German Chocolate Cake
Makes one 10-inch round cake/Serves 8 to 10
The second-most-popular dessert at Berghoff’s for decades, this updated version was added to the menu when Herman and Jan established the bakery in its main location on the third floor above the restaurant. Today on the menu, it goes by the name German Chocolate Cake. Head baker Enrique Sta. Maria created this cake, and the recipe is as easy any layer cake. You simply bake two cake layers, split them, spread them with jam, and fill them with whipped cream and cherry filling. Then you frost the cake with the remaining whipped cream and cover it with chocolate shavings. When you level the baked cakes, reserve and dry the crumbs, and freeze them for use in Apple Strudel.
Ingredients:
Chocolate Cake
2 cups cake flour
¾ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 cup milk
½ cup canola oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Yellow Cake
2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
¾ cup milk
½ cup canola oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preserves Filling
1 ¼ cup cherry or raspberry preserves, for filling
Cherry Filling
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
2 (16-ounce) cans cherries in water, drained, juice reserved
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Whipped Cream Fillings and Frosting
1 ½ quarts heavy cream
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
¼ cup cocoa powder
To Assemble
1 (4-ounce) rectangular block semi-sweet baking chocolate, for garnish
Maraschino cherries, for garnish
Directions:
Make the chocolate cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour one 10-inch round cake pan.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the sugar and set aside.
In another bowl, combine the milk, oil, and eggs, and whisk together. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and incorporate. Pour the batter (it will be thin) into the prepared pan.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and cool the pan on a wire rack. When cool, remove the cake from the pan and level the top carefully with a smooth or serrated 12-inch knife. Save the crumbs (see Note). Split the cake into two equal layers and set aside.
Make the yellow cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour one 10-inch round cake pan.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the sugar and set aside.
In another bowl, combine milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla and whisk together. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and incorporate. Pour the batter (it will be thin) into the prepared pan.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and cool the pan on a wire rack. When cool, remove the cake from the pan and level the top carefully with a smooth or serrated 12-inch knife. Save the crumbs (see Note). Split the cake into two equal layers and set aside.
Make the cherry filling: In a saucepan, mix together the sugars and cornstarch. Stir in 1 cup of the reserved cherry juice and cinnamon, and mix well. Bring to a boil, decrease the heat, and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Add the butter and cherries, and stir until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat. Cool completely, stirring occasionally, before using as directed.
Make the whipped cream and chocolate whipped cream: Chill your beaters. Place the cream in a chilled bowl, and whip until stiff peaks form. You will have 16 cups of whipped cream.
Transfer 3 cups of the whipped cream to a separate bowl. Sift together the confectioners’ sugar with the cocoa, and whisk into these 3 cups of whipped cream.
Make the chocolate shavings: Using the coarse side of a grater, grate the chocolate along the long side of the block to create long, thin curls. Set aside.
To assemble: Place one layer of the chocolate cake on a cake round or cake plate, split side up. Spread with half of the chocolate whipped cream. Spread the chocolate whipped cream with half of the cherry filling.
Gently place the bottom layer of the yellow cake, split side up, on top of the cherry filling, and press down gently. Spread with a thin layer of raspberry preserves, followed by 1 cup of plain whipped cream.
Place the second layer of the chocolate cake, split side up, on top of the whipped cream, and press down gently. Spread with the remaining chocolate whipped cream and cherry filling.
Top with the second layer of yellow cake, split side down, and press down gently. Frost the entire cake with the remaining plain whipped cream. Pat the chocolate shavings onto the sides of the cake. Pipe any remaining whipped cream into rosettes on top of the cake, and garnish with maraschino cherries.
Note: To dry cake crumbs, break the scraps saved from leveling into small pieces. Bake on a parchment-lined cookie sheet in a 200°F oven until pieces are dry but not browned, about 45 to 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Place the dried cake pieces in a food processor and pulse to make crumbs. Freeze the crumbs in zippered plastic bags for up to one month, for later use.