German Chocolate
The Basis of German Chocolate Cake
German chocolate isn’t just a name that refers to chocolate produced in Germany. It also refers to the type of chocolate that is dark, yet sweeter than the semi-sweet variety. It is bittersweet chocolate’s predecessor, yet isn’t connected to the country.
German chocolate was developed by Sam German in 1852. The Englishman did so for the famous brand known as Baker’s chocolate. It is similar in taste to milk chocolate, but has a sweeter taste than the regular chocolate used for baking.
In 1957, the popularity of German chocolate really took off when a homemaker from Dallas, Texas submitted a cake recipe to a newspaper. The recipes main ingredients are coconut, sweet baking chocolate, and pecans. If you haven’t already figured it out, the recipe called for the use of Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate. The cake was a hit, so much, in fact, that General Foods, the owners of Baker’s Chocolate, sent pictures of the wonderful cake to newspapers throughout the country.
Readers of those papers also loved the recipe, and the sale of German chocolate increased by 73 percent. Today, German chocolate cake is still popular in both bakeries, and as a mix on supermarkets.
Do you have a recipe that you use? If not, why not try this one:
German Chocolate Cake½ C boiling water
½ C German sweet chocolate
1 C Sugar
1 C Butter
4 Egg Whites, beaten until stiff
4 Egg Yolks
1 Tsp. Of Vanilla
2 ½ C Flour
1 Tsp. Baking Soda
½ Tsp Salt
1 C Buttermilk
Melt the chocolate in the boiling water.
With a mixer, cream together the sugar and butter until it becomes fluffy.
Add the yolks, chocolate, and vanilla and mix.
Then add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture until mixed.
Gently fold the egg whites into the mixture.
Divide the batter into three pans that have been lined on the bottom with wax paper.
Bake the cakes in a 400 degree oven for 30-35 minutes.
Use coconut pecan frosting to frost only the tops, the sides should remain unfrosted.