Twenty seven?!?

Justin's birthday was last week. I didn't have time to make his cake until yesterday (which he graciously only complained about minimally). He had requested a German chocolate cake. When he told his grandmother I would be making one for him she sent over all the ingredients and the recipe she uses. "How sweet!" I reacted initially. "No pressure," the sarcastic lobe of my brain retorted. It was true: not only was this cake to be presented days after the actual birth date, it also had to live up to the cakes that had come before it, made by a baking queen. That said, I am not one to be daunted by the construction of a fancy-sounding three layer cake. Here is what followed:

Justin's Chocolate Cake
adapted from Grandmother's recipe

Cake
- 4 oz German sweet chocolate
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs, separated
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk

Frosting
- 12 oz (1 can) evaporated milk
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 sticks butter
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2 2/3 cups coconut flakes (sweetened)
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped or smashed with bottom of a pan (recipe called for pecans...)

Preheat oven to 350˚. Grease 3 9inch pans (or, if you are like me and only have two, feel free to improvise using a pie pan or something comparable in time. Layer cakes are never totally even).

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. Set aside.

Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks. Set aside.

Mix the flour, b.s. and salt together. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, preferably in a stand mixer. Add the egg yolks one at a time. Beat in the vanilla, then slowly beat in the chocolate. Once this mixture is just combined, start pouring in the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk (I couldn't remember if you are supposed to end with the wet or the dry component and the cake turned out just fine so I'm thinking the order is not so important). Last but not least, fold in the beaten egg whites. Divide the batter between the three pans and bake for 15-20 minutes. Cool completely.

Once the cakes are out, start on the frosting (cake needs to cool. Distraction by other projects during this time is key). Put the milk, sugar, butter, yolks and vanilla in a large saucepan. Heat over medium flame until thickened and golden brown in color (this took about 15 minutes. Special thanks to Justin for reminding me to be careful not to scramble the eggs during the heating). Remove from the heat. Stir in the coconut and walnuts.

By now, cakes should be transferred to a cooling rack. Let them cool completely, also allowing the frosting to cool. When the cakes are ready, begin assembling. Put bottom layer on a cake plate and dollop on a hefty spoonful of frosting. Spread gently, then top with second layer. Repeat. When the third layer is in place, very carefully coat the rest of the cake with the frosting (note: if the frosting or cake is too warm, this will be very challenging. The good news is the components of German chocolate cake are so sickeningly good that no matter how weird or deformed it looks, all will sing praises from around the world. On Instagram at least). 

Immediately call as many friends as you can and get at least half the cake out of your house, or factor in pants shopping for the following day. Either works.