Germans Chocolate Cake- full recipe

This is my hubby's favorite cake and I suspect that, if he could live off of anything and only one thing, it would be GCC. There are box mixes and canned frostings out there but none of them impart the same lusciousness as a real GCC.

Because I wasn't raised in the chocolate kingdom, I never learned how to make this at my mother's knee. Later, after I got married, hubby began to request this cake every year on his birthday and then, as time went by, on our anniversary. Then, as the years passed, on my birthday and...well you get the idea. I got this recipe from a friend many years ago who said: “I just don't have the patience and energy to do it!”

Believe me when I say it's worth both.

The Cake Part

• 2 cups granulated sugar
•  1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
•  3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
•  1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
•  1 teaspoon salt
•  2 large eggs
•  1 cup buttermilk
•  1/2 cup oil (vegetable or canola oil)
•  2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•  1 cup boiling water

1.  Set oven to 375
2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
3.  In a separate bowl combine the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla and mix well.
4.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix to combine.
5.  Stir in boiling water (batter will be very thin).
6. Pour batter into prepared pans.
7. Bake for 25 - 35 minutes (depending on your cake pan size.
8.  The 9'' pan takes less time to bake) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with few crumbs.
9.  Cool 5 minutes in the pan and then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.                        [Note, do not invert on racks if making cupcakes, just place them on racks to cool].

The Coconut-Pecan Stuff

 1/2 cup light brown sugar

•  1/2 cup granulated sugar
•  1/2 cup butter
•  3 large egg yolks
•  3/4 cup evaporated milk
•  1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
•  1 cup chopped pecans
•  1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

1. In a medium saucepan add brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, egg yolks, and evaporated milk.
2. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a low boil over medium heat.
3.  Stir constantly for several minutes until the mixture begins to thicken.
4.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, nuts, and coconut.
5. Allow cooling completely before layering it on the cake.

The Chocolate Frosting 

(note: you do not have to do this, just increase the amount of pecan frosting that you make but I happen to love this!)

•  1/2 cup butter
•  2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
•  3 cups powdered sugar
•  1/3 cup evaporated milk
•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Melt butter, cool
2. Stir in cocoa powder.
3. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency.
4. Add a small amount of additional milk, if needed to thin the frosting, or a little extra powder, until you reach your desired consistency.
5. Stir in vanilla.
6. Whip everything together and frost in between the layers and use to garnish.

CUPCAKE INSTRUCTIONS

You will want to fill the cupcake tins a less than half to avoid overflowing and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test. If you want to make filled cupcakes, you can hollow out with a knife or even a tweel shaper. Anything hollow will work.

Cupcake fill ideas? Hollow out a hole and fill it with:

Cherry Compote:

• 4 1/2 cups pitted fresh (or frozen, thawed) Bing cherries (about 20 ounces)
• 1 cup brandy or orange juice
•  1/2 cup sugar

1. Bring all ingredients to a boil in a large heavy saucepan; reduce heat to medium-low.
2. Simmer until cherries are softened and start to release juices, about 10 minutes.
3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cherries to a medium heatproof bowl.
4. Simmer juices until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 15–20 minutes.
5. Put cherries into the processor for 5 pulses, just to barely chop.
6. Place back with the juices and pour into a heat-proof bowl to cool to room temperature.
7. Cool and fill into holes made in your cupcakes.

Raspberry Compote:

• 2 cups raspberries (may use frozen)
• 2 tbsp sugar
•  1 tbsp lemon juice
•  2 tbsp water

1. Add the raspberries, sugar, lemon juice, and water to a pot, stir and bring to a boil.
2. Allow it to boil for about 5 minutes, stirring often to stop it from scorching.
3. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer and bubble for 10 minutes.
4. It will thicken further as it cools.

As a note of interest: it's called GERMANS chocolate cake for the baking chocolate called GERMANS. Its not a German cake!