I love the flavor of coconut.
It’s actually at the top of my favorite frosting recipe flavors. The texture, however, is not my favorite.
Once, while on my honeymoon in Hawaii, my husband insisted that I try the fresh stuff. He swore that it was nothing like the kind you buy in the store, and that I would fall in love. I don’t know what he was thinking because it had the SAME texture at the stuff you buy in the store!
To this day I think he just wanted to see the face I would make when I crunched down on that first bite.
I also have a serious love for caramel.
That is why German Chocolate Cake should be a favorite. It has soooo many of my favorite things inside…
But no… I love to make this cake for others, but just don’t like to eat it. If you are a fan of this gooey cake, you will want to try to make it from scratch! You’ll never get a better tasting coconut topping! {Or so I’ve heard}
German Chocolate Cupcakes
{Cupcake recipe from the Martha Stewart cupcake book, frosting adapted from Epicurious}
1/4 + 1/8 C. Dutch-process cocoa
1/4 + 1/8 C. hot water
1-1/2 C. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
3/4 t. salt
1-1/2 sticks of butter
1{heaping} C. sugar
2 eggs, room temp
2 t. vanilla
1/2 C. sour cream, room temp
PREP WORK: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line your muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.
MIX IT UP: Whisk together the cocoa and hot water. Set aside. In a medium sized bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
-Melt the butter and sugar in a medium sauce pan over low heat. Transfer to a mixing bowl & beat for several minutes. {It is VERY important that you beat the butter until it has completely cooled! Otherwise you’ll end up with greasy cupcakes!}
Add the eggs, one at a time, to the butter mixture followed by the vanilla and cocoa mixture. Mix until well incorporated. Mix 1/2 of the dry ingredients, followed by 1/2 of the sour cream. Once the batter looks well mixed, add the remaining dry ingredients & sour cream.
BAKE: Spoon into your prepared muffin tin, and bake for 20 minutes. Rotating half way through cooking. Cool completely.
German Chocolate Frosting
10 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
1-1/4 Cup coarsely chopped pecans
Two 14-ounces cans sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
PREP WORK: Take your cans of sweetened condensed milk and remove the labels. Place the cans on their side in a large pot, and fully cover with water. Bring to a boil, and boil for two hours. Check on it constantly. The cans need to stay fully submerged with water, so it’s ok to add some if it starts getting low.
Allow to cool before opening!
HEAT THINGS UP: Spread your chopped nuts on a baking sheet. Do the same with the coconut on a separate sheet. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees, and place the coconut on the bottom 1/3 of the oven, and the pecans on the top 1/3. Stir every 5 minutes until the nuts are fragrant, and the coconut is lightly browned.
MIX IT UP: Mix the caramel, coconut, pecans, and vanilla in a large bowl. Spread onto your cupcakes, or cake.
**TIP** If the frosting starts to get too hard, pop it in the microwave for 20 seconds.
I hope that you read through the entire recipe before attempting to make it. It can really be a lot of work. Especially if you aren’t prepared.
But it is so worth the work!
I’m linkin up @: Market Yourself Monday, Making the World Cuter Monday, Show Me How, Lil’ Luna Link Party
