German chocolate cake gets twice as nice; two versions - one lower-fat one vegan - make a classic tasty and more nutritious - Recipe Redux - includes recipes

Vegetarian Times, Feb, 1997 by Nancy Ross Ryan

Before becoming a vegetarian and then vegan, I used to do a small amount of baking for hire. One of my most popular cakes was a German chocolate cake. I have recently begun to play around with whole-egg replacements, and I have had some success. However, I don't have a clue what to use instead of egg whites or egg yolk, for that matter. Buttermilk also poses a problem, and I haven't run across any vegan Bakers Germans Sweet Chocolate. If you could "veganize" this German chocolate cake and still have an end product that is moist, rich and tasty, I will be forever grateful and my husband will too.

Before taking on this somewhat daunting project, I made the original recipe. It turned out moist, rich and tasty. Small wonder. The original recipe for cake and frosting called for a whopping seven egg yolks, four egg whites, 3 1/2 cups sugar and 3/4 pound of butter -- just a few of the ingredients used.

In creating the two re-makes, one lower-fat vegetarian and one vegan, we took a hard line on the fat content, replacing the cholesterol-laden stuff with prune puree. The results in both cases were surprisingly good. The lower-fat vegetarian version is somewhat lighter in texture than the vegan version because it uses egg whites. However, both versions are moist and tasty. In the vegan version, clabbered soymilk replaces buttermilk with good results. And the frosting, made with evaporated skim milk in one case, and almond milk in the other, doesn't suffer from lack of egg yolks or butter. Both versions are satisfyingly rich, sweet and creamy.

In researching the origin of this old-fashioned favorite, I learned that German chocolate cake does not have anything to do with Germany nor was it brought to this country by German immigrants. Sam German, an employee of Baker & Co., developed German's Sweet Chocolate in 1852. In 1957, the first published recipe for German chocolate cake came out in a Dallas newspaper and became nationally popular. But according to reliable sources, the recipe had been passed around by home cooks as early as the 1930s; it just wasn't called German chocolate cake. No matter what the history books say, this cake has become an American classic. With a few healthful tweaks, it can be your family's favorite too.

German Chololate Cake

with Coconut-Pecan Frosting

Batter:
4 oz. (3/4 cup) pitted prunes
1/2 cup water
8 egg whites (see note)
2 cups sugar
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 up cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk

Frosting:

12-oz. can evaporated skim milk or
1 1/2 A cups almond milk

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
5 Tbs. cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup
water to form smooth paste
cups flaked coconut
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In food processor or blender, chop prunes. With motor running, add water. Puree, stopping to scrape sides, until mixture resembles smooth paste, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl of mixer.

In separate bowl, whisk egg whites together. Divide in half; reserve.

With beaters running, add sugar to prune puree in mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Do not underbeat. Add half of egg whites. Beat until smooth and fluffy.

In separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add, beating constantly, to prune, sugar and egg white mixture, alternating with buttermilk. Beat until smooth and fluffy.

In separate bowl, beat remaining egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold beaten egg whites into cake batter carefully but completely.

Divide batter among three 9-inch cake pans that have been lightly oiled and their bottoms lined with waxed paper. Bake until cake springs back when touched in center and wooden pick inserted comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Remove from oven; place pans on cooling racks. Run spatula carefully around edge. Let cake cool in pans until room temperature, about 20 minutes. Frosting: In saucepan, mix together evaporated milk or almond milk, sugar and vanilla. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture is hot. Add cornstarch paste in thin stream, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in coconut and pecans; stir to cool.

Frost in between layers and tops and sides of cake. Makes 10 slices.

Note: Dehydrated egg whites provide a convenient, economical way to bake without having to dispose of leftover yolks. They are available at natural food stores. Substitute 1/3 cup dehydrated egg whites, whisked until smooth with 1 cup lukewarm water, for 8 egg whites. PER SLICE: 713 CAL.; 13G PROT.; 17G TOTAL FAT (5G SAT. FAT); 123G CARB.; 3MG CHOL.; 584G SOD.; 4G FIBER. OVO-LACTO

Vegan German

Chocolate Cake

Batter:
4 oz. (3/4 cup) pitted prunes
1/2 cup water
2 Tbs. powdered Egg Replacer (see
glossary, p. 110)
1/2 cup water
2 cups sugar
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup low-fat soymilk
2 tsp. white vinegar

Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In food processor or blender, chop prunes. With motor running, add water. Puree, stopping to scrape sides, until mixture resembles smooth paste, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl of mixer.