GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE with COCONUT, PECAN FROSTING

This is by far, our families favorite Cake. This cake is super simple, and the frosting is delicious. In fact, I could eat the entire pan of frosting…..all by myself. You can make it fancy, by using 3 round cake pans, and layering frosting in between, or make it easy, by putting the cake in a 9×13 pan or by using a large, deep, greased Cookie sheet. Simply frost the top. The recipe calls for pecans in the frosting, but you can use toasted almonds, walnuts or whatever your family would like. You can even leave the nuts out entirely, like I have to for some of my kids. It’s delicious!
YOU WILL NEED:

FOR THE CAKE:
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup Hershey’s Cocoa powder
1 cup Crisco Oil
2 eggs
1 cup Buttermilk
1 cup Hot tap water
2 teaspoons Soda
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Vanilla.
DIRECTIONS:
The amazing thing about this cake recipe, is that you put all the ingredients in your bowl at the same time. Using a hand mixer, blend the ingredients until well mixed. Don’t over blend, a few small lumps are fine. Before putting in your pans, grease & flour them. Once you have added the cake mixture, tap them lightly on the top of a table or cabinet, to release any air bubbles. Bake 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees.
I usually bake my cake on a large deep Cookie sheet. (Like those you can buy at Rush’s Kitchen Supply) They now come with lids!
 
COCONUT PECAN FROSTING
(I always double this, recipe)
 
YOU WILL NEED:
1 cup evaporated Milk (like Sego)
1 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups Coconut
1 cup chopped nuts
Whisk your evaporated milk & egg yolks together, making sure that egg yolk is well blended in. Place the milk, egg yolk mixture & above ingredients in a medium size saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly over med. heat for about 12 minutes, or until frosting has thickened. Add Coconut & nuts, and spread over COOLED cake. It’s soooo Good!