Eat like a German - German Recipe:
German Chocolate Cake

German Chocolate Cake
[ source: Wikipedia]

Serves: 12-14 servings

Prep time: n/a
Cook time: n/a
Total time: n/a

German's Chocolate Cake is a layered chocolate cake filled and topped with a coconut-pecan frosting. Sweet baking chocolate is traditionally used for the chocolate flavor in the actual cake, but few recipes call for it today. The filling and/or topping is a caramel made with egg yolks and evaporated milk; once the caramel is cooked, coconut and pecans are stirred in. Occasionally, a chocolate frosting is spread on the sides of the cake and piped around the circumference of the layers to hold in the filling. Maraschino cherries are an added touch.

Contrary to popular belief, this cake did not originate in Germany. Instead, the name derives from Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate, which was created in 1852 by an Englishman named Samuel German for the Baker's Chocolate brand. The original recipe for German's Chocolate Cake was sent by a Dallas, Texas homemaker to a local newspaper in 1957. The cake became quite popular and General Foods — which owned the brand at the time — distributed the recipe to other newspapers in the country, and sales of Baker's Chocolate are said to have increased by as much as 73%. The possessive form (German's) was dropped in subsequent publications, forming the German Chocolate Cake identity we know today.

[ source: wikipedia ]

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup baking cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sauerkraut, rinsed, drained, squeezed dry and finely chopped
• 2/3 cup flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

Filling/Frosting:

• 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, melted
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2/3 cup flaked coconut, divided
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans, divided

Procedure:

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine dry ingredients; add to the creamed mixture alternately with water. Fold in sauerkraut, coconut and pecans. Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350 º for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks; cool completely. In a bowl, combine melted chocolate and mayonnaise. Set aside 1-1/4 cups for frosting. To the remaining chocolate mixture, add half of the coconut and pecans; spread between cake layers. Spread reserved chocolate mixture over top and sides of cake. Combine remaining coconut and pecans; press onto sides of cake. Store in the refrigerator. Slice with a serrated knife. Yield: 12-14 servings.

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