Thursday, May 8, 2014

Snow Canyon State Park

Charlotte and I went hiking twice on Easter weekend at Snow Canyon State Park.

Trying out my yoga moves

Everything was in bloom

Standing on sand-covered lava rock

Petrified Dunes

Whiterocks Amphitheater





German Chocolate Cake

Justin's favorite type of cake is German Chocolate, so I decided to make it from scratch. I doubled the recipe so that I could make it double layer. 

Note: Makes 1 cake and frosting batch. 
Calories are probably a billion. 

Cake
Ingredients:
3 large eggs
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 self-rising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3 oz dark chocolate
1 cup apple sauce

Frosting
Ingredients: 
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup brown sugar
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans (buy whole and chop yourself)
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes



Directions: 
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter, sugar, and apple sauce in a mixing bowl until fluffy. Next, beat in the eggs. 
2. In a second bowl mix together and sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and sugar. Once mixed together, about a cup scoop at a time, fold the dry mixture into the creamed. 
3. Melt the chocolate on the stove top. Heat a pot of water at medium heat and place a glass mixing bowl on top. Stir the chocolate until completely melted. Pour a little bit on a plate and put it in the fridge to cool (if you are planning on making the chocolate curls on top). The rest can be poured into the cake mixture. 
4. In a greased 8 inch cake pan, pour the cake mixture. Bake for 25 minutes or until firm. 
5. While the cake is cooking, start the frosting. Have the pecans already chopped to the size you would like and keep some whole for decorating the cake. In a sauce pan, combine the evaporated milk, brown sugar, egg yolks, butter, and vanilla. Keep on medium heat and stir constantly. 
6. Once it starts boiling continue to stir for about 12 minutes until it thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the coconut flakes and pecans. Let it cool to room temperature before icing the cake. 
7. To make the chocolate curls, you will need a flat-head knife. Press down on the chocolate that you have let cool and push forward lightly to create the curls. 
8. Enjoy! If you have any questions, please let me know!