German Chocolate Cake

German Chocolate Cake what could sound better. Wait it is mid-spring and most of my time has been spent on my knees in the garden.  I was thinking of Coconut this morning while planting some more butterfly flowers. The recipe usually make a very nice 3 layer cake. BUT this time I am going to make one layer and some cupcakes. Let us call this a German Cake test run!



Ingredients for Cake

1/2 cup water
4 (1 ounce) squares German sweet chocolate
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 egg whites
Preheat oven to 350 degrees This recipe makes one 3 layer cake.
Grease and flour 3 - 9 inch round pans.
Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.





In a small saucepan, heat water and 4 ounces chocolate until melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool.








In a large bowl, cream 1 cup butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy.









Beat in 4 egg yolks one at a time.


Blend in the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla.













Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, mixing just until incorporated.













In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.








Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter, then quickly fold in remaining whites be gentle










Pour into 3 - 9 inch pans Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.







Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto wire rack. I think I could have cooked it for about 5 minutes less time. The edges look to cooked to me?



Coconut Pecan Frosting

1 cup white sugar
1 12 oz. can of evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 ½ cups chopped pecans

 

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, milk, butter, egg yolks, and vanilla.









 Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes.  




















Transfer to a bowl add the coconut and pecans stirring occasionally.









Allow to cool to room temperature before frosting the cake


 

I do have other pictures of this cake in layers and looking much prettier but this was a rushed cake. !

Old Fashion White Cake

White cake why not just buy a box GOD FORBID !!!


Yes yes I have been a box fast as you can girl BUT no longer my friends. Ahhh why ? you ask  ? The taste, texture and general love of cake.  I have found in the last decade getting back to basics has opened up my palate to the taste of real food. Plus the cost I am saving and the time of endless trips to the store for boxed ingredients No more my Friend No More!





Basic White Cake recipe is yes a bit more time consuming but worth every minute, Let us get started.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature plus more for baking pans
4 1/2 cups sifted cake flour (you can use regular flour for the pans)
2 tablespoons baking power
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
7 large egg whites

Step 1 Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Butter your baking pan/pans. Line the bottom with parchment paper and butter paper then dust with flour. Tap excess out and set aside.

Step 2 Sift together your flour, salt and baking power into a medium bowl and set aside. Combine the milk and vanilla in another bowl set this aside also. 




Step 3 Beat your butter with your electric mixer until your mixture is creamy. Add the sugar in a steady stream and keep adding until it is light and fluffy. 






Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with the milk mixture you should start and end with the dry ingredients.






Do not over beat. Set aside once combined.









Step 4 In a clean bowl with an electric mixer beat your egg whites until they form the soft peaks you will start to add the egg whites a third at a time into the batter you set aside until it is all combined.











Do not over stir just fold the egg whites into the batter until they are well combined.










Last step is to put your batter into the prepared pans. Smooth them into the pans but not smashed in. Now bake the cakes until a toothpick comes out clean. It takes about 35 to 45 minutes. Once baked let them cool on a wire rack. Remove carefully and frost with frosting of your choice.
I use the 7 minute white frosting. Delightful combo!





* This cake stays fresh in it's pan covered for up to three day's refrigerated. Once removed frost and go! You can also freeze this cake to use at a later date.
















Adapted from Martha Stewart's White Cake Recipe