Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 package (4 ounces) German sweet chocolate (or bittersweet or semisweet chocolate)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs, separated
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2-1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup buttermilk

Frosting:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 egg yolks, beaten
• 1-1/3 cups flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 squares (2 ounces) semisweet chocolate
• 1 tsp shortening

Instructions

1. Line three greased 9-inch round baking pans with waxed paper. Grease waxed paper and set aside. In a small saucepan, melt chocolate with water over low heat; cool.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 4 egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in melted chocolate and vanilla.
3. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
4. In a small mixing bowl and with clean beaters, beat the 4 egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold a fourth of the egg whites into the creamed mixture; fold in remaining whites.
5. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
6. For frosting, in a small saucepan, heat the sugar, milk, butter and egg yolks over medium-low heat until mixture is thickened and golden brown, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat.
7. Stir in the coconut, pecans and vanilla extract. Cool until thick enough to spread. Spread a third of the frosting over tops of each cake layer and stack the layers. Melt chocolate with shortening, stirring until smooth; drizzle down sides of cake.

See my step-by-step instructions with photos!