German Chocolate Cake

 INGREDIENTS 

1/2 cup water
1 pkg. (4 oz.) BAKER'S GERMAN'S Sweet Chocolate
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1 cup margarine or butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
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2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
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Coconut Pecan Frosting (below)

 DIRECTIONS 

1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. Grease and lightly flour two or three 9-inch round pans with removable bottom (or line with parchment paper). In a small saucepan, over low heat, melt chocolate with water. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add chocolate and vanilla.
4. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, blending at low speed until well bleneded. Pour batter into prepared pans.
5. Bake 35 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Immediately run small spatula around cakes in pans. Cool cakes in pans 15 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.
6. Prepare Coconut-Pecan Filling and Frosting (recipe below). When frosting and cakes are cooled, spread frosting between cake layers and onto top of cake.

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Coconut Pecan Frosting

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1 cup sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup margarine or butter
3 eggs, beaten
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1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla
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- In medium saucepan, combine sugar, evaporated milk, margarine, and eggs. Cook over medium heat until mixture starts to bubble, stirring constantly. Continue cooking and stirring for anotherr minute. Remove from heat and stir in remaing ingredients.
- Cool until room temperature, and frost cake.