German Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
½ cup boiling water
4 oz German's Chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 cups AP flour
¼ cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
4 large eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup buttermilk

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Using a small brush, lightly coat two 9-inch cake pans with softened butter or vegetable-oil cooking spray. Dust with flour and tap out any excess. Set aside. 
2. In a medium heat-proof bowl, pour boiling water over German's Chocolate. Stir until smooth and set aside. 
3. In another medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 
4. In a large bowl, using a mixer set on medium-high speed, beat sugar and butter until very light, 1 to 2 minutes. Add egg yolks, one at a time, until well incorporated. 
5. Reduce mixer speed to low and add chocolate mixture and vanilla.  Add flour mixture by thirds, alternating with buttermilk and ending with dry ingredients.  
6. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Use a rubber spatula to gently stir a half cup beaten whites into batter. Fold remaining whites into batter.
7. Divide batter equally between pans and spread evenly. 
8. Bake on middle rack of oven until a tester inserted in center of each cake layer comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. 
9. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Use a knife to loosen cake from sides of pan and invert onto wire rack to cool completely.
10. Place 1 layer on a cake plate and top with ⅓ of Coconut-Pecan Filling. Repeat with second and third layers and remaining filling. Serve or store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Coconut-Pecan Filling
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 can (12-oz) evaporated milk
½ cup unsalted butter
3 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
2⅓ cups (one 7-oz package) flaked coconut
1½ cup chopped pecans

Method:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, milk, butter, egg yolks & vanilla. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir in coconut and pecans. Transfer to a bowl and, stirring occasionally, allow to cool to room temperature before frosting the cake.