German Chocolate Picnic Cake Recipes

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 9 inch square cake pan. Sift the cake flour, 1 cup white sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.
• Cream 1/3 cup of the butter or margarine. Stir in 3/8 cup buttermilk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the melted and cooled German sweet chocolate, eggs, and the remaining 3/8 cup buttermilk. Continue to beat at medium speed for another minute more. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 40 minutes. Cool in pan for 15 minutes then frost.
• To Make Frosting: Combine the coconut, brown sugar, cream, chopped nuts, 1/4 cup butter or margarine. Mix until of a spreadable consistency. Spread over top of baked cake. Broil 3 inches from heat until browned (about 3 minutes). Serve cake warm or cold.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Bake the cake: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans. Line the pans with parchment and butter the parchment. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and whisk to combine well. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl. Turn the mixer down to medium and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, again scraping down the bowl as necessary. Beat in vanilla and melted chocolate until smooth. In a small bowl, combine coffee and yogurt.
• With the mixer on low, add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture, and mix to combine. Add the coffee mixture and mix to combine. Then add the remaining flour mixture, scraping the bowl one more time to make sure everything has been combined. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, smooth the tops and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer cakes in the pans to a rack to cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen the cakes and invert them onto racks to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, prepare the filling: On two separate trays lined with parchment paper, toast coconut and pecans at 325 degrees, stirring occasionally, until coconut is deep golden brown and nuts are fragrant, about 5 to 10 minutes. Watch carefully - coconut and nuts can quickly turn from golden to burned. Remove from oven, roughly chop the pecans, and transfer both coconut and pecans to a large bowl.
• In a medium saucepan, cook evaporated milk, egg yolks, brown sugar and salt over medium heat, whisking at first and then stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened enough to leave a line on the back of a wooden spoon, 5 to 7 minutes. Be careful not to let the mixture curdle. Lower the heat as necessary.
• Remove from heat and add the butter, stirring until it has melted. Add vanilla and stir to combine. Add the milk mixture to the coconut and pecans, stirring to combine. This mixture will thicken slightly as it cools.
• To assemble the cake, set one layer on a serving plate. Top with 1/3 of the coconut mixture. Repeat two more times, so the top of the cake is covered in coconut.
• If desired, finish with ganache: Heat heavy cream over medium heat until very hot. Place the chocolate in a medium bowl, and pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let stand 5 minutes. Add salt and whisk until smooth. Let this mixture stand at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until it is thick enough to spread around the sides of the cake.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Lightly grease or spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan.
• In medium bowl, mix butter and cake mix with fork until crumbly; reserve 1 cup. Press remaining mixture in bottom of pan.
• Bake 10 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate chips over baked layer. Drop frosting by tablespoonfuls over chocolate chips. Stir milk into reserved cake mixture. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto frosting layer.
• Bake 24 to 28 minutes or until cake portion is slightly dry to touch; cool 10 minutes. Carefully loosen edges of bars with knife. Cool completely. Refrigerate until firm. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 6 rows. Store loosely covered.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE PICNIC CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Spray bottom only of 8- or 9-inch square pan with baking spray with flour.
• In large bowl, beat cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter into pan.
• In medium bowl, stir topping ingredients until crumbly, using hands if necessary. Sprinkle evenly over batter in pan.
• Bake 31 to 37 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm or cool. Store loosely covered.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE TRES LECHES CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions, using a 13x9-in. baking pan. Cool on a wire rack., Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk milks, 1/2 cup cream and rum. With a wooden skewer, poke holes in cake about 1/2 in. apart. Slowly pour milk mixture over cake, allowing mixture to absorb into cake. Let stand 30 minutes. Refrigerate, covered, 8 hours or overnight., In a small bowl, beat remaining cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until stiff peaks form. Spread over top of cake. Sprinkle with coconut and pecans. If desired, drizzle servings with chocolate syrup.