Hi.
Posts have been thin as of late, ask I realize. You see, clinic I have started this exercise class called Pure Barre. Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday I get my booty handed to me by a super trimballetdancer Barre instructor. In all honesty, after my very first class I had to come home, curl up in a fetal position, only to sleep for 2 hours. There is just so much exertion. And Tucking. And Lifting. And Freezing. I need to stop talking about it or I may start to sweat.
But, I do have my reasons for this torture, they are two fold:
one – I’m having a surgery next month which will render me work-out-less for many weeks. I need to get my game face on. ( Yes, the surgery is related to THIS post)
and since I love to eat cake….
two – I need to burn off the exponential calories from eating mounds of German Chocolate goodness while recovering, before hand. Work with me, it all makes perfect forethought sense in my mind.
Who does not love a good German Chocolate Cake? Not a store bought or stale bakery one. Believe me, I can tell the difference, but a fresh home made one. The coconut, pecans and caramelized topping seals the deal every time. The filling in this recipe, which is usually on the outside, is made from sweetened condensed milk and lies within.
Sounds Good? You betcha it is.
An “Inside-out” German chocolate cake. Now we are talking.
- For cake layers
- 1½ cups sugar
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla
- ⅛ teaspoon almond extract
- ¾ cup boiling-hot water
- For filling
- 7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
- 4 ounces coarsely chopped pecans (1 cup)
- 14-ounces can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- For glaze
- 2½ sticks unsalted butter
- 10 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- Special equipment: 3 (9-inch) round cake pans
- Preheat oven to 350°F and oil cake pans. Line bottoms of pans with rounds of parchment or wax paper. Sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk together whole milk, butter, whole egg, yolk, vanilla, and almond extract in another large bowl until just combined. Beat egg mixture into flour mixture with an electric mixer on low speed, then beat on high speed 1 minute. Reduce speed to low and beat in water until just combined (batter will be thin). Divide batter among cake pans (about 1½ cups per pan) and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans and rotating them 180 degrees halfway through baking, until a tester comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes total.
- Cool layers in pans on racks 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove parchment or wax paper and cool layers completely.
- The Filling:
- Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
- Spread coconut in a large shallow baking pan and pecans in another. Bake pecans in upper third of oven and coconut in lower third, stirring occasionally, until golden, 12 to 18 minutes. Remove pans from oven.
- Increase oven temperature to 425°F.
- Pour condensed milk into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate and cover tightly with foil. Bake milk in a water bath in middle of oven 45 minutes. Refill baking pan with water to reach halfway up pie plate and bake milk until thick and brown, about 45 minutes more. Remove pie plate from water bath.
- Stir in coconut, pecans, and vanilla and keep warm, covered with foil.
- Make glaze while milk is baking:
- Melt butter in a 3-quart saucepan. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate and corn syrup, whisking until chocolate is melted. Transfer 1 cup glaze to a bowl, reserving remaining glaze at room temperature in pan. Chill glaze in bowl, stirring occasionally, until thickened and spreadable, about 1 hour.
- Assemble cake:
- Put 1 cake layer on a rack set over a baking pan (to catch excess glaze). Drop half of coconut filling by spoonfuls evenly over layer and gently spread with a wet spatula. Top with another cake layer and spread with remaining filling in same manner. Top with remaining cake layer and spread chilled glaze evenly over top and side of cake. Heat reserved glaze in pan over low heat, stirring, until glossy and pourable, about 1 minute. Pour glaze evenly over top of cake, making sure it coats sides. Shake rack gently to smooth glaze.
- Chill cake until firm, about 1 hour. Transfer cake to a plate.
Stacie says
Yummo! My mouth is watering remembering how good this is!
Donna L. says
Yummy! I’ll have to try it! I’m sorry to hear that you have surgery coming up! I’ll keep you in my thoughts and prayers. I think that German Chocolate Cake will cure anything. 🙂
Allyson T says
Yum! A family favorite! Someone’s birthday is coming soon….
Kathleen says
Time for me to make another!
Kathleen says
Would you and Mr T like the old fashion version or this new fancy one? The choice is yours.
Kathleen says
Thanks sweet Donna. And you are correct German Chocolate Cake is just what the doctor ordered.
Adrianne C says
That sucks you have to be out for surgery. I was wondering why I hadn’t seen posts from sugar and spice – stay healthy. Keep up the great posts, can’t wait to try this one.
lynn @ the actor's diet says
amazing! i love german chocolate cake. good luck with your surgery…