Recipe of the Week - German Chocolate Cupcakes

Week 50

My friend Jeannie brought German Chocolate cupcakes to a meeting last week and it was all I could do to keep myself from scraping the frosting off all the cupcakes and scarfing it down!  There is just something dee-lish about that frosting.  Since my taste buds were still reeling from that experience I decided to feature German Chocolate cupcakes this week. 

This recipe comes from a tattered page out of my mother's Bell's Best cookbook - published by the Telephone Pioneers of America (Mississippi Chapter No. 36).  Mom is on her second Bell's Best original cookbook (there are several additional volumes).  She got her first one in 1981 and it was used so much it totally disintegrated.

Bell's Best Volume 1

Mississippi Chapter # 36

photo from MarthaStewart.com

Cake Creations by Shelly via Flickr

German Chocolate Cupcakes

2 cups sugar
4 egg yolks
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pkg. sweet German chocolate
1 cup Crisco
1 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup hot water
4 egg whites - beaten

Cream shortening and add sugar gradually.  Melt chocolate in 1/2 cup hot water (over hot water bath) and allow to cool.  Add egg yolks to creamed mixture - one at a time.  Mix well.  Sift flour and measure.  Mix soda and buttermilk.  Add flour alternatively with buttermilk to the creamed mixture.  Add the chocolate and vanilla then fold in the beaten egg whites. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes, checking frequently after 15 minutes.  Frost cupcakes when completely cooled.



German Chocolate Frosting

2 cups + 2 Tbsp. evaporated milk (we call it "canned milk" in the South)
1 stick + 2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup + 2 Tbsp. sugar
2 egg yolks + 2 whole eggs
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Mix milk, butter, sugar and eggs in a saucepan.  Cook over low heat, stirring constantly.  Do not leave unattended!  When thick, remove from heat and cool.  Fold in coconut and pecans.