The Healthy My Ass Cookbook

German Chocolate Cake

Way better than any boxed mix or canned icing.

Ingredients:

Directions:

Gather three mixing bowls of varying sizes with the smallest being microwave safe.  Set out the Butter in the largest bowl to soften at room temperature.  Combine the Flour, Baking Soda and Salt in something other than the three bowls and set aside.  Generously grease three 9" round non-stick cake pans.

Arrange two oven racks toward the top two thirds of the oven with enough room on the lower rack for the cake to rise with airflow above it.  Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Break the German Chocolate into separate squares, place in the smallest bowl, cover with the Water and microwave on high for 1&1/2 to 2 minutes or until the chocolate is almost melted, stirring after each minute.  Stir until the chocolate is completely melted.  Set aside.

Throughout this step, scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.  Beat the softened butter and Sugar in the large bowl until light and fluffy.  For each Egg, separate the white into the medium sized bowl and beat the yolk into the butter and sugar mixture until well blended.  Repeat with each egg.  Blend the melted chocolate and Vanilla into the mixture.  Add one third of the flour mixture alternately with one half of the Buttermilk, beating until well blended after each addition, until all is blended.

Beat the egg whites on high until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold into the batter mixture using the spatula until well blended.  Pour equal portions, about 2&1/2 cups, into the prepared pans and evenly distribute with the spatula.

Place one pan in the very center of the lower oven rack and the other two pans in opposite corners of the upper rack, but without touching each other or the sides, back or door of the oven.  Bake for 15 minutes, then swap the two pans on the upper rack so that the sides that were closest to each other are now the farthest from each other and the one that was in the back is now in front.  Continue baking 10 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean.  Remove them from the oven and if the sides of the cake have not pulled away from the pans, immediately run a small spatula between the cake sides and the pans.  Cool the cakes in their pans for 15 minutes then remove them from the pans to wire racks to completely cool upside down.

While the cake is baking you can prepare to make the Coconut Pecan Icing by gathering and measuring what you will need.  Once the cake is out of the oven you can make the Coconut Pecan Icing as directed in the recipe, but don't forget to remove the cake layers from their pans.  Once the icing is cooled to room temperature, spread one third of the icing, about 1&1/3 cups, evenly over a completely cooled cake layer, cover it with another cake layer, and repeat until no cake layers or icing are left.  The sides are not iced.