German Chocolate Cake

Procedure: Preheat oven to 375° F. Spread the coconut and pecan pieces onto a cookie sheet and toast until golden brown, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Stir the coconut after five minutes to insure the edges don’t get too dark. Melt the butter in a large saucepan on medium-low heat. Once the butter is melted, add evaporated milk and 158 g of the sugar and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Do not scorch the mixture. In a bowl whisk together the egg yolks and the remaining 158 g of sugar. Once the butter mixture comes to a boil, take it off the heat and slowly pour into the sugar and egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly, until smooth, then add a little more, and repeat until all of the butter mixture has been incorporated into the sugar mixture. Return mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat. Pay extra attention to stirring at this point as the mixture can scorch very easily. Add in the toasted coconut and pecan pieces, and continue stirring till thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add in vanilla extract at the last minute. Pour the frosting onto a sheet pan and let cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Once completely cooled you can build the cake. Cover in plastic wrap to store up to 10 days. Building the cake: Slice the cake horizontally into three rounds using a sharp knife or good serrated knife. Place the bottom layer of the cake on a plate and spread with a generous layer of frosting. Place the center layer on top of the frosting and cover with a layer of frosting. Place the top layer of cake on top of frosting and cover with a smooth layer of frosting. Frosting the sides of the cake is optional. Pro Tips: ~ use a whisk and spatula when stirring so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan and scorches ~ give the cake a little extra pizazz by piping the top with decorative glaze
Chocolate Cake (2 layer cakes) Ingredients: 250 g oil 638 g sugar 270 g eggs 410 g flour 140 g cocoa powder 15 g baking soda 6 g salt 400 g buttermilk 12 g vanilla Procedure: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray the insides of two round 8” springform pans with with non-stick or baking release spray. Cut out and place an 8” round of parchment in the bottom of each pan, and then spray the parchment. Mixing the cake batter: Sift the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda together. Using a stand mixer, add the oil and sugar to a mixing bowl, and stir on low to medium speed. Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix until just combined. Alternate adding the sifted dry goods and buttermilk, mixing until combined (start with the flour, and finish with the last of the buttermilk) Pour 1kg of batter into each pan. Divide any leftover batter evenly between the two pans. Bake at 350°F, checking for doneness at 35 minutes. The cakes are done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes. When cool, run a thin knife between the sides of the cake and pan to release the sides and make it easier to remove the cake. Remove the cakes from the pans. Pro Tips: ~If the center of a cake rises during baking, it can be cut off once it has cooled so the surface is flat ~Remove cake from the pan by pushing the bottom plate out, or gently tapping the cake out