Keri White
My sister-in-law Darby is the queen of the mitzvah.
Sick friend? Soup delivered! Relative hits a rough patch? Thoughtful card sent. Niece moves into her own place? “Apartment-warming” gift shipped. She helps friends, friends of friends, neighbors of neighbors and total strangers. She’s the consummate volunteer, and to my knowledge has never passed by a community organization that didn’t recruit her for something.
She mostly says yes … which brings me to today’s column: Darby’s German Chocolate Cake.
Recently, a local organization in Darby’s community planned a fundraiser for a group of charitable causes. One facet of the drive was a cake auction — oh, did I mention Darby attended the Culinary Institute of America?
Of course, she was tapped to bake, and bake she did. Her cake fetched a whopping price, and overall the fundraiser generated about $70k for nonprofits. I requested the recipe to share, and, true to form, Darby sent detailed instructions and a photograph. Here’s what she did:
Darby’s German Chocolate Cake | Dairy
Serves 12
For the chocolate cake:
2 cups granulated sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
11/2 teaspoons baking powder
11/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup oil (vegetable or canola oil)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
For the coconut frosting:
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
3 large egg yolks
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
For the chocolate frosting:
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Heat oven to 375°F. Grease two 8- or 9-inch round baking pans. Cut a round piece of parchment paper for the bottom of the pan to make sure the cake comes out easily.
For the cake, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla, and mix well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and mix to combine. Stir in boiling water (batter will be very thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake for 25-35 minutes (depending on your cake pan size; the 9” pan takes less time to bake). Cake is done when a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with few crumbs. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.
For the coconut frosting, in a medium saucepan, add brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, egg yolks and evaporated milk. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a low boil over medium heat. Stir constantly for several minutes until the mixture begins to thicken.
Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla, nuts and coconut. Allow to cool completely before layering it on the cake.
For the chocolate frosting, melt butter. Stir in cocoa powder. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed to thin the frosting, or a little extra powdered sugar, until you reach your desired consistency. Stir in vanilla.
To assemble cake, place one of the cake rounds on your serving stand or plate.
Spread a thin layer of chocolate frosting over the cake layer, and then spoon half of the coconut frosting on top, spreading it into a smooth layer. Leave about 1⁄2 inch between the filling and edge of cake. Stack the second cake round on top. Smooth chocolate frosting over the entire cake. Spoon remaining coconut frosting on top of the cake.
