Cocoa Layer Cake

Well, it has been busy the last few weeks. Pancake breakfasts, gourmet cupcakes, and a conference luncheon have kept us busy. We have tried a few delicious dinners, ones that I, of course, neglected to photograph. I have been thinking lately of just posting recipes that I have been frequently looking for, without any little blurb about the endless thoughts that float around in my mind. I also have three or four more

German Chocolate Cake

Whew! Christmas is just one of those seasons that, while I love even the very thought of it, I often find myself eagerly awaiting the new year so I can get back into the swing of things. Christmas parties galore, church programs, students' recitals, shopping, cooking, cleaning, extra practices, handmade gifts, mailing Christmas cards, ordering presents, and coordinating dates that work with every body's busy schedules usually leave me in a frantic frenzy by Christmas Day.

Just writing that sentence made me tired. Needless to say, with all the ways I have, once again, over-extended myself, I have not had the time necessary to keep up with my writing. I have so many recipes it is seriously ridiculous. I have two recipes I really want to share, one being German Chocolate Cake, because I absolutely love it and I use a collection of recipes from different books to get the exact cake I want, and number two is a recipe for Ham and Cheese buns. I honestly believe these babies are going to be AMAZING with day-after-Christmas ham and pepper jack cheese. But hopefully that post will make the scene sometime next week.
This German Chocolate Cake is something that I wanted to put where I could find it, so the one or two times a year that I make it I don't have to search through a stack of pages I ripped out of magazines, search through cookbooks and scour the Internet.

The cake I made from this book, the Devil's food recipe. I actually made two so it would be extra tall, because that's the way it should be, right? The frosting I used came from a Bon Appetit Magazine from last February, I believe, and I absolutely loved its rich, chocolaty flavor and dark, glossy appearance (thanks to the heavy cream and butter) that really looks amazing. For the filling, I used this recipe, that I had found online. Again, it is amazing.
Oh, and P.S. There were three holly berries until my three-year-old walked up to the counter where they were drying and popped one into his mouth as I was screaming "Nooooooo!!!!!" Just thought you would like to know.

If you, like me, want a giant, drool-inducing chocolate cake, you must double the filling and cake. There is plenty of frosting with just one recipe because you aren't putting any inside.

For the Cake:
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 plus 1 cup water
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Filling:

7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut

4 ounces coarsely chopped pecans (1 cup)

14-ounces can sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon vanilla


Frosting:

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter

1 1/3 cups (packed) golden brown sugar

1 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

1 cup heavy whipping cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Make the Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 and position oven racks in upper and lower thirds. Line 2 9-inch round cake pans with parchment and lightly coat with butter or cooking spray.
Place cocoa powder in a small bow. Heat 1/2 cup of the water until very warm. Mix with cocoa until smooth. Add remaining 1 cup water and stir until smooth. Set aside until room temperature.
Place the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in the bowl of the stand mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until very light in color, 4 to 5 minutes.
Beat the eggs and vanilla in the other small bowl to blend. With the mixer on medium, add the eggs to the butter mixture about 1 Tablespoon at a time. Scrape down the bowl.

Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add the flour mixture and the cocoa mixture alternately, beginning with 1/3 of the flour mixture and half the cocoa water. Finish with the flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl and finish blending the batter by hand to be sure you have incorporated all the ingredients.
Divide the batter evenly and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on cooling racks and turn out onto rack.

Make filling:

Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

Spread coconut in a large shallow baking pan and pecans in another. Bake pecans in upper third of oven and coconut in lower third, stirring occasionally, until golden, 12 to 18 minutes. Remove pans from oven.

Increase oven temperature to 425°F.

Pour condensed milk into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate and cover tightly with foil. Bake milk in a water bath in middle of oven 45 minutes. Refill baking pan with water to reach halfway up pie plate and bake milk until thick and brown, about 45 minutes more. Remove pie plate from water bath.

Stir in coconut, pecans, and vanilla and keep warm, covered with foil.

While the filling is cooking, make the frosting.

For frosting: Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sugar, cocoa, espresso powder, and 1/2 teaspoon (scant) salt. Gradually stir in cream. Stir until mixture is very hot and just begins to simmer at edges. Reduce heat to low; stir 1 minute to let flavors blend. Transfer to medium bowl; stir in vanilla (frosting will resemble chocolate sauce). Chill until just thickened, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours. Let stand at room temperature.

Shhh...don't tell

I was going through recipes in my mind, trying to decide what to write next. I thought about a main dish I had made recently, but then I realized, I have not posted a dessert in a while (that is because I am trying to give you other things besides desserts!)
And then, it hit me. This cake is fantastic. It is actually a beautiful union between a fudgy, delightful chocolate cake, and some brownies I had. This cake could stand alone and be perfect for birthdays, dinner parties, Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Columbus Day (trust me, you will be trying to find reasons to make this cake).

What makes this cake sooooo good? First, it is four layers high, which tends to impress in and of itself. But add to that fudge frosting, and the fact that you use a cake mix, and you have the makings of an easy, delicious dessert that can be made ahead. Add orange peel and you have taken it to the next level. Now, if orange turns you off, leave it out, but if you have ever enjoyed one of those chocolate oranges at Christmas time you will love love LOVE this cake. The zest of two oranges is all you need to take this cake over the top. Be careful with the frosting, it is what really makes this cake amazing!
Let me tell you something about this, you want to make two cake recipes if you want an extra tall cake. This is what I usually do. It turns out fantastic this way. I have listed the ingredients for a single batch, but you should try the four tiered version for company! You will also need to clean out your bowl to use it for the frosting. Do not try to hurry and make this cake before company comes. You want to start early in the day or even the day before.

Chocolate Orange Fudge Cake
1 box devil's food cake mix
1 cup water
3 eggs
1/3 cup corn oil
1/3 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
zest of 1 orange

Icing
3 cups (1 1/2 bags) semisweet chocolate chips
3 cups sugar
1 cup milk
1 1/2 cup (3 sticks) butter, cut into pieces
1/3 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Position rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 nonstick 8-inch cake pans. Cut parchment to cover bottoms of pans and place inside. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
To Make the Cake: Combine the cake mix, water, eggs, oil, sour cream, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Alternatively, use and electric hand mixer. Beat on low speed until the mixture is well blended. Increase the speed to medium if using a stand mixer (high for a hand mixer) and beat for 2 minutes. Stir in the chocolate chips and orange zest. Pour the batter into a prepared baking pans and bake until a knife inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer the pans to wire racks and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and let cool completely on the racks. If you are making the four layer cake, repeat.
To Make the Icing: Put the chocolate chips in the metal bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Alternatively, use and an electric hand mixer. Combine the sugar, milk, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Let boil vigorously for exactly 1 minute. Pour the hot sugar mixture over the chocolate. Add the vanilla. Beat on medium speed until the mixture begins to thicken to a spreadable consistency, 10 to 15 minutes.
To assemble, place 1 cake, flat-side up, on a platter. Spread one quarter of the icing (about 3/4 cup) over the top of the cake. Top with the second cake, flat-side up and spread one quarter of the icing (about 3/4 cup) over the top. Repeat with layers three and four. Spread a thin layer of the remaining icing over the op and sides of the cake.
Note: if your kitchen is warm, refrigerate the cake for about 15 minutes after frosting the second layer. This will prevent the cake from sliding.