German Chocolate Cake

I love a dark, moist German Chocolate Cake. The real magic, though, might be the penuche topping.

I can still almost see it on top of my great aunt & uncle’s bar… a 9X13 pan of chocolate cake – all messy and perfect and messy.

German Chocolate Cake

Makes one double-layer 9-inch round cake or about

Penuche Filling

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cups pecans, chopped & lightly toasted
• 7 ounces sweetened coconut, shredded

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Mix in heavy cream, egg yolks, sugars, vanilla, & salt. Continue stirring and cook for 3-5 minutes. Watch closely. Stir in pecans and coconut too. Finally, allow the penuche to cool to room temperature and save in the refrigerator until the cake is ready.

Chocolate Cake

Makes two 8-inch round cakes.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup dark cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup hot water

Place dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Place eggs, buttermilk, oil, sour cream, and vanilla in a separate container and beat together until eggs are well-beaten. Add the wet ingredients (minus the hot water) into the dry ingredients. Mix together and then add the hot water at low speed. Scrape down the edges of the bowl to be sure to incorporate all ingredients into the batter. Mix on medium speed for a couple of minutes.

Prepare two 8-inch round cake pans by coating with butter (making sure to cover all inside edges) then sprinkle with flour. Coat well but remove all excess flour. The easiest way to prep your pan is to use non-stick baking spray.

Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until a fork poked inside comes out clean. Carefully touch the top quickly and see if the cake springs back up. If it does, it is ready.

The Benefits of Freezing Cakes

Allow cakes to cool completely. If baking cakes ahead of time, you can wrap well in plastic wrap and freeze until ready to use.

• Freezing often makes for a very moist cake. Another important way to make sure your cake is moist is to remove it from the oven before it bakes too long and starts to get dry.
• Cakes are way easier to frost when frozen. Therefore, a prettier cake.

Remove the cake from the freezer. Unwrap and place the first layer on a cake pedestal or cake board.

Using a decorating bag, draw a circle of frosting around the outer edge on the top of the first layer of cake. Place half the filling in the middle of the frosting circle.

Place the second layer on top. Frost the sides with frosting. Also, spread penuche over the top layer. I placed a pretty border around the top as well.

You can also bake your cake batter in a 9X13 baking pan and top with penuche for a less fancy version since this cake is also perfect for a casual potluck.

Real Chocolate Frosting

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or 70-85% high-quality chocolate
• 1/2 cup hot water ( a little more if needed)
• 6 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

Melt chocolate chips in the microwave or in a double boiler. Whisk in butter until it’s fully melted.  Whisk in hot water. After they are well-combined and saucy, stir in powdered sugar. Add salt and whisk or mix with an electric mixer until frosting is smooth. Allow the frosting to cool for a bit before icing the cake.