German Chocolate Cake Squares

I made this cake for my husband last night, who absolutely loves German Chocolate Cake. He said this is the best cake he has ever tasted! This recipe came from the November, 1997 issue of Bon Appetit.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 1 13x9x2

Ingredients

• For The Cake

• 1⁄2 cup water
• 6  ounces Baker's German's chocolate, chopped
• 2 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 2  cups sugar
• 1  cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4  large eggs, separated
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1  cup buttermilk
• 1  cup  semi-sweet chocolate chips

• For the Frosting

• 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 3⁄4 cup unsalted butter
• 5  large  egg yolks
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  almond extract
• 1 (7 ounce) package sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 1⁄2 cups  coarsely chopped pecans
• 1⁄4 cup  semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Make Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Butter a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish.
3. Bring water to a simmer in small saucepan.
4. Reduce heat to low.
5. Add chopped chocolate; whisk until smooth.
6. Cool.
7. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl.
8. Using elelctric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until blended.
9. Beat in yolks one at a time.
10. Beat in cooled chocolate mixture and vanilla.
11. Beat in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk.
12. Using clean, dry beaters, beat whites in another bowl until stiff but not dry.
13. Fold into batter in 2 additions.
14. Pour batter into prepared dish.
15. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.
16. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 55-60 minutes.
17. Cool cake in pan on rack.
18. Make Frosting: Combine first 5 ingredients in heavy saucepan.
19. Whisk over medium-high heat until mixture simmers, thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 18 minutes.
20. Mix in coconut and pecans.
21. Spread warm frosting over cake.
22. Immediately sprinkle 1/4 cup chocolate chips over.
23. Let stand until frosting sets, about 2 hours.
24. Cut cake into squares and serve.