Tried & True German Chocolate Cake

[porceluna]

I'm having a Valentine's Day party this coming Saturday, and I want to be sure to get chocolate in for the dessert, of course. I've really been into layer cakes recently, and think I'm getting pretty good at them. So, I'm planning on making a chocolate layer cake. But since it's a special occasion, I don't want just ANY chocolate layer cake, obviously--I think I want a German Chocolate Cake! Recipes abound on the internet, but I don't want to risk a bad one. Thus, my request:

Fellow Chowhounds, do you have any recipes **which you have tried and liked** for German Chocolate Cake? (Or some other special, not-plain, not-flourless, chocolate layer cake....)

[AmyH]

The one in the America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook is amazingly delicious. That's my favorite cake and I made it for myself for my last birthday. Yum!

[doctor_mama]

I've done very well with the recipe in the Fannie Farmer Cookbook, by Marion Cunningham.

[suzannajoy]

The recipe I have been using for the last 40 years is found inside the wrapper of Baker's German Sweet Chocolate. I wouldn't use any other.

[danna]

I agree. That's the recipe my Mom uses, it's fabulous. Many things she makes I have changed and made my own superior (IMO) versions of, but not this. She makes 1 1/2 times the frosting recipe so she can do the sides too.

Last week, my parents got their new pasture fence completed, the fence guy, who had over the years been treated to pieces of Mom's German Chocolate cake, agreed to expedite the work in exchange for a whole cake. Powerful stuff.

[katecm]

That's the original, anyway, correct? After all, it's not German chocolate cake, it's German's chocolate cake (Thanks Cooks Illustrated!)

[shallots]

I found myself with the German's Chocolate bar, but no recipe and I tried a recipe off of the net.
Never again.
The one in the wrapper for the chocolate or a different cake.

[pepper_mil]

From the same site, the 'Inside-Out German Chocolate Cake'

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

This recipe has brought people to their knees, and I have made it as written a couple of times. The last two times I have made it I had guests with gluten sensetivities so I used a gluten free chocolate cake mix, doctored up with some extra chocolate, for the cake part.

Minuses: It is a lot of work (though can be done ahead) and very rich, which might be too much at the end of an indulgent holiday dinner. Someone requested it at a party in summer and I brought it against my better judgment, it was too heavy for the hot weather.

[4chowpups]

I loved this cake as well, I thought it was great and so did my guests!!!

[priyapet]

I had success with this recipe recently:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

I left out the chocolate chips in both steps, as did many other people. I know it says "cake squares" but (if you read the comments) you will see that others have baked it into layers.

[abud]

I've made these too with great results.