German chocolate cake has nothing to do with Germany. German chocolate itself was created by an English-American man named Samuel German for Baker’s Chocolate Company back in 1852 and was originally called German’s chocolate. It wasn’t until 1957 when a homemaker from Dallas, Texas had her recipe for German’s Chocolate Cake appear in the local newspaper, resulting in an increase in German’s chocolate sales. The possessive form was eventually dropped and thus we have the false impression of a German origin. There you learned something new today.

While I love German chocolate cake, as you know I’m a bit partial to cookies so made a cookie version instead to celebrate today being #NationalGermanChocolateCakeDay. Yea yea it’s not actually cake but it’s close enough. Heck I even used German chocolate cake mix for the cookie dough and the thumbprint is filled with pecan-coconut frosting. I mean cake-mix cookies are already delicious, and now you add that filling? YUM!

Today Bob and I are heading to the Finger Lakes with his family for the week! When we return we still have a hoarder-looking house full of stuff from the basement to deal with which I absolutely do not look forward to. Coming home to a disaster is not ideal, but thankfully we come back on Friday and will hopefully be able to take care of it all that weekend because I cannot live like that any longer and retain my sanity.

Three years ago: Mexican Corn Casserole

Four years ago: German Chocolate Banana Bread

Five years ago: Honey-Lime Chicken Kebabs

GERMAN CHOCOLATE THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

THUMBPRINT COOKIES

1 box (15.25 oz.) German Chocolate cake mix

2 eggs, room temperature and lightly beaten

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 cup flaked sweetened coconut (optional)

PECAN COCONUT FROSTING

1 cup evaporated milk

1 cup sugar

1 egg and 1 egg yolk, beaten

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup flaked sweetened coconut

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, and vegetable oil. Stir with a spoon until thoroughly mixed and no dry pockets remain.
3. Place the coconut in a shallow dish or on a plate.
4. Form the dough into round, 3/4-inch balls (I used a small cookie scoop). Roll each ball in the coconut, pressing slightly to make it stick. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart. Using the bottom of a glass, flatten each cookie to about 1/4-inch thick.
5. Bake cookies for 6-8 minutes, until cookies are set or slightly golden on the edges. Using the back of a spoon or your thumb, gently push a crevasse into the center of each cookie immediately after removing from oven. (Be careful not to push all the way through the cookie.) Let cool slightly before transferring to wire rack.
6. While cookies are baking, make the frosting. In a large saucepan combine evaporated milk, sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla and cornstarch. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and coconut. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
7. Once the cookies are completely cool, spoon a teaspoon of frosting into the center of each cookie (may have leftover frosting).

Source: Cookies adapted from my Funfetti Cupcake Blossom Cookies and frosting from my German Chocolate Brownies.

Over the weekend I had a strange encounter with my bullet blender. Saturday morning after preparing my typical green smoothie, I was hastily cleaning up and gathering my belongings before rushing out the door in time for pilates. Rinse out cup and blender blades – check. Grab water bottle, shoes, and blender base – che… wait what?! It wasn’t until I unloaded my things into the car that I realized I had grabbed the bullet blender base which resulted in a lot of confused laughter. Of course I didn’t have time to go back inside so it took a trip in the car. The only explanation I can come up with is that I must have intended to put it away but skipped that step and just walked out the door with it instead. Either way I proceeded to post about it on Facebook to give others a good laugh at my expense.

Speaking of other appliances that grind things up, how about the food processor? No I did not walk out of the house with it (yet) but it is evidently useful when it comes to making snack bars for when you are in a rush out the door. I’ve had homemade larabars on my list of things to make ever since I grabbed a giant container of dates from Costco and finally was inspired when I learned that today is National Pecan Day! How about we turn German chocolate cake into a healthy snack bar? While they don’t exactly taste like dessert, with toasted pecans, shredded coconut, and German chocolate mixed in them they certainly taste good. Just don’t make the mistake I did and use unpitted dates. I just hope I didn’t dull the blades of my food processor in the process because those pits are no joke – they didn’t grind up at all! Thankfully this did made them easy to extract, but I may need to look in to how to go about sharpening my food processor blades. If I’m not running around outside with kitchen appliances it’s something else right?

One year ago: Peepsters Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Four years ago: Double Cake Batter Truffle Ice Cream

GERMAN CHOCOLATE LARABARS

Makes 18 bars

Ingredients:

1 cup pitted dates

1 cup toasted pecans

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (optional)

2 oz. German chocolate

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

1. Line a jelly roll pan with wax paper and set aside.
2. Add all ingredients to food processor and pulse until the mixture clumps together. Add 1 teaspoon of water if it’s a little on the dry side.
3. Evenly press mixture into the prepared pan to smooth out the batter. Freeze for 10 minutes and then slice into 18 bars. Wrap in wax paper and store in the fridge.

Source: Adapted from Rustic Brooklyn.

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Take banana bread to a whole new level with the German chocolate banana bread. Made with German chocolate cake mix, it couldn’t be easier.

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As you know I like to celebrate obscure food holidays and today is no exception because today is National German Chocolate Cake Day. Although it may not be my first choice when it comes to dessert options I do enjoy a good German chocolate cake or a related dessert such as German chocolate brownies or my mom’s Tailgate Cake. Today’s recipe can be enjoyed for dessert or breakfast because it’s half banana bread, half German chocolate cake.

How did this come to be? Mashed bananas, pecans, and coconut are added along with the usual suspects to a box of German chocolate cake mix. After scooping the batter into a loaf pan I sprinkled more coconut and pecans halves on top. There may not be any of the signature German chocolate cake frosting involved but the flavor of the toasted pecans on top made up for it.

Check out these other great recipes with pecans:

• Autumn Flavored Rice Pilaf  by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Autumn Pecan Sourdough  by Culinary Adventures with Camilla 
• Candied Pecans by  Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Chicken & Pecans Sandwich by Sneha’s Recipe
• German Chocolate Banana Bread by The Spiffy Cookie
• Jalapeño Pecan Cheese Ball by  Food Lust People Love
• Pecan Chutney by Magical Ingredients
• Pecan Long Grain and Wild Rice (Instant Pot) by Palatable Pastime

One year ago: Honey-Lime Chicken Kebabs

GERMAN CHOCOLATE BANANA BREAD

Print

Yield: 1 loaf Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 50 Minutes 50 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 1 package (15.25 ounces) German chocolate cake mix, dry
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup mashed bananas
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, plus more for topping
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut, plus more for topping

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan and set aside.
2. In a large bowl mix together all the ingredients until combined and a batter forms. Pour the batter into prepared pan. Top with additional pecans and/or coconut if desired.
3. Bake the bread for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
4. Allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes and then remove from the pan and allow to completely cool.

Source: Adapted from What’s cooking, love?

Did you make this recipe? I want to see! Tag @THESPIFFYCOOKIE on Instagram and hashtag it #THESPIFFYCOOKIE

While Liz of Little Bitty Bakes is taking her turn traveling to Europe, I am guest posting over on her blog today with the recipe for the treats you see below! Find out more HERE.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE S’MORES GOOEY CAKE BARS

Source: Adapted from Picky Palate.

First it was the traditional cake, next it was cookies, this year was brownies! And I think it’s my favorite so far. Especially since there is SO much frosting on top and the brownies are incredible.

Thankfully the restaurant where we had dinner with friends last night allowed me to bring them. But we had to sit and stare at them on the table the entire time prior to ordering food, waiting on the food, etc. I’m surprised no one, especially myself, caved and had dessert first.

Last night was a good time however it was bittersweet because today, the day after his birthday, he is leaving for Medical Officer basic training with the National Guard in San Antonio, TX for the entire month of July. Sad face.

In other news, check out Lauren at Keep It Sweet’s bake sale to beat cancer featuring tons of great goodies including my peanut butter, banana & nutella bars! Bidding is open until midnight today!

BROWNIES

Ingredients:

12 oz German chocolate, broken into pieces

8 Tbsp butter, cut into pieces

3 Tbsp cocoa powder

1-1/4 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp coarse sea salt

1 cup flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, allowing the to overhang the sides of the pan. Coat the lined pan with vegetable spray.
2. Melt the German chocolate, butter and cocoa powder in the microwave, about 1-3 minutes, stirring every 20 to 30 seconds. Let cool slightly.
3. Beat the sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt together in a large bowl until combined, about 15 seconds. Beat in the chocolate mixture until smooth. Beat in the flour just until no streaks remain.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs, about 35 to 40 minutes.
5. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Top with the coconut pecan frosting (below) and let set completely. Grab the paper and remove the brownies from the pan. Cut into bars.

PECAN COCONUT FROSTING

Ingredients:

1 cup evaporated milk

1 cup sugar

1 egg and 1 egg yolk, beaten

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup flaked sweetened coconut

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan combine evaporated milk, sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla and cornstarch. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and coconut.
2. Spread on brownies while still warm. Allow the frosting to set completely before cutting the brownies.

Source: Adapted slightly from Journal Sentinel