German Chocolate Cake

How do you feel about combined birthday celebrations?  My birthday and my moms are only a day apart and over the years, we've had a lot of shared birthday festivities.  As a child, I got so accustomed to celebrating our birthdays together that when I got married and moved away, it felt strange NOT to celebrate my birthday along with hers.  

My birthday is the day before my moms, and looking back, I can't help but wonder how many years she had candles stuck into my day old, half eaten cake for her birthday.  As a child, all caught up in the afterglow of my birthday festivities, I honestly don't remember her birthday cakes except for the years that both of our names were on one cake.  With the exception of the few years that I went rogue and requested donuts or pie instead of cake, I'm fairly certain of the fact that my mom never had a birthday cake that was entirely her own for the 18 years that we lived together.

My mom and I live 750 miles apart now and we hardly ever get to celebrate our birthdays together.  We have separate birthday cakes now and honestly - it's a little weird.  Still to this day, I cut my cake on my birthday and on the next day, I eat another slice in honor of her birthday as well.  

​My son's birthday and my soon-to-be daughter in law's birthday are 5 days apart.  I'd be lying if I said that having their birthdays in the same week didn't make family birthday celebrations super convenient. 

I hope that they will get so accustomed to celebrating their birthdays together that it will seem as natural as it is for me to share a birthday celebration with my mom.  Luckily for me, they have similar tastes in cake too.  🤣

German Chocolate Cake
​Coconut Pecan Filling
6 egg yolks
12 oz can evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter, cubed
3 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups chopped toasted pecans

Chocolate Cake
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup  sour cream, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
8 oz German chocolate, melted
4 large eggs, separated
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1/4 cup water, room temperature

Chocolate Frosting
1 1/2 cups butter
1 1/4 cups shortening 
9 3/4 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
6-7 tbsp milk

In a large saucepan, combine the egg yolks, milk and vanilla extract and whisk until well combined.

​Add the sugar and butter and cook on medium heat for 12-15 minutes, or until thickened and golden brown, stirring constantly.

​Remove from heat and stir in coconut and pecans.  Refrigerate.

Cream the butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the sour cream and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.

​Add the melted chocolate and mix until combined.

Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing until combined after each. Batter will seem a bit thick. 

Combine dry ingredients in another bowl.  Combine buttermilk and water in measuring cup. 

​Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until well combined. Batter will be thick.

​​Slowly add the milk mixture and mix until well combined. 

​​Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined.

Whip the egg whites with the whisk attachment on high until stiff peaks form.

​​Gently fold about 1/3 of the whipped egg whites into the batter until mostly combined.

​Add remaining egg whites and fold together until well combined.

​Divide the batter between the three greased 9" cake pans. 

​​Bake for 23-25 minutes at 350.

​For frosting: beat the butter and shortening together until smooth.

​Slowly add half of the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

​​Add the vanilla extract, cocoa powder and 3 tablespoons of milk and mix until smooth.

​Slowly add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Add remaining milk, as needed.

​Place the first cake on a serving plate or a cardboard cake round.

​​Pipe a line of chocolate frosting around the edge of the cake.

Spread about 1/3 of the filling evenly into the center.

​​Add the second layer of cake, another line of frosting and another 1/3 of the filling.

​​Top the cake with the remaining layer.

​Frost the outside of the cake with the chocolate frosting. 

​Use the remaining frosting to pipe swirls around the top of the cake.

​Fill in the top center of the cake with the remaining filling.

I'm not sure how traditional German Chocolate Cake lovers will feel about chocolate fudge frosting on a German Chocolate cake and if I'm being completely honest - I was a bit skeptical as well.  After one bite though, I was convinced that I'd never make another German Chocolate Cake without it again.  Turns out - fudge frosting is the perfect compliment to the the creamy coconut pecan filling and moist cake.  I have to give credit to America's Test Kitchen for the inspiration for this scrumptious creation.  Once again -  you've pushed the limits of my cake baking and I couldn't be happier.

​Ciao!

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