German Chocolate Cake: Inside-out

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Step 2

Spread the coconut on one baking sheet, and the chopped nuts on another. Bake for about 15 minutes or until coconut is just beginning to brown and nuts are aromatic. Remove from oven, and stir, then set aside.

Step 3

Turn the oven temperature up to 350 degrees F.

Step 4

Prepare two 8″ x 3″ cake pans by lightly oiling, lining the bottoms with parchment, oiling again, then lightly dusting with flour. Set them on a large cookie sheet if you can. Heat some water to the boiling point — you’ll need to add it to the batter.

Step 5

In a large bowl, mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, and salt. Whisk a few times to blend well. Add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla to the dry , and beat at medium speed for 2-3 minutes. Pour the boiling water into the mixture and mix well.

Step 6

Pour batter into the prepared cake pans and place them in the oven to bake for 40-45 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center is clean after removed.

Step 7

Cool the layers in the pans on a rack for 15 minutes, then remove them and cool on the racks completely. When the layers are completely cool, cut each in half horizontally to create four layers. Remove all parchment.

Step 8

To prepare the filling, after removing the cake layers from the oven, turn the temperature up to 425 degrees F. Pour the sweetened condensed milk into a casserole dish that will fit inside a larger pan. Pour hot water into the larger pan to reach half way up the sides of the casserole. Cover the entire set up with foil and seal well. Bake for 45 minutes. At that point, remove the foil with extreme caution as steam will be released, and check the water level. Add more hot water to reach half way up the sides of the casserole again, seal well with foil and place back in the oven for an additional 45 minutes. The milk should be thick and the color of a rich caramel. Stir, and keep warm and covered.

Step 9

To prepare the topping, melt the butter in a sauce pan. Remove it from the heat and add the chocolate in small pieces, stirring until the chocolate is melted. Stir in the corn syrup. Reserve 1 cup in a bowl and place it in the fridge to thicken, about 1 hour. Stir well occasionally until it reaches a spreadable point. Keep the remainder of the chocolate mixture at room temperature.

Step 10

To assemble the cake, mix the dulce de leche, most of the coconut (save some for decoration if you wish), nuts and vanilla and stir well. The mixture must be spreadable. Pour in just enough heavy cream to achieve the desired consistency and mix well.

Step 11

Place the first cake layer on a piece of cardboard cut for the cake, or the removable metal bottom of a cake pan and place it over a baking rack set above a baking sheet to collect excess glaze when the topping goes on. Divide the filling into three equal quantities. Mound 1/3 of the filling onto the first layer and spread with an offset spatula that has been dipped in water. Continue until all layers are assembled.

Step 12

Cover the sides and top of the cake with the chilled chocolate. If it’s too firm, put it in the microwave for 5 seconds and stir until it softens, but do not over use the microwave or you’ll ruin the chocolate. Make sure the warm chocolate is pourable, reheating over an extremely low flame briefly, and then stirring until glossy and smooth. Pour over the center of the cake, and with an offset spatula, gently push it to the sides and over, smoothing as you go as little as possible. Warm water to dip the spatula in works wonders for this. Allow to sit until the chocolate is finished dripping, and remove to a cake platter then refrigerate until serving. To slice, warm a knife in hot water.