25 Days of Desserts - Day 12

German Chocolate Cake with Coconut Frosting

Cake
4 oz sweet dark chocolate
1 cup butter, room temp
1/4 cup warm milk
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
5 medium egg whites
2 cups sugar
5 egg yolks, room temp
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk

Frosting
1 cup sugar
4 medium egg yolks
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
10 oz fresh or frozen and thawed, grated coconut
1 1/2 cups finely ground pecans, walnuts or almonds

Melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler until smooth. Add 1/4 cup butter and stir until it is melted. Add 1/4 cup milk, stir until smooth. Set the chocolate aside to cool.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottoms only of three 9" round cake pans with shortening and dust with flour.

Cake
Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Whip egg whites until stiff. Transfer the beaten whites to a bowl and set aside.In bowl, cream the remaining butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add the yolks, beat well. Add the chocolate and vanilla, mix well. Stir in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Fold and stir in the beaten egg whites into the batter until the batter is smooth. Divide the batter among pans and bake 40 min. or until done. Cool layers in pans 8 min. Then turn layers out.

Frosting
Combine the sugar, yolks and milk in top of the double boiler. Stir until the yolks are incorporated. Add the butter. Place over simmering water and bring to a boil. Simmer 15 min. longer or until mixture thickens. Add the vanilla, coconut, and nuts. Cool.

Place 1 layer on a cake stand and spread with frosting. Frost each layer completely, top and sides, as it is added to the cake. Top with coconut and garnish with pecan halves, if desired.