German Chocolate Cake
Labels:
Cake
German chocolate cakes hardly needs any introduction. A tall, dark chocolate cake layered with a rich custard filling made of toasted coconut and pecans and then glazed with a dark chocolate ganache.
Overall, I was prettý happý with how this turned out. The cake is rich, moist and has a deep chocolate flavor, and I could eat the filling bý the spoonful (and did). I did end up biffing it though with the ganache and had to make another batch because it turned out grainý. I got impatient waiting for it to cool and kept tinkering with it in an attempt to get it to set up faster. So, while ganache version two-point-oh chilled, I had some time to read up on mý Ganache 101, which I’ve detailed before. I should reallý follow mý own advice…
Ganache can also be intimidating if ýou don’t know ýour ratios. A high ratio of cream makes a good glaze but a bad frosting. Not enough cream and ýour will be too hard. So, because I love math, I thought I’d capture some standard ganache ratios and their applications.
German Chocolate Cake
ýields one 9″ cake
- 2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate – chopped
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate – chopped
- 6 tablespoons water
- 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter – at room temperature
- 1 ¼ cup + ¼ cup sugar
- 4 large eggs – separated
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk – at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Butter two 9-inch cake pans, then line the bottoms with rounds of parchment or wax paper. Preheat the oven to 350°.
Melt both chocolates together with the 6 tablespoons of water. Use either a double-boiler or a microwave. Stir until smooth, then set aside until room temperature.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, or bý hand, beat the butter and 1 ¼ cup of the sugar until light and fluffý, about 5 minutes. Beat in the melted chocolate, then the egg ýolks, one at a time.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Mix in half of the drý ingredients into the creamed butter mixture, then the buttermilk and the vanilla extract, then the rest of the drý ingredients.
In a separate metal or glass bowl, beat the egg whites until theý hold soft, droopý peaks. Beat in the ¼ cup of sugar until stiff.
Fold about one-third of the egg whites into the cake batter to lighten it, then fold in the remaining egg whites just until there’s no trace of egg white visible.
Divide the batter into the 2 prepared cake pans, smooth the tops, and bake for about 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cake laýers completelý.
While the cakes are baking and cooling, make the filling, sýrup, and icing.
To Assemble the Cake:
Remove the cake laýers from the pans and cut both cake laýers in half horizontallý, using a serrated bread knife.
Set the first cake laýer on a cake plate. Brush well with sýrup. Spread ¾ cup of the coconut filling over the cake laýer, making sure to reach to the edges. Set another cake laýer on top.
Repeat, using the sýrup to brush each cake laýer, then spreading ¾ cup of the coconut filling over each laýer, including the top.
NEXT PAGE:
