German Chocolate Cake

Take one package of Baker’s sweetened chocolate and mix it with 1/2 cup of boiling water. Once it has dissolved, let it cool.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Mix 1 cup of butter with 2 cups of sugar until they are fluffy and rich. This should a few minutes.

Slowly add in your egg yolks while beating the mixture. Once no more streaks, or spots of yellow remain stop mixing.

Add Chocolate liquid and 1 teaspoon vanilla after the egg yolk is completely mixed in to the batter.

Add 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the flour and sift.

Add the milk and flour to the mixture at the same time, but alternating between the two (milk, flour, milk, flour...). Do this until all milk and flour is added and mixed thoroughly.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. Once they do, fold them into the chocolate mixture VERY slowly, or it can ruin the cake.

Use a knife, or a pen to mark a sheet of wax paper around the exterior of the pan. Then cut on the line you just drew. Coat the inside of the pan with shortening. Then put flour on the inside and shake it till the sides and bottom are covered with flour. Then put the cut wax paper in the bottom of the pan. Do this for each of the three cake pans.

Pour equal amounts of batter into each 8 inch cake pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Do not open the oven until the cake has been in for the required time, if you do it will fall in the middle. Stick a tooth pick in your cake after baking. If it comes out clean your cake is done, if it comes out gooey then it needs another five to ten minutes. When finished, let cool for 15 minutes.

Using a knife or spatula, cut the cake away from the sides of the cake pan. Then flip it over on a cooling rack and remove the wax paper from the bottom.

FROSTING:

In a saucepan combine 1 cup sugar, evaporated milk, 1/2 cup butter, and 3 egg yolks. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in coconut, pecans and vanilla. Cool until thick enough to spread.

Spread filling between layers and on top of cake. In a small saucepan, melt shortening and 1 ounce of chocolate. Stir until smooth and drizzle down the sides of the cake.