Welcome to Morning Glory Farm

The recipes have pictures at the end demonstrating some of the steps:

German Chocolate Cake with Coconut-Pecan Filling
from the Episode: German Chocolate Cake

When you assemble the cake, the filling should be cool or cold (or room temperature, at the very warmest). To be time-efficient, first make the filling, then use the refrigeration time to prepare, bake, and cool the cakes. The toasted pecans are stirred into the filling just before assembly to keep them from becoming soft and soggy.

Serves 12 to 16

Filling
4	egg yolks
1	can evaporated milk (12 ounces)
1	cup granulated sugar (7 ounces)
1/4	cup packed light brown sugar (1 3/4 ounces)
6	tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 stick), cut into 6 pieces
1/8	teaspoon table salt
2	teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/3	cups sweetened shredded coconut (7 ounces)
1 1/2	cups finely chopped pecans (6 1/2 ounces), toasted on baking sheet in 350-degree oven until fragrant and browned, about 8 minutes
Cake
4	ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate , chopped fine
1/4	cup Dutch-processed cocoa , sifted
1/2	cup boiling water
2	cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces), plus additional for dusting cake pans
3/4	teaspoon baking soda
12	tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
1	cup granulated sugar (7 ounces)
2/3	cup packed light brown sugar (about 4 3/4 ounces)
3/4	teaspoon table salt
4	large eggs , room temperature
1	teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4	cup sour cream , room temperature

1. FOR THE FILLING: Whisk yolks in medium saucepan; gradually whisk in evaporated milk. Add sugars, butter, and salt and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is boiling, frothy, and slightly thickened, about 6 minutes. Transfer mixture to bowl, whisk in vanilla, then stir in coconut. Cool until just warm, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cool or cold, at least 2 hours or up to 3 days. (Pecans are stirred in just before cake assembly.)

2. FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine chocolate and cocoa in small bowl; pour boiling water over and let stand to melt chocolate, about 2 minutes. Whisk until smooth; set aside until cooled to room temperature.

3. Meanwhile, spray two 9-inch-round by 2-inch-high straight-sided cake pans with nonstick cooking spray; line bottoms with parchment or waxed paper rounds. Spray paper rounds, dust pans with flour, and knock out excess. Sift flour and baking soda into medium bowl or onto sheet of parchment or waxed paper.

4. In bowl of standing mixer, beat butter, sugars, and salt at medium-low speed until sugar is moistened, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until mixture is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula halfway through. With mixer running at medium speed, add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down bowl halfway through. Beat in vanilla; increase speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 45 seconds. With mixer running at low speed, add chocolate, then increase speed to medium and beat until combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down bowl once (batter may appear broken). With mixer running at low speed, add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream (in 2 additions), beginning and ending with dry ingredients, and beating in each addition until barely combined. After final flour addition, beat on low until just combined, then stir batter by hand with rubber spatula, scraping bottom and sides of bowl, to ensure that batter is homogenous (batter will be thick). Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans; spread batter to edges of pans with rubber spatula and smooth surfaces.

5. Bake cakes until toothpick inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then invert cakes onto greased wire rack; peel off and discard paper rounds. Cool cakes to room temperature before filling, about 1 hour. (Cooled cakes can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 1 day.)

6. TO ASSEMBLE: Stir toasted pecans into chilled filling. Set one cake on serving platter or cardboard round cut slightly smaller than cake, and second cake on work surface (or leave on wire rack). With serrated knife held so that blade is parallel with work surface, use sawing motion to cut each cake into two even layers. Starting with first cake, carefully lift off top layer and set aside. Using icing spatula, distribute about 1 cup filling evenly on cake, spreading filling to very edge of cake and leveling surface. Carefully place upper cake layer on top of filling; repeat using remaining filling and cake layers. If necessary, dust crumbs off platter; serve or refrigerate cake, covered loosely with foil, up to 4 hours (if refrigerated longer than 2 hours, let cake stand at room temperature 15 to 20 minutes before serving).

Step-by-Step: Assembling the German Chocolate Cake

1. With serrated knife, halve each cake evenly through equator.	2. Carefully lift off upper cake layer and set aside.
3. Evenly distribute about 1 cup filling on bottom cake layer.	4. Place next cake layer on top and repeat process.

And...

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Layer Cake
from the Episode: Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake

Do not substitute semisweet chocolate chips for the chopped semisweet chocolate in the frosting—chocolate chips contain less cocoa butter than bar chocolate and will not melt as readily. For best results, don't make the frosting until the cakes are cooled, and use the frosting as soon as it is ready. If the frosting gets too cold and stiff to spread easily, wrap the mixer bowl with a towel soaked in hot water and mix on low speed until the frosting appears creamy and smooth. Refrigerated leftover cake should sit at room temperature before serving until the frosting softens.

Serves 10 to 12

Cake
12	tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), very soft, plus extra for greasing pans
1 3/4	cups unbleached all-purpose flour (8 3/4 ounces), plus extra for dusting pans
4	ounces unsweetened chocolate , coarsely chopped
1/4	cup Dutch-processed cocoa (3/4 ounce)
1/2	cup hot water
1 3/4	cups sugar (12 1/4 ounces)
1 1/2	teaspoons baking soda
1	teaspoon table salt
1	cup buttermilk
2	teaspoons vanilla extract
4	large eggs
2	large egg yolks
Frosting
16	ounces semisweet chocolate , finely chopped
8	tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)
1/3	cup sugar
2	tablespoons corn syrup
2	teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4	teaspoon table salt
1 1/4	cups heavy cream (cold)

1. FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch-round by 2-inch-high cake pans with softened butter; dust pans with flour and knock out excess. Combine chocolate, cocoa powder, and hot water in medium heatproof bowl; set bowl over saucepan containing 1 inch of simmering water and stir with rubber spatula until chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup sugar to chocolate mixture and stir until thick and glossy, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and set aside to cool.

2. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Combine buttermilk and vanilla in small bowl. In bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whisk eggs and yolks on medium-low speed until combined, about 10 seconds. Add remaining 1 1/4 cups sugar, increase speed to high, and whisk until fluffy and lightened in color, 2 to 3 minutes. Replace whisk with paddle attachment. Add cooled chocolate mixture to egg/sugar mixture and mix on medium speed until thoroughly incorporated, 30 to 45 seconds, pausing to scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Add softened butter one tablespoon at a time, mixing about 10 seconds after each addition. Add about one-third of flour mixture followed by half of buttermilk mixture, mixing until incorporated after each addition (about 15 seconds). Repeat using half of remaining flour mixture and all of remaining buttermilk mixture (batter may appear separated). Scrape down sides of bowl and add remaining flour mixture; mix at medium-low speed until batter is thoroughly combined, about 15 seconds. Remove bowl from mixer and fold batter once or twice with rubber spatula to incorporate any remaining flour. Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans; smooth batter to edges of pan with spatula.

3. Bake cakes until toothpick inserted into center comes out with a few crumbs attached, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 15 minutes, then invert onto wire rack. Cool cakes to room temperature before frosting, 45 to 60 minutes.

4. TO MAKE FROSTING: Melt chocolate in heatproof bowl set over saucepan containing 1 inch of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside. Meanwhile, heat butter in small saucepan over medium-low heat until melted. Increase heat to medium; add sugar, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt and stir with heatproof rubber spatula until sugar is dissolved, 4 to 5 minutes. Add melted chocolate, butter mixture, and cream to clean bowl of standing mixer and stir to thoroughly combine.

5. Place mixer bowl over ice bath and stir mixture constantly with rubber spatula until frosting is thick and just beginning to harden against sides of bowl, 1 to 2 minutes (frosting should be 70 degrees). Place bowl on standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until frosting is light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir with rubber spatula until completely smooth.

6. TO FROST CAKE: Place one cake layer on serving platter or cardboard round. Spread 1 1/2 cups frosting evenly across top of cake with spatula. Place second cake layer on top, then spread remaining frosting evenly over top and sides of cake. Cut into slices and serve.

Step-by-Step: Secrets to Old-Fashioned Chocolate Layer Cake

MAKE CHOCOLATE PUDDING: Mixing chocolate, cocoa, water, and sugar into a "pudding" in a double boiler boosts the chocolate flavor and adds moisture.	RIBBON EGGS AND SUGAR: Whipping eggs and sugar on high speed until they form "ribbons" (thin strands of batter) adds volume and fluffiness.
TENDERIZE WITH BUTTER: Adding soft butter to the batter makes for a tender cake.	ALTERNATE DRY AND WET INGREDIENTS: Adding the dry and wet ingredients in small batches helps to develop a more consistent crumb.

Step-by-Step: Thermometer Watch: Getting the Frosting Just Right

STILL TOO WARM: At 75 degrees, the frosting won't set up properly once whipped.	JUST RIGHT: At 70 degrees, the frosting whips up to a billowy, creamy consistency.
TOO COOL: At 65 degrees, the mixture has cooled too much and seizes once whipped.