Birthday Cake, Booze and Doritos

Not So German Chocolate Cake

Today, January 13th, 2012, would have been my father's 59th birthday ("Just J" as he was known to my friends - his name was just the letter J. It stood for nothing other than the letter "J").  

When I sat down to think about food and my family I initially thought we really don't have any food traditions. However, throughout the day I realized that we do hold some food traditions very close to heart. When we gather en masse there is Monahan Dip (a concoction of cream cheese, chili sauce, some spices, onions and Old Dutch RIP-L Triple Pack of chips), Christmas gets Italian (though we are not), Just Joni makes a fudge that only she knows the recipe, Just J made a great soup he simply called Dumps. It involves canned bean soup and homemade dumplings and is probably the best thing to be found in a stock pot on a cold winter's night. And Aunt Sharon makes a ham/pickle sandwich that involves a meat grinder that gets people in by the droves for some reason that I cannot explain.  

When my generation of cousins was small and we found ourselves at Papa's for a family dinner we binged on Doritos, York Peppermint Patties, Kraft American Singles and New York Vanilla ice cream topped with Leroux Creme De Menthe (that's right, booze on ice cream for kids. It was the 80's and we were scared of the Russians). In the end, there was a very long list of "traditional" foods that we have eaten and will eat as a family.  

But back to the cake above.  

I have no memory of celebrating my father's birthdays.  My mother's birthday is just two days before (HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUST JONI!) so there were combined parties I am sure.  I do, for some reason, have stored in the recesses of my mind that my father's favorite cake was German Chocolate. Which after researching today I discovered is not so much German as it was created by a man with the name German. So today I set out to make my own version of this chocolate, coconut, pecan cake that in my mind was my father's favorite. As I am not a fan of the texture of shredded coconut or nuts in chocolate I took some serious liberties with this project.   

Chocolate Sour Cream Layer Cake

RECIPE FROM GOURMET TODAY 2009 EDITION

ingredients

5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

9 ounces unsalted butter, softened

2 3/4 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising, sift before measuring)

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs, left at room temperature for 30 minutes

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups sour cream

instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Melt chocolate with butter in metal bowl set over barely simmering water, stirring; cool.

3. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

4. Beat eggs, sugars, and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and thick, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low and mix in melted chocolate until incorporated. Add flour mixture in 3 batches alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until each addition is just incorporated.

5. Spread batter evenly in pans and rap pans several times on work surface to eliminate air bubbles. Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted in center of each cake comes out clean and cakes pull away from sides of pans, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes.

6. Run a thin knife around sides of pans and invert cakes onto racks. Remove paper and cool cakes completely.

Foolproof Chocolate Frosting

RECIPE FROM COOK'S ILLUSTRATED

ingredients

20 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 cup confectioners sugar

3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa

pinch table salt

3/4 cup light corn syrup

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

8 ounces milk chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

instructions

1. In food processor, process butter, sugar, cocoa and salt until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl as needed.

2. Add corn syrup and vanilla and process until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds.

3. Scrape sides of bowl, then add chocolate and pulse until smooth and creamy, 10 to 15 seconds.

Frosting can be used immediately or held.

Dulce De Leche Filling

Available, canned, in your grocer's baking aisle.

Coconut Garnish

Simply store bought raw coconut browned in a saute pan.  

Enjoy and Happy Birthday Just J.  

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