The Birthday Boy

German Chocolate Cake has been a staple
in my husband's family for longer than I've known him.
Even though he has German roots,
this cake didn't originate in Germany at all.
This cake was named for the creator of
a chocolate bar for the Baker Chocolate Company.
Samuel German was his name,
and his 46% cacao chocolate
became the star ingredient for the original cake
back in 1957.  The mild chocolate bar
gives this cake it's mild chocolate flavor.
Recipes for German Chocolate Cake
using 'German' Chocolate are still very popular,
however, my recipe is a bit simpler
and calls only for cocoa - which is usually
right in the pantry.
Easy schmeazy.

I can still remember the very first time
I had this cake at my mother in laws house.
At the time, it seemed like it was the first I'd ever had.
The reality is, maybe it's because once I realized
there was coconut involved in all the others,
I probably opted out.  But not that day.
Funny how things change as you grow up
and as you begin dating the one you'll soon marry.
That "first bite" of German Chocolate Cake that day

was the most delicious I had ever tasted.
It could have been because of my maturing taste buds
or just the simple fact that everything
was better when I was with the one I love.
Simple and classic, with that mellow chocolatey taste-
the world would be a much happier place
if everyone had a slice of this goodness every now and then!

WHAT YOU NEED:
2 cups sugar

1 cup veg. oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup buttermilk
(or combine 1 tablespoon vinegar
with a scant cup of milk to substitute)

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup cocoa

1 cup boiling water

WHAT TO DO:
In a small saucepan (or in the microwave)
bring a few cups of water to boil.
Pour 1 cup of boiling water into a small size bowl
along with 1/2 cup cocoa.

In a separate medium size bowl,
mix together the remaining wet ingredients
followed by all of the dry ingredients.
Lastly, add in the cocoa/water mixture.
Mix well and pour into greased and floured
baking pans.  (Three, 8 inch rounds or a 9x13)
Bake at 350 for approximately 25 minutes.
Test by inserting a toothpick into the center
and if it comes out clean
(and not with wet batter) they're done.

Remove cake(s) from the oven
and cover with a sheet of wax paper (my special trick)
to cool a bit and keep the moisture in.
If you plan to flip out your cake, let the cake(s)
sit in the pans for several minutes.
Lay cooling rack on top of cake pan
keeping wax paper in between,
and flip cake over and cover bottom of cake
with another sheet of wax paper.
Let cakes cool before icing.
*Remove wax paper before icing -
did I really just say that?!?

THE ICING:

2 cups milk

2 cups granulated sugar
6 egg yolks
(freeze the whites for another day -  

meringue maybe?!)
2 sticks butter

2 tsp vanilla

Coconut (appx. 2 cups)
Chopped Pecans or Walnuts (appx 2 cups)

WHAT TO DO:

In a medium size heavy sauce-pot,

bring all ingredients
(excluding coconut and nuts)
to a boil on medium heat.
Stir constantly for about 10 minutes.
It will be a light tan color.
Remove from heat and add
a couple of good handfuls of coconut
along with your preferred choice of nuts.

(We actually only added nuts to half of our cake.)
Add as much or as little as you'd like -
that's the bonus of making it yourself!
Let the icing cool a bit before icing the cake -
however, we usually bake this in a 9x13
so we poke a few holes in the cake
and pour the warm icing right over it.
It's really hard to wait for everything to cool!

ENJOY!