German Layered Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

• Filling � make 3 hours before using
• 1 cup pecan pieces, broken medium coarse
• 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons (1 can) condensed milk 3 large egg yolks
• 1 stick or 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, at 65�-75�F (or 19�-23�C)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups Baker�s Angle Flake coconut or Mounds

Batter

• 66 grams or 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (sifted) unsweetened alkalized/Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup canola or safflower oil, at room temperature
• 4 large eggs, separated, plus 2 whites, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 75 grams or 3/4 cup (sifted and leveled off in a cup) cake flour
• 75 grams or 2/3 cup (sifted and leveled off in a cup) bleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups or 300 grams superfine/caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon sale

Directions

For the Filling

1. Pre-heat oven to 300�F. Spread a single layer of pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 3 minutes. Stir and spread, and bake for another 4 minutes. Avoid over-browning.
2. Whisk condensed milk and egg yolks in a medium heavy saucepan. Add butter and cook over medium heat, while constantly stirring with a silicone spatula. Lower the heat once the mixture starts to simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, until thickened enough, about 175�F/79�C. Remove from heat occasionally to keep from burning.
3. Add vanilla, coconut and pecans into the saucepan and continue to cook over medium heat for a minute. Mixture will be tan in color, slightly translucent and can still be poured. Transfer into a large bowl and cover with a towel while it cools to room temperature. Wait 3 hours to cool to room temperature. It can be refrigerated, just make sure to soften by submerging bowl in hot water.

For the batter

1. Preheat the oven to 350�F/175�C, with the oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Whisk cocoa and boiling water by hand in a stand mixer bowl or a large bowl until smooth. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and cool to room temperature for about 30 minutes. You can place it in the refrigerator but it would be needed to be at room temperature before proceeding to the next step.
2. Add oil and yolks to the mixer bowl and whisk with a whisk batter mixer attachment beginning on low speed, gradually going to medium. It will get until smooth and shiny, like buttercream, after about a minute. Scrape the sides of the bowls before adding vanilla and mixing for a few more seconds.
3. Whisk cake flour, all purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate medium bowl, then sift on a large piece of parchment for pouring. Add half of the flour mixture into egg and chocolate mixture. Beat on low until the dry ingredients are moistened. Scrape the side of the bowl before adding the remaining flour mixture. Increase the speed to medium-high for a minute before pausing and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl. At this point the mixture will be very thick. Turn the mixer on slow and add the egg whites, and gradually speed up to medium high for 2 minutes. The batter will resemble a thick soup. Pour batter into prepared pans and fill about a quarter full each.
4. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until a wooden toothpick or cake tester comes out clean and the cake springs back when lightly pressed in the centers. Cakes must be unmolded as soon as they are taken out of the oven. Run a thin metal spatula around the sides and invert cakes onto prepared wire rack. Remove the parchment from the bottom and re-invert them again on the other rack. Cool completely before filling.

Assembling the Cake

1. Place a little filling on the serving plate or cardboard round and position the first layer on top of it. Frost with half the filling. Place the second layer directly on top and frost with the remaining filling, spreading it right to the edge.
2. Cover the cake with a cake dome to prevent it from drying out.