GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE: History & Recipe for National German Chocolate Cake Day!

Today is National German Chocolate Cake Day. It may sound odd that's there's an American National Holiday for German Chocolate Cake, but German Chocolate Cake is not German. German Chocolate Cake is an American creation that contains the key ingredients of sweet baking chocolate, coconut, and pecans.

In 1852, Sam German created a dark baking chocolate bar for Baker's Chocolate Company, and in his honor, the company named it "Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate."

The story goes that the first published recipe for German's chocolate cake showed up in a Dallas newspaper in 1957 and supposedly came from a Texas homemaker. The cake quickly gained in popularity and the recipe together with photos spread all over the country. America fell in love with German Chocolate Cake, and food editors were swamped with requests for information on where to buy the chocolate. In one year, there was a 73% sales jump in German's Baker Sweet Chocolate sales (then owned by General Mills). 

However, the cake most likely didn't originate from the Dallas housewife. Buttermilk chocolate cakes were popular in the South for over 70 years, and pecans were plentiful, also, to make the frosting. Point of fact: German's chocolate is similar to a milk chocolate and sweeter than regular baking chocolate.

Here's the "Original Recipe." I found this specific recipe in many places on the Internet, and I daresay no one can claim it as their own. So even if you think you're making Grandmom's recipe--and it might be with a few changes over the years, the following recipe is a basic one that millions use. That's not to say I didn't find several unique recipes for German Chocolate Cake that peaked my interest. But those are for another time.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

For the Cake
1 pkg. Baker's German’s sweet chocolate (4 oz.)
1/2 cup water, boiling
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cup sugar
4 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour, all-purpose
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 cup buttermilk
Coconut-pecan frosting

Directions
Approx. Cook Time: 30 min
Melt chocolate in water and cool.
Cream butter and Sugar.
Beat in egg yolks.
Stir in vanilla and chocolate.
Mix flour, soda, and salt. Beat in flour mixture, alternately with buttermilk.
Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into batter. Pour batter into three 9-inch layer pans, lined on bottoms with waxed paper.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly pressed in
center.
Cool 15 minutes; remove and cool on rack.

For the Filling & Topping:
1--14 oz. can of condensed milk such as Eagle Brand
1/2 cup water
3 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butte
1 1/3 cup pecans; chopped reserve
10 whole pecan halves for garnish.
1 3/4 cups angel flake coconut

Directions
Cook milk, eggs, and water over double boiler until thickened.
Cook it over direct heat if you use complete concentration.
Then add vanilla and butter and whisk in until melted and smooth.
Add chopped pecans and coconut.

Assembly:
Divide filling evenly between 3 cakes putting 1st layer down, then spread filling evenly. Repeat with  other layer.
Frost side or top of the cake only. (Maybe--but make more, and you can frost everything)
For garnish, place pecan halves around top edge.

My late friend Iris used to make the best German Chocolate Cake. She said it was an African American traditional cake that was made and served at New Year's. I can't find any information on that tradition in the African American community, so I think it was only a tradition in her family. Sadly, Iris never shared her recipe before her passing. Some people keep family recipes within the family. Maybe her daughter has it? The photo in this post is Iris's German Chocolate Cake. It was always fabulous!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! Retro Birthday Cake Advertisements

Happy Birthday to Me! Happy Birthday to Me! For my Birthday, I'm posting several Retro Birthday Cake Ads. I'm totally Retro! 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, QUEEN ELIZABETH: Chocolate Birthday Cake

Happy Birthday, Queen Elizabeth! 94. This is the cake that the Queen favors for her birthday celebrations! It's a pip. Recipe from former Royal Chef Darren McGrady. Technically this is called a Chocolate Ganache Sponge..but that's British parlance for cake.. This is not a sponge cake as we know it in the U.S.

QUEEN ELIZABETH BIRTHDAY CHOCOLATE CAKE

Cake
6 egg yolks
2 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/8 cup dutch cocoa powder
1/4 cup melted butter

Topping and Filling 
2 cups (1 pt) heavy cream
1 lb Ghirardelli dark chocolate

Directions:
At least six hours before baking the cake, prepare the filling:
Melt half chocolate (227g). Bring to boil 1 cup of the cream. Pour cream onto chocolate and whisk until smooth, then refrigerate until set.
Turn on oven to 350.
Line an 8 inch cake tin with parchment paper and grease.
Set pan (large enough to hold mixing bowl) half full of hot water on stove; bring water to boil.
In mixing bowl, add eggs, yolks, and sugar and whisk together. Place over bowl of hot water to allow mixture to heat up. Sieve flour and cocoa and set aside. Whisk egg mixture until it doubles in volume and then fold in butter and flour mixture. Spoon mix into cake pan; bake about 20 minutes, or until cake springs back when pressed. Remove from oven onto cooling wire and make topping while cake cools. Melt remaining chocolate. Bring to boil remaining cream. Pour cream onto chocolate and whisk it until smooth and then set aside off the heat. Slice cake into three discs and spread filling onto bottom two discs and reassemble. Add remaining chocolate mix to hot topping and whisk in. Place cake back onto cooling wire and ladle topping over cake allowing it to run down the sides. Cool cake for at least two hours before decorating and serving.

Happy Birthday to Me! Chocolate Cake for All!

Happy Birthday to Me! Happy Birthday to Me! For today's Birthday, I'm posting several Retro Birthday Cake Ads! And, here's a link to a great Chocolate Birthday Cake Recipe.

Costco All American Chocolate Cake

So today's my sister's birthday, and you'd think I would have baked a cake. No, and "I knew she was coming, but..."

Several years ago, the clan gathered in Bodega Bay, and I had way too many things to do to get ready for the onslaught, so I bought my favorite Chocolate Cake that would feed the crowd. Although I opted for this cake, some of the non-chocolate folks wanted lemon? Really?? Now, I do like Lemon Cake, but what's a birthday without chocolate cake?  So I thought I'd revisit this chocolate cake virtually in this post. Costco All American Chocolate Cake. It's my cake of choice for large parties.

This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who's ever tasted the fabulous Costco All American Chocolate Cake. It's huge! It's delicious! It's a deep dark chocolate four layer cake with chocolate buttercream frosting. 7 pounds of heaven! Yes, it really is 7 pounds  (the mystery: if you eat it all, you'll gain 20!). This cake also freezes very well, in case you have room in your freezer for this gigantic cake -- for emergency parties. Actually I've been told that many restaurants buy the Costco All American Chocolate Cake, slice it thin, and serve it with raspberry or strawberry sauce. Really. Of course these restaurants don't employ any of my pastry chef friends. The restaurants probably charge a fortune, too, per slice. The Costco All American Chocolate Cake is a real deal at $16.99.

If you want to get fancy (or fancier) with the cake (it's already decorated with beautiful frosting with chocolate curls down the sides) freeze or chill the cake in order to cut the slices really thin. Makes it easier to cut. Then drizzle with raspberry sauce! But if you're like me, fresh is the way to go. Use a good cake slicer. As I said this is a mile high cake. Add candles, and it's the perfect birthday cake!

Happy Birthday, Judie!

Costco All American Chocolate Cake: Perfect Birthday Cake

So today's my sister's birthday, and you'd think I would have baked a cake. No, and "I knew she was coming, but..."

Two years ago, the clan gathered in Bodega Bay, and I had way too many things to do to get ready for the onslaught, so I bought my favorite Chocolate Cake that would feed the crowd. This year we're having a smaller group. Although I opted for this cake, some of the non-chocolate folks wanted lemon? Really?? Now, I do like Lemon Cake, but what's a birthday without chocolate cake?  So I thought I'd revisit this chocolate cake virtually in this post. Costco All American Chocolate Cake. It's my cake of choice for large parties.

This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who's ever tasted the fabulous Costco All American Chocolate Cake. It's huge! It's delicious! It's a deep dark chocolate four layer cake with chocolate buttercream frosting. 7 pounds of heaven! Yes, it really is 7 pounds  (the mystery: if you eat it all, you'll gain 20!). This cake also freezes very well, in case you have room in your freezer for this gigantic cake--for emergency parties. Actually I've been told that many restaurants buy the Costco All American Chocolate Cake, slice it thin, and serve it with raspberry or strawberry sauce. Really. Of course these restaurants don't employ any of my pastry chef friends. The restaurants probably charge a fortune, too, per slice. The Costco All American Chocolate Cake is a real deal at $16.99.

If you want to get fancy (or fancier) with the cake (it's already decorated with beautiful frosting with chocolate curls down the sides) freeze or chill the cake in order to cut the slices really thin. Makes it easier to cut. Then drizzle with raspberry sauce! But if you're like me, fresh is the way to go. Use a good cake slicer. As I said this is a mile high cake. Add candles, and it's the perfect birthday cake!

Happy Birthday, Judie!