Earthquake Cake

Happy Fall Ya'll!!!  If you have been around awhile you know I use any chance I get to say "ya'll"!  OK, admittedly, it is on a sign I have hanging up on my patio so it might not have been an original thought.  In fact, that will be a common theme in this recipe post!

I am not the creator/inventor/developer/goddess of this recipe.  I do believe it has been around quite some time.  I wanted to give it a try.  In researching this recipe, I found about as many versions as there are people who make it.  Just wait until I share another version I found!  Seriously!  I think this could be a rather interesting, and tasty journey!

It is called earthquake cake because of the cracks that form in the top while baking.  But, can I be honest?  Lots that I saw photos of, had no cracks.  The truth is, I don't really think it matters much.  What matters is getting a piece on a plate and wrapping your lips around that fork and throwin' it back!  This cake needs no icing.  It is so decadent, and rich.  SORT of, kinda, maybe a tiny bit reminiscent of a German chocolate cake at the bottom! 

I think you should also have a glass of wine.  I think I am going to start ending all of my blog posts with that.  "Should be consumed with wine".  What do you think?

Here it is!  Check out the video too!  Make sure to.... Crap, let me find my manners.  I would LOVE if you would subscribe to my YT channel!  Thumbs ups, comments, sharing the videos, all help me grow!

Let's do it!

1 box German chocolate cake mix
1 cup water
1/2 cup oil
3 eggs
(or the measurements listed on your box)
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips (another 1/4 cup for later) If you want to use semi sweet or dark chocolate that is fine.
1 8 oz block of cream cheese
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (confections sugar, icing sugar)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick spray and sprinkle the coconut and 1 cup chocolate chips in the bottom, set aside.

In a bowl, prepare the German chocolate cake mix according to package directions.   Pour evenly over the top of the coconut and chocolate chips.  Set aside

In a small saucepan melt the cream cheese and butter.  When it is melted, remove and pour into a large bowl (or use a large saucepan) and add in your powdered sugar.  Whisk or mix to combine.  Dollop this mixture all over the top of the chocolate cake mix.  Use a knife to swirl it with the chocolate cake mix.  No need to go cray=zay, just do it a little bit and call it good.  Sprinkle the last 1/4 cup of chocolate chips on top and bake for 40-45 minutes.  When you take it out, it should be a little bit jiggly in the center.  No worries, cool it completely and dig in! 

So good, you don't even need frosting!  I mean, whipped cream or ice cream would be great, but, I don't want to be responsible for anyone's bad decisions. 

German Chocolate Cake

Where did German chocolate cake get its name?  Is it really German?  I should google that, shouldn't I?  I am making this for a birthday in a few weeks and needed to do a trial run.  Never, have I made this particular flavor of cake and it seems MANY of you love it!  I find I am bad about that.  I don't make things I wouldn't like to eat, usually.  Sometimes I do. 

(I am still an angel food cake with seven minute icing girl)

Anyhoodle, just wanted to share this with you since, well, you know, it turned out, the first time!  I admittedly researched many different recipes.  I wanted an easy one, but I wanted it to be good.  I combined a couple, and it worked like a charm.  A mix between the more labor intensive variety and the easy peasy variety.  I don't even like coconut, and I love this.  Why?  Because you can hardly taste the coconut! HA!

I did learn one important fact.  Oh wait, did you see I made it heart shaped?  Aww, love is already in the air!  Anyway, what I learned was, it seems you should traditionally ice your cake while the cake and frosting are hot.  Not when you are making a 2 layer cake.  Don't ask me how I know, just trust that I am leading you down the right path!

German chocolate cake mix  (use 2, 9inch pans or a 13x19)
Prepare according to package directions.  I always add a tsp of vanilla into my mix as well.  Let cool COMPLETELY before icing if doing a 2 layer cake, otherwise, feel free to frost it as soon as your frosting is done!

German Chocolate Cake Frosting:
2- 14oz. cans sweetened condensed milk
2 egg yolks
6 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups coconut (sweetened)
1 2/3 cup pecans (chopped or smashed into smallish pieces
2 tsp vanilla extract

In a COLD medium sauce pan, add condensed milk, egg yolks, butter, and brown sugar.  Turn heat on to medium and stir, almost continuously until mixture begins to bubble slightly and thicken.  This could take 5 minutes or more.  Do not walk away from it, because when you do, you are basically putting out to the frosting gods "please allow my frosting to BURN".  They listen ya know.  And it WILL happen. 
When the mixture is thickened considerably, add in coconut,  pecans and vanilla extract.  Stir until all ingredients are well combined and then let sit for 1 hour.  (after it gets to room temp put in the fridge for the rest of the hour! Remember this is ONLY if you are making a 2 layer cake)

Make a thin layer between the layers and then frost it up buttercup!

I am told by a German Chocolate Expert, this was by far, the best frosting of its kind he had ever eaten.  I mean different strokes for different folks but, just sayin....

Your "advisor to the frosting Gods" Chefwannabe