Thursday, June 11, 2015

National German Chocolate Cake Day

June 11th. is National German Chocolate Day.  In  1852 an American  named Sam German made a type of dark baking chocolate for the American Baker’s Chocolate Company.  Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate’s brand was named in honor of Sam German.

More than 100 years later in 1957, a recipe for “German’s Chocolate Cake” appeared as the “Recipe of the Day in the Dallas Morning Star.  This recipe,  was created by Mrs. George Clay, she then used Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate and it became quite popular.  During this time, General Foods owned the Baker’s brand  and distributed Mrs. Clay’s recipe to other newspapers around the country.  This is why this delicious cake is called GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE.

Some cakes only have the coconut-pecan frosting as frosting and filling and some others are iced with chocolate frosting and filled with the coconut-pecan frosting.

 

I have tried many recipes, and Martha Stewart's recipe is one of my favorites; that's why I want to share it with you this time.  I have to confess that I care a lot more for the topping than for the cake and I can eat it by itself; but still  German chocolate cake and topping are the perfect combination for coconut & pecans lovers like myself.

 

German Chocolate Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for tins
  • 2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted, plus more for tins
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/3 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 5 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush standard muffin tins with butter; dust with cake flour, tapping out excess. Whisk together cake flour, baking soda, and salt.
  2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until combined after each. Beat in chocolate until combined.
  3. Divide batter evenly among prepared cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes. Run a small offset spatula or knife around the edges to loosen; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature in airtight containers.
  4. To finish, use a serrated knife (and a gentle sawing motion) to split cupcakes in half horizontally. Spread a heaping tablespoon of frosting on top of each bottom half; replace top halves. Spread more frosting on top of each cupcake. Serve immediately.

     

Coconut-Pecan Frosting

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 large egg yolks

  • 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

  • 1 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar

  • 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and brought to room temperature

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 2 2/3 cups (7 ounces) sweetened flaked coconut

  • 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS

  1. Combine egg yolks, evaporated milk, and brown sugar in a saucepan. Add butter, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick, about 10 minutes. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl.
  2. Stir in vanilla, salt, coconut, and pecans. Let cool completely. Frosting can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 day; bring to room temperature before using.

I hope you celebrate today with some cupcakes or cake. These cupcakes can be refrigerated for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Before serving bring to  room temperature.
 
ENJOY!

 

 

No comments:

Post a Comment