German Chocolate Cake

This traditional layer cake with it’s delightfully gooey frosting- a great addition to any occasion.

Makes one 9-inch 4 layer cake/ Serves 12-14

3 3/4 cups all-purpoase flour

2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 cup hot water

1 cup milk

1 cup canola or safflower oil

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extracr

1 recipe Coconut Pecan Caramel Frosting ( recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Grease ans lightly flour two 9-inch cake pans ( at least 2-inch deep pans).
Sift together the flour, cocoa,baking powder and soda and salt in a large bowl and stir to mix.
In a separate bowl combine the sugar, eggs, water, milk and vanilla and stir to blend well.
Slowly add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, about 1/3 at a time, blending well after each addition.
Divide the batter evenly into the prepared pans, about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way up the sides of the pan. Place in the oven to bake 50-55 minutes, until the cakes are springy to touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and cool in the pans about 15 minutes, before removing from the pans and cooling completely.
Once the cakes have completely cooled use a long serrated knife to slice off the top rounded portion of each cake to make flat. Then cut each layer horizonally through the center to make 4 layers.
Place the first layer on the cake plate, cut side down and top with about 1/4 of the frosting. Repeat with the remaining 3 layers, letting the frosting come over the sides naturally. At Foster’s we don’t frost the sides of this cake because we love the way it oozes down the sides.

Coconut Pecan Caramel Frosting

3 cups sugar

3 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extractt

3 cups sweetened flaked coconut

4 cups chopped pecans, lightly toasted

Place the sugar in a very large deep skillet over medium heat. ( make sure it is large enough so it does not boil over when you add the cream)
Without stirring let the mixture melt and cook for about 8 minutes, shaking the skillet occasionally. Until the sugar caramelizes and turn an amber color. Reduce the heat to low.
Slowly and carefully add the cream , down the sides of the skillet. It will bubble up, so have along handle spoon ready to stir. Stir int eh cream and vanilla until smooth and all the lumps have dissolved.
Pour into a large bowl and add the coconut and pecans. Let cool to room temprature before frosting the cake. Do not refrigerate, it will become too hard to spread. Once it is on the cake you can refrigerate the cake but is best eaten at room temperature.