Preheat oven to 350.
Grease and line with parchment paper 3 - 9 inch cake pans.
Yes, my pans look pretty beaten up and worn.
When milk prices go up I'll buy new ones!
Microwave 2 - 4 oz sweet chocolate baking bars with 1/2 C
water until melted. I microwaved on high about 1 minute.
Beat together 1 C softened butter and 2 C sugar.
Add 4 egg yolks and mix. Save the whites.
Add the chocolate mixture and 1 t. vanilla.
Add 2 C flour, 1/4 t salt and 1 t. baking soda alternately with
1 C buttermilk.
Take your 4 egg whites - you did save them right? And beat
until stiff peaks form.
Then gently fold the whites into the cake mixture.
Pour evenly into the 3 cake pans. Please ignore the ugly pans
and look at the beauty of the chocolate batter.
Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes - check with tooth pick -
DON'T OVER BAKE!
FROSTING:
This is not for the lighthearted - this takes work and diligence.
Toast 2 C pecans in the oven - 350 degrees for about 15 minutes
- just until they are toasted (you know, toasted)
In a heavy sauce pan cook 1 can (12-oz.) evaporated milk, 1 1/2
C sugar, 3/4 C butter and 6 egg yolks about 4 minutes or so
until the sugar dissolves.
This is the tough part - cook and stir for 10 - 12 minutes or until
mixture is caramel in color, bubbles and feels like pudding.
Transfer to a bowl.
Add 1 1/2 t. vanilla, 2 C sweetened flaked coconut.
Chop your toasted pecans and add to the mixture.
This is even harder than the last step. Let set until cool and is
spreading consistence - stir occasionally. This takes about 45
minutes. The hard part is not eating a scoop of this every time
you stir it.
Frosting, meet cake.
Layer frosting with the cake.
Isn't it pretty?
What I lack in artistic display is made up in taste.