Chocolate! Chocolate! Chocolate!

Triple-layer 6" Chocolate Cake with Toasted Pecan Coconut Caramel filling and Whipped Chocolate Ganache and Buttercream Frosting

This was a doozy of a cake!  Our good friends were hosting family this past week here in Heidelberg.  When they invite us out to dinner...1) definitely! We'll be there, 2) Which of our favorite restaurants?, and 3) What kind of cake should I bring?

"What kind of cake shall I bring?" is a really fun question.  Here lately, the enthusiastic response is usually, "Anything you feel like baking!"

I've thought about what to bake for this dinner, and nothing was coming to me.  I reviewed my previously successful cakes and considered a couple winners.  It was...nice.  Ugh.  Even the morning of the baking, I had "settled" on a very lovely cake.  I just didn't feel inspired.  But, I got into action and started by baking a chocolate cake.  As the cake was going into the oven... inspiration struck!

Earlier in the week I made my first attempt at German Chocolate Cake - which I now refer as Toasted Pecan Coconut Caramel frosting on Chocolate Cake because this truncated American name really confuses my German colleagues.

The second go-around with the pecans and coconut went better than the first time.  Completely delicious and a lovely consistency.  Must do tip: Toasting the pecans is essentially for maximum flavor of this frosting.

So, the chocolate cake was in the oven...I was going to fill the layers with caramel yumminess and I even knew immediately how to frost it.  I quickly made chocolate ganache so it could set up and I could later whip it into frosting consistency.  Chocolate ombré roses...I've never done that before. 

I started at the base of the cake with the ganache - it lost of its darkness, but I thought it would be ok.

The next layer of roses is a combination of ganache and chocolate buttercream.  The color difference is very subtle and I wish it was more pronounced (my regret of this cake is not altering these two rows more).

The third layer of roses is all chocolate buttercream.

The top is mostly vanilla buttercream with just a wee it of chocolate thrown in.

When we all arrived at the restaurant, I gave our favorite waitress the six cupcakes I had prepared alongside the cake.  Each cupcake is filled with the Pecan Coconut frosting and topped with differing levels of chocolate buttercream.  After a few minutes, the bartender brought champagne for everyone at the table and our server explained that all the cakes were eaten and the staff extends their gratitude.  How fun was that?  Also, she took the cake and sat it in the fridge until dessert time.  And, in case you're wondering...I swapped my filled glass with my friend's empty glass.  No big deal.

I love the look of this cake.  And I think the taste was very delightful.

Great friends.  Fantastic dinner.  Wonderful date night. 

The father/would-be father-in-law of our friends described this cake as "anti-social....it keeps people from talking to each other!"  (Meant in a good way since folks are so busy enjoying it - I got it.  Good times!)