/2 cup boiling water
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter -- softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup lowfat buttermilk
Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons nonfat milk -- (2 - 4 teaspoons)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

To prepare streusel, lightly spoon 1/4 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine 1/4 cup flour and brown sugar in a small bowl; cut in 2 tablespoons butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in coconut and pecans.

To prepare cake, coat a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Set aside. Combine cocoa and baking chocolate

in a small bowl; add boiling water, stirring until chocolate melts. Set aside.

Combine 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar and 1/3 cup butter at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended (about 5 minutes). Add vanilla and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Lightly spoon 2 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in cocoa mixture. Spoon half of batter into prepared pan; top with streusel. Spoon remaining batter over streusel. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely.

To prepare glaze; combine powdered sugar and butter in a small bowl. Add milk (start with 2 teaspoons and add more if necessary); stir with a whisk. Drizzle over cake. Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 wedge).

Source:
"Cooking Light September 2000, page 112"
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[Anne]

This one, while not traditional, is really good


INSIDE-OUT GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE Gourmet March 2000

The chef uses Valrhona cocoa powder in her cake, but other Dutch-process cocoa powders work equally well. The filling is made from sweetened condensed milk that is cooked in a water bath in the oven until it caramelizes. While the milk is baking, you can prepare your glaze.

For cake layers
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup whole milk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup boiling-hot water

For filling
7 oz sweetened flaked coconut
4 oz coarsely chopped pecans (1 cup)
14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon vanilla

For glaze
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
10 oz fine-quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
3 tablespoons light corn syrup

Special equipment: 3 (9-inch) round cake pans

Make cake layers:
Preheat oven to 350°F and oil cake pans. Line bottoms of pans with rounds of parchment or wax paper. Sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk together whole milk, butter, whole egg, yolk, vanilla, and almond extract in another large bowl until just combined. Beat egg mixture into flour mixture with an electric mixer on low speed, then beat on high speed 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and beat in water until just combined (batter will be thin). Divide batter among cake pans (about 1 1/2 cups per pan) and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans and rotating them 180 degrees halfway through baking, until a tester comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes total.

Cool layers in pans on racks 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove parchment or wax paper and cool layers completely.

Make filling:
Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

Spread coconut in a large shallow baking pan and pecans in another. Bake pecans in upper third of oven and coconut in lower third, stirring occasionally, until golden, 12 to 18 minutes. Remove pans from oven.

Increase oven temperature to 425°F.

Pour condensed milk into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate and cover tightly with foil. Bake milk in a water bath in middle of oven 45 minutes. Refill baking pan with water to reach halfway up pie plate and bake milk until thick and brown, about 45 minutes more. Remove pie plate from water bath.

Stir in coconut, pecans, and vanilla and keep warm, covered with foil.

Make glaze while milk is baking:
Melt butter in a 3-quart saucepan. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate and corn syrup, whisking until chocolate is melted. Transfer 1 cup glaze to a bowl, reserving remaining glaze at room temperature in pan. Chill glaze in bowl, stirring occasionally, until thickened and spreadable, about 1 hour.

Assemble cake:
Put 1 cake layer on a rack set over a baking pan (to catch excess glaze). Drop half of coconut filling by spoonfuls evenly over layer and gently spread with a wet spatula. Top with another cake layer and spread with remaining filling in same manner. Top with remaining cake layer and spread chilled glaze evenly over top and side of cake. Heat reserved glaze in pan over low heat, stirring, until glossy and pourable, about 1 minute. Pour glaze evenly over top of cake, making sure it coats sides. Shake rack gently to smooth glaze.

Chill cake until firm, about 1 hour. Transfer cake to a plate.

Cooks' notes:
• Cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

• For easier handling when assembling cake, place bottom layer on a cardboard round or the removable bottom of a tart or cake pan.

Makes 12 servings.

[PoppyJ]

I made the German Chocolate Bundt Cake posted by Chocolate Rose for my Dh's birthday a couple of years ago. We loved it. I would recommend it, but make sure to double the streusel.

[zwieback]

The recipe that comes on the package of Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate bars (also includes the icing recipe) is the one that I've used and the one my mom always used. It's really good.

Here's a link to Kraft's site with the recipe: German Chocolate Cake (http://www.kraftfoods.com/main.aspx?s=recipe&m=recipe/knet_recipe_display&u1=keyword&u2=german%20chocolate%20cake&u3=**4*6&wf=9&recipe_id=51119)

I hope the link works. If not, you can find it on Kraft's website.

[sneezles]

I have made this recipe a number of times and it's absolutely wonderful!

German Chocolate Cake


Cake
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup + 1/4 cup water
2 sticks (8 oz)unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cup + 1/4 cup sugar
4 large egg yolks room temperature
2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large egg whites

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and adjust the oven rack to the center of the oven. Butter and flour 3 9-inch round pans.

Melt both chocolates with 1/4 cup of water over barley simmering water. Cream together butter and 1 1/4 cup of sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly add the melted chocolate. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the butter/chocolate mixture, alternately with buttermilk and vanilla extract.

Beat egg whites until they begin to hold their shape. Whip in the 1/4 cup sugar until stiff, but not dry. Fold into the batter. Divide evenly into cake pans and bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on rack, remove from pans and cool completely before filling and icing.

Filling
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar
3 large egg yolks
3 oz unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup toasted chopped pecans
1 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut lightly toasted

Add heavy cream, sugar and egg yolks. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until a thermometer inserted into the mixture reads 170 degrees. Remove from heat and pour through a fine strainer into a bowl.

Add butter, salt, pecans and coconut.

Syrup
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 oz dark rum to taste

Heat sugar and water until the sugar is dissolved. Cool and add rum to taste.

Icing
8 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 1/2 oz unsalted butter

Heat cream. Pour over chopped chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Add the butter and the corn syrup. Stir gently until smooth.

Assembly of the cake

Divide the filling into 3 equal parts. Starting with the bottom layer, brush the cake lightly with the rum syrup. Spread 1/3 of the filling on the layer making sure to get the filling all the way to the edge. Place the next layer on top and repeat the process to the top layer.

When the chocolate icing has reached a nice spreadable texture, ice the sides of the cake. Don't worry if the icing and the top layer of filling get mixed up a bit. Chill cake before cutting.

[Pony]

Perfect timing for this thread!! I just asked a dear friend what cake she wants for her birthday and she said German Chocolate. I've never made one before, so I was coming to find a T&T recipe, yay.

Renee, when are you making yours? I will most likely be making it the week of the 20th.

Michelle

[reneeinnorthwes]

Michelle,

My husband's birthday is the 23rd of June but the birthday party is the 18th! I'll be make it on Saturday the 18th. I think I'll make it in the morning and serve in the evening. The recipe posted by Sneezles looks amazing!!

The bundt cake sounds good too.. but I think I would use it for a different event than a b-day party.

Anne's sounds yummy.. but I need to read those directions again before deciding... lots of steps!

Have you ever made German Chocolate Cake before? I'm not ever sure what makes it different from other cakes but the recipes certainly sound good!

Renee

[Pony]

Originally posted by reneeinnorthwes
Michelle,

My husband's birthday is the 23rd of June but the birthday party is the 18th! I'll be make it on Saturday the 18th. I think I'll make it in the morning and serve in the evening. The recipe posted by Sneezles looks amazing!!

The bundt cake sounds good too.. but I think I would use it for a different event than a b-day party.

Anne's sounds yummy.. but I need to read those directions again before deciding... lots of steps!

Have you ever made German Chocolate Cake before? I'm not ever sure what makes it different from other cakes but the recipes certainly sound good!

Renee

Ok, well you will have to report back and let me know!! I have never made one, but I've eaten them before. The filling/icing is where I see/taste the difference. Very rich. YUMMY!

Michelle

[Cookin4Love]

I can absolutely vouch for this cake. It's a much-coveted standard in our family. I always want to go off in a dark room by myself with nothing but a spoon and the bowl of frosting. Yum!


* Exported from MasterCook *

German Chocolate Cake

Recipe By :Debbi Fields (Family Circle 10/8/96)
Serving Size : 18 Preparation Time :1:10
Categories : Cakes Dessert


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
8 ounces German chocolate square -- chopped
2 cups unsifted flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter -- room temp.
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3 large egg -- separated, room temp
1 cup mashed potatoes -- put through sieve
1/2 cup buttermilk
Pecan-Coconut Frosting

Heat oven to 350F. Grease and flour three 9-inch-round cake pans; tap out excess flour.

Combine half the chopped chocolate and 1/2 cup water in microwave safe bowl. Microwave at full power 50 seconds; stir until melted. Or melt in saucepan.

Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in bowl.

Beat together butter and sugar in large bowl until smooth and creamy. Beat in vanilla, egg yolks and mashed potatoes. Beat in melted chocolate, beating until blended.

Beat in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients and beating 45 seconds after each addition.

Beat egg whites in clean medium-size bowl with clean beaters until stiff, but not dry peaks form. Fold beaten egg whites and the remaining chopped chocolate into the cake batter until no streaks of white remain. Scrape the batter into prepared cake pans, dividing equally.

Bake in 350 oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inseted in centers comes out with a few moist crumbs on it. Cook cakes in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; turn cakes out onto wire racks to cook completely.

When cool, frost with Pecan-Coconut Frosting.



* Exported from MasterCook *

Pecan-Coconut Frosting

Recipe By :Debbi Fields (Family Circle 10/8/96)
Serving Size : 18 Preparation Time :0:12
Categories : Cakes Dessert


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter -- plus 2 tablespoons
12 ounces evaporated milk
5 ounces evaporated milk
6 egg yolks
1 Tablespoon vanilla -- plus 1 teaspoon
3 cups pecans -- chopped, toasted
4 1/4 cups Toasted coconut -- shredded, sweetened
Pecan halves
Toasted coconut

Combine sugar, butter, the 2 cans of evaporated milk, egg yolks and vanilla in a large heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, for 12 minutes or until butter is melted, sugar is dissolved and mixture turns golden. Scrape into large bowl. Stir in 2 1/2 cups of the pecans and the coconut. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until the frosting is lukewarm and a good spreading consistentcy.

Spread 1 cup of frosting between each of three cake layers. Use 3 cups to frost sides and top of cake.

Press remaining chopped pecans around sides of cake.

Decorate with pecan halves and toasted coconut.

[Pony]

Originally posted by Cookin4Love
I can absolutely vouch for this cake. It's a much-coveted standard in our family. I always want to go off in a dark room by myself with nothing but a spoon and the bowl of frosting. Yum!


* Exported from MasterCook *

German Chocolate Cake

Recipe By :Debbi Fields (Family Circle 10/8/96)
Serving Size : 18 Preparation Time :1:10
Categories : Cakes Dessert


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
8 ounces German chocolate square -- chopped
2 cups unsifted flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter -- room temp.
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3 large egg -- separated, room temp
1 cup mashed potatoes -- put through sieve
1/2 cup buttermilk
Pecan-Coconut Frosting

Heat oven to 350F. Grease and flour three 9-inch-round cake pans; tap out excess flour.

Combine half the chopped chocolate and 1/2 cup water in microwave safe bowl. Microwave at full power 50 seconds; stir until melted. Or melt in saucepan.

Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in bowl.

Beat together butter and sugar in large bowl until smooth and creamy. Beat in vanilla, egg yolks and mashed potatoes. Beat in melted chocolate, beating until blended.

Beat in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients and beating 45 seconds after each addition.

Beat egg whites in clean medium-size bowl with clean beaters until stiff, but not dry peaks form. Fold beaten egg whites and the remaining chopped chocolate into the cake batter until no streaks of white remain. Scrape the batter into prepared cake pans, dividing equally.

Bake in 350 oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inseted in centers comes out with a few moist crumbs on it. Cook cakes in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; turn cakes out onto wire racks to cook completely.

When cool, frost with Pecan-Coconut Frosting.



* Exported from MasterCook *

Pecan-Coconut Frosting

Recipe By :Debbi Fields (Family Circle 10/8/96)
Serving Size : 18 Preparation Time :0:12
Categories : Cakes Dessert


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter -- plus 2 tablespoons
12 ounces evaporated milk
5 ounces evaporated milk
6 egg yolks
1 Tablespoon vanilla -- plus 1 teaspoon
3 cups pecans -- chopped, toasted
4 1/4 cups Toasted coconut -- shredded, sweetened
Pecan halves
Toasted coconut

Combine sugar, butter, the 2 cans of evaporated milk, egg yolks and vanilla in a large heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, for 12 minutes or until butter is melted, sugar is dissolved and mixture turns golden. Scrape into large bowl. Stir in 2 1/2 cups of the pecans and the coconut. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until the frosting is lukewarm and a good spreading consistentcy.

Spread 1 cup of frosting between each of three cake layers. Use 3 cups to frost sides and top of cake.

Press remaining chopped pecans around sides of cake.

Decorate with pecan halves and toasted coconut.

I have never had mashed potatoes with my cake before ;) Thanks for the recipe. Looks great!

[Jessica]

The CL recipe from September 2000 is a good one and my DH actually requested it for his birthday this year. YUM.

[Cookin4Love]

Originally posted by Pony


I have never had mashed potatoes with my cake before ;) Thanks for the recipe. Looks great!

Neither had I, but it makes an incredibly good cake. Just to clarify, you cook and mash (or sieve if you follow the recipe exactly) plain potato without adding any milk, butter, etc. I had a friend who made this, and made actual mashed potatoes like she would serve for dinner and put them in the cake. :)

[Pony]

Renee, did you make a cake????

I'm making mine tomorrow and serving on Thursday. I'm going w/ Sneezles recipe b/c I like the chocolate icing on the side idea.....thanks for all the great recipes.

Michelle

[reneeinnorthwes]

Michelle,

This past Saturday I did make a German Chocolate Cake for my husband. I ended up using a recipe from my Joy of Cooking (the new version) cook book. The cake tasted wonderful! The recipe in my cook book is pretty similar to Sneezles but doesn't use the syrup. I used the coconut pecan icing cake in the book and it was good! It looks very similar to what sneezles listed.

There were 25(ish) people there and there was even a small bit of cake left over. Since it is so thick (with the 3 layers) I cut the pieces pretty small and people still had plenty of cake.

I hope it goes well for you!

Renee

[Pony]

Glad it was a hit! I looked at my JOC as well. I think I'm making Sneezles, but w/o the syrup. Thanks, Michelle

[Pony]

Thanks Sneezles for posting the recipe!

Let's just say I had my own "experiment" w/ this one. This cake was amazing and looked fabulous thanks to DH. However, because of being in a rush I added about 1600 extra calories :eek: . Nice, real smart Michelle. Luckily, it was fat calories coming from butter (added 2 extra sticks of butter to the batter). So, it just tasted that much better ;) Didn't realize till the cake was baked and was debating on making a new cake since it was for a friend, but DH said not to worry about it. After it had been in the fridge, I could hardly cut through it..it was so dense. It reminded me almost like the texture of a flourless chocolate cake, ha! I didn't make the syrup for this cake. The icing was decadent. Hopefully, I will make it again w/ the correct amount of butter. At least it will seem like a low fat dessert to me next time, ha!

Michelle

[sneezles]

Originally posted by Pony
Thanks Sneezles for posting the recipe!

Let's just say I had my own "experiment" w/ this one...(added 2 extra sticks of butter to the batter). So, it just tasted that much better ;) ...

Michelle

LOL! Sounds like something I'd do! You have now created a German Chocolate Fudge Cake!

[reneeinnorthwes]

Sneezles,

The recipe I tried was quite similar to your recipe. What do you think the syrup does to the cake? Do you think it makes a big difference?

I'm not going to make this again anytime soon (even though my version had a bit less fat than Michelle's) ;) It still had plenty though. It was so good.. I certainly make it for a special occassion again. I think I'll try your recipe next time.

Renee

[lirpa]

We use the same recipe as zwieback-the one on the bakers german chocolate squares package. My father always requests german chocolate cake for his birthday and we've been baking this recipe for years. We've tried several others, however, always end up back at the baker's recipe.

[peachesncream]

Here is the original recipe for the cake, which first appeared in a Texas newspaper many years ago. It's the recipe our family has always used. This is DH's favorite cake!

Texas German Sweet Chocolate Cake

1 cup shortening or margarine (I use margarine)
2 cups sugar
4 egg yolks
1 (4-ounce) bar German's Sweet Chocolate, melted
2-1/2 cups sifted flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
4 egg whites, beaten stiff
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream the shortening and sugar, add the egg yolks and stir in the melted chocolate. Sift together the dry ingredients and add to the first mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Fold in the egg whites and vanilla. Bake in three round greased layer cake pans in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for 30 to 35 minutes. Allow the cake to cool in the pans and then turn out onto racks for further cooling. Put together with filing/frosting.

Filling and Frosting:

1/2 pint (1 cup) heavy whipping cream
1/4 pound butter or margarine
3 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup coconut

Mix the cream, butter, egg yolks and sugar in a saucepan and cook until the mixture begins to thicken, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat, add nuts and coconut and set aside to cool. (It will thicken as it cools.) There is enough for filling for two layers and frosting on the top. Leave the sides plain.

(I have always added 1/2 teaspoon vanilla to the frosting when I put in the nuts and coconut.)