Published January 1, 2005.
We wanted a streamlined German chocolate cake recipe that would be less sweet and more chocolaty than the original. After testing, we discovered that the texture of the cake actually improved when we used whole eggs instead of laboriously separating the eggs, beating the whites, and folding them into the batter. We enhanced the chocolate flavor with a combination of cocoa powder and high-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate. Finally, we adjusted the level and proportions of the sugar (both brown and white) and butter in the cake and filling, and toasted the pecans, for a German chocolate cake that was easier to make and had better texture and flavor than the original.
When you assemble the cake, the filling should be cool or cold (or room temperature, at the very warmest). To be time-efficient, first make the filling, then use the refrigeration time to prepare, bake, and cool the cakes. The toasted pecans are stirred into the filling just before assembly to keep them from becoming soft and soggy.
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