German Chocolate Cake

This is my first stab at a German chocolate cake and it was absolutely delicious! I made this cake for my boyfriend's moms birthday and it was a huge hit! When it came to decorating I didn't have much to work with since all my tools are back home so I went traditional with it; just a few rosettes, pecans, and toasted coconut.

German Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

4 oz of semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup water
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar, and 1/4 cup sugar
4 eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup buttermilk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease cakes and line bottom with parchment paper.
2. Microwave chocolate and water for about 1-1/2 to 2 minutes or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 minute. Set aside to cool.
3. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt, set aside.
4. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in melted chocolate and vanilla. Add flour mixture alternatively with buttermilk, beating until just blended.
5. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites and 1/4 cup sugar on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold egg white into chocolate mixture.
6. Pour batter equally into pans and transfer to over, baking 30-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Coconut-Pecan Filling

Ingredients

1 cup cream
1 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup coconut
1 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

Directions

1. Combine sugar, milk, egg yolk, butter and salt in large saucepan and whisk until blended.
2. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil and begins to thicken.
3. Stir in coconut and pecans and remove from heat.

Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients

8 oz semi-sweet chocolate
2 tbsp light corn syrup
1 1/2 oz butter
1 cup cream, and another cup of cream

Directions

1. In a large bowl add chocolate and light corn syrup.
2. Heat cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until just boiling.
3. Pour hot cream over chocolate and stir until chocolate melts and mixture becomes completely smooth.
4. Wisk the second up of whipping cream and combine with the chocolate mixture once it has cooled.

Easter Chicks

Yes I know it's way past Easter, but I've been busy with school and finals that are coming up so I have not been able to post recently. Since I was going to my boyfriend's grandparent's house for Easter I wanted to make something special so I got the idea from Martha Stewart's website to make these cute little chickadee cupcakes. The recipe that Martha had on her website was for vanilla cupcakes but since it was Easter I thought that carrot cupcakes would make a better substitute. I used the recipe that I have on my blog which is linked here. Then you just ice the cupcakes with your favourite icing, dunk them in toasted coconut, and then simply pipe little birds and violaaa you have birds in a nest.