German Chocolate Cake history

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Is German Chocolate Cake Really German?

It is not German at all (Nicht Deutcher)!

But it has an interesting history. A recipe for "German's Chocolate Cake" first appeared in a Dallas, Texas newspaper in 1957.That it was sent in by a Dallas homemaker is all we know.....

According to Patricia Riso, a spokeswomen for Kraft foods . It used a brand of chocolate bar called "German's" which had been developed
in 1852, by an Englishman named Sam German, for Baker's Chocolate Company.

The cake had an immediate and enthusiastic response, and requests about where to find the German's chocolate bar were so numerous that General Foods (who owned Baker's Chocolate) decided to send pictures of the cake to newspapers all around the country.Everywhere the recipe had the same response and the sales for the chocolate exploded.

Now the cake is a regular item in bakeries across the country, and
a mix is on the grocery shelves also. It was my favorite cake when I was
growing up and I requested it for my birthday every year.

The cake most likely didn't originate from this Dallas housewife.
Buttermilk chocolate cakes have been popular in the south for
over 70 years, and Pecans are plentiful in the area also, to
make the nice frosting. German's chocolate is similar to a milk
chocolate and sweeter than regular baking chocolate.

Recipes

Original Recipe for German Chocolate Cake

Links
http://www.kraftfoods.com/BakersChocolate/funFacts.htm

Last updated February 23, 2006

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Original Recipe for German Chocolate cake that appeared on the back of the original German's chocolate cake box.