German Chocolate Cake with Coconut Pecan Frosting

My mother made this cake time and again when we were growing up. She got the recipe off a box of Baker's German Sweet Chocolate. It became a family favorite from the first bite. So today this recipe is posted as an homage to her. Because I could not find my original recipe, I looked on line and this is definitely an updated version. Also I own only 2 cake pans so I have decided to make it into a 2 layer cake and then some cupcakes.
The frosting is a buttery, rich sweet frosting that has coconuts and pecans in it. I could just sit and eat a bowl of it but I must save it to frost the cake. I've often thought of taking the cooled frosting and making balls and then dipping them in chocolate. But I am totally getting off track here. It's over a year later since I originally did this post and I did go forth with my idea and the Chocolate Coconut Pecan Candies came out splendid.

For the cake:

• 1 - 4 oz. pkg. Baker's Sweet Chocolate
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 eggs, separated
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat your oven to 350° F.
2. Cover the bottoms of 3 9-inch round pans with waxed paper. Spray the sides with cooking spray.
3. Microwave the chocolate and water in a large microwaveable bowl on high for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes or until the chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 minute until the chocolate is completely melted.
4. Beat the egg whites in a small bowl with a mixer on high speed to form stiff peaks and set aside.
5. In another bowl mix the flour, baking soda and salt. 
6. In yet another large bowl beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk one at a time, beating well after each.
7. Blend in the melted chocolate and vanilla.
8. Add flour mixture alternating with the buttermilk; beating until well blended after each addition.
9. Add the beaten egg whites, folding in until blended well.
10. Pour the batter into the prepared pans - equal amounts in each pan.
11. Bake approximately 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Immediately run a long spatula around the edges of the cake.
12. Cool the cake in the pans for 15 minutes, then remove them to a wire rack.
13. Spread frosting between each layer - but not the sides.

For the Coconut Pecan Frosting:

• 4 egg yolks
• 1 - 14 oz. can evaporated milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 1/2 sticks butter - room temperature
• 1 - 7 oz. pkg. shredded coconut
• 1 - 7 oz. pkg. chopped pecans

1. In a sauce pot whisk together the egg yolks, evaporated milk and vanilla until blended well.
2. Place the sauce pot on your stove and over medium heat add the sugar and butter to the mix.
3. Keep whisking and constantly stirring. When the mixture begins to boil it will start to thicken. At the point of thickness, remove from the heat.
4. Fold in the pecans and coconut and cool down until the mixture becomes your desired consistency for spreading. As it cools down, it thickens to a nice spreadable consistency.

When you take the frosting off the stove and add the coconut and pecans it looks really golden.

Then as it cools and thickens it begins to look like this: