German Chocolate Cake

• For the Cake:
• 2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 6 tablespoons water
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 11/4 cup + 1/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 4 eggs, yolks and whites separated
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• For the Filling:
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 6 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
• 1 1/3 cups unsweetened coconut, toasted
• For the Rum Syrup:
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons dark rum
• For the Chocolate Icing:
• 8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup heavy cream

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Grease 2 9-inch cake pans. Sift together dry ingredients.
2. Melt the chocolates together with the water in a small bowl. Allow to cool. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and 11/4 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the melted chocolate. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time.
3. Add half of flour mixture. Add buttermilk and vanilla extract, and then remainder of flour mixture.
4. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Slowly add the 1/4 cup of sugar and beat until they form stiff peaks.
5. Gently fold one-third of the egg whites into the cake batter, then fold in the remaining egg whites.
6. Divide the batter into 2 pans, and bake for 45 minutes. Cool.
7. Filling: Stir together heavy cream, sugar and egg yolks in a saucepan. Put butter, salt, pecans and coconut in a large bow. Heat cream mixture and cook, stirring constantly until mixture begins to thicken and coats the back of a spoon. Pour hot custard into pecan mixture and stir until the butter is melted. Cool.
8. Rum Syrup: In a small saucepan, heat the water and sugar until the sugar has melted. Remove from heat and stir in the dark rum.
9. Chocolate Icing: Place the chopped chocolate, corn syrup and butter in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to boil. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate. Let stand one minute, then stir. Cool.
10. Once the filling and icing are both cooled, refrigerate for 1 hour.
11. Assemble the Cake: Remove the cake layers from the pans and cut both cake layers in half horizontally so you have four cake layers. Set the first cake layer on a cake plate. Brush the top of the cake layer with the rum syrup. Spread 3/4 cup of the coconut filling over the cake layer, making sure to reach to the edges. Set another cake layer on top. Repeat, then pipe a decorative border of chocolate icing around the top, encircling the coconut topping.

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Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/german-chocolate-cake-50185839 (may not work)