INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup water
4 (1 ounce) squares German sweet
chocolate
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 egg whites
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat
oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 3 - 9 inch round pans.
Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a small saucepan,
heat water and 4 ounces chocolate until melted. Remove from heat and allow to
cool.
2. In
a large bowl, cream 1 cup butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat
in 4 egg yolks one at a time. Blend in the melted chocolate mixture and
vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, mixing just
until incorporated.
3. In
a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter, then quickly fold in remaining whites
until no streaks remain.
4. Pour
into 3 - 9 inch pans Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a
toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool
for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto wire rack.
5. To
make the Filling: See Recipe below
6. Spread
filling between layers and on top of cake. In a small saucepan, melt shortening
and 1 ounce of chocolate. Stir until smooth and drizzle down the sides of the
cake
Coconut-Pecan Filling and Frosting
INGREDIENTS:
4 egg yolks
1 can (12 oz.)
evaporated milk
1/8 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups
sugar
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. (7 oz.)
Baker’s Angel Flake Coconut (about 2-2/3 cups) TOASTED
1-1/2 cups Chopped Pecans TOASTED
DIRECTIONS:
1. BEAT egg yolks and milk in large saucepan with wire whisk
until well blended. Add salt, sugar and butter; cook on medium high heat whisking
constantly, until the mixture is boiling, slightly thickened, and golden brown,
about 6 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Transfer to a bowl and stilr in the coconut and vanilla.
Cool for 30 min (this takes longer in Singapore) stirring occasionally. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate
until chilled (at least 2 hours or up to 3 days). Stir in pecans just before frosting cake.
3. You can
frost the entire cake with this (like I did) or you can put about 1 cup of
filling on the top of each layer and then add each cake layer carefully. The filling will ooze out and drizzle
down the sides looking pretty but leaving much of the sides of the cake
bare. (Easier for the cake to dry
out without the frosting layer holding in the moisture).
NOTES: I also
toast some coconut to sprinkle on the top (toast nuts and coconut for more flavor).
