German Chocolate Cake

Today we have a Guest Blogger!


Sue Godinez


Sue and I first met at her wedding. Our husbands and their brothers went to elementary school together and played football together in high school. Her husband Rick says my brother-in-law Eugene played a huge part in his childhood, helping him assimilate when he came to the US from Mexico. We met at their wedding, but didn't see each other again until our sons played soccer together when they were 5 years old.


Then, when Sue's family moved down the street a few years later and our sons became friends, Sue and I became fast friends also. Sue is always game for anything, the life of the party, has a generous spirit and is never without her bluetooth.


Unless one of her mini wiener dogs chews it up!

We are so happy Sue is sharing her fabulous German Chocolate Cake recipe with us!




***

It's all about the nuts.

Let's start from the very beginning...

A very good place to start...

Hershey's German Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Hershey's Cocoa

1/2 cup boiling water

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

2 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk or sour milk

The full recipe can be found here.

Spray non-stick spray into three 9" round cake pans.  Cut wax paper and place in bottom of pans.  I also spray the wax paper with a little Pam then wipe it evenly with a paper towel.

Measure out the boiling water and add the Cocoa. Pour buttermilk into an easy pour cup then set them both aside.

Measure flour, salt and soda and set aside.

Butter should be a little softened; add sugar and vanilla and mix together.  Add eggs one at a time mixing between each addition.

Pour in flour mixture, Cocoa mixture and buttermilk alternating 1/3 of each at a time.

Pour into three prepared cake pans then bake at 350.  I usually 1 1/2 the recipe, so I bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Yummmm, the icing! I always double the icing recipe just to make sure there is enough for licking the spoon.


Coconut Pecan Frosting 


Ingredients:

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/3 cups MOUNDS Sweetened Coconut Flakes
1 cup chopped pecans

Separate the egg yolks and save the whites for Bryan's breakfast.

Chop pecans and set aside.

Pour sweetened condensed milk into a 2 qt saucepan.  Add yolks and stir together before turning on the burner.  Add butter then bring to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly.  Let boil till thickened, just a couple minutes.





After removing from heat, add coconut.





I buy this size Bakers Coconut and use half of the package.





Add chopped pecans.





You usually need a little more than a lick of the spoon.





Perfect! I use a dinner knife to separate cake from the edges of the pan.





Place cakes on cooling racks and remove wax paper carefully and immediately.





Spread icing generously on bottom layer.





Place second layer on top then place a couple of toothpicks through layers to keep from sliding.





Ice second layer generously.

Spread icing on top layer and garnish with pecan halves.

Voila!

This is why it's difficult to get me to make this cake.  "Hey Rick!"

***

Pam first brought this cake to one of our parties, and needless to say it was a big hit, but I think Sue has now made it more times than Pam.


We are so thankful to have two awesome bakers in our family!

Thanks, Sue!