A Tribute to My Uncle + German Chocolate Cupcakes
Today, I’m going to give you my recipe for German Chocolate cake as a tribute to my Uncle. Today is his birthday, but I won’t be able to celebrate with him this year. At the end of January my uncle passed away suddenly. It’s crazy how something you know is inevitably going to happen to all of us is still shocking and unreal. After his passing, I went into family mode; talking with my family, making travel plans to go to LA and rallying my cousins for the funeral. At the same time, I also had parent conferences to finish at my school, a wedding to attend, orders to fulfill, a wedding cake tasting and my appointments for my own wedding planning. Needless to say I was exhausted when everything was all said and done. I haven’t taken that many naps since preschool.
At the Rose Parade with my Uncle and my dad.
When my uncle passed, I thought I knew him relatively well. However my mom was helping her siblings and my granny clean his apartment and found an abundance of things he was working on and people he knew. Every day they came to his apartment, people showed up; some inconsolable as they met my family and described what my uncle meant to them or how he helped them. He had created a beautiful life that we had only scratched the surface of. What I did know about my uncle was that he was smart, hilarious and one of the most creative people EVER. He was always encouraging us to be better, to be kind, to keep trying, to not give up, love your friends and family, and always laugh. I could always count on my uncle for a funny birthday card or a random call to tell me I was old and crazy, but more importantly to see how I was doing. These same memories were shared in every story we heard from people we had never met, but who knew my uncle. The sentiments and expressions were the same, the tears all from a genuine place of knowing that we had all lost someone who was bigger and better than we probably knew or deserved.
Ironically enough, we had the funeral on February 14th, which is valentine’s day and my birthday. I love to spend my birthday doing something I love so spending it remembering someone who loved me so dearly ended up being an honor. It also seemed fitting to spend “the day of love” remembering someone who never met a stranger and loved everyone regardless of whether they agreed on things or not. It was also Black History Month. How special a moment for someone who IS a pillar of the Los Angeles community, and the black community to be remembered during Black history Month. My uncle was on the board of his local YMCA, faithful member of his church, Obama campaign organizer for Los Angeles and democratic party delegate. My uncle IS black history. He went to a local university, pledged a Black Fraternity, and opened a night club. He went to support youth court cases, brought supplies to Haiti after the earthquake. He showed up at graduations, weddings and every family gathering he could.
This is Black History Month. This is Family History. This is Love. It is being a person of excellence who revels in the creative abilities ingrained in our DNA. It is standing up for people who look like us, who have been held back and oppressed and helping ANY person that needs help because you understand the bigger picture. Helping one of us, and putting us all in the game, means that we can all play together and we all benefit from the talents and skills that each of us uniquely possesses. They say you are only as strong as your weakest link, and my uncle knew that we had to progress so we could all be great, and it is why he took so much time to be the boots on the ground in his community. My uncle knew also knew a ton of history, even random facts, but all of that knowledge was just a way for him to stay ahead of the curve, ever progressing as a leader in his family and community.
Part of me writing this is cathartic; so much of this has been playing over in my mind- all the memories and how can I be a better person? How can my uncle’s legacy live on through me? I’ve already decided to do better at connecting and loving my family, and even work to forgive those who I need to forgive. His legacy in me means giving as much of my time and resources as possible without the expectation of return because as the minister said, my uncle was more concerned with wearing out by doing good, than rusting out by doing nothing.
If you’ve read this far, thanks! I appreciate your time, as I talk and explain about what’s been going on with me. And all of your reading is not in vain! I was speaking to my granny and asked her what my uncle’s favorite desserts were. I felt the sudden urge to know. That question opened up memories and stories about little things he would do, such as my uncle always wanting german chocolate cake for his birthday. So to honor him on his birthday, I decided to honor my uncle by sharing him with you and sharing my recipe for his favorite dessert. Normally I like to include a little history or story about the dessert I am sharing. The only story I have is that my uncle wanted this cake every year for his birthday and my granny would make it. Uncle KB this cake’s for you.
German Chocolate Cake Cupcakes
Servings: About 30 cupcakes
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE
4 oz. Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup water
2 cups flour
3 Tbs. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups Brown Sugar
1 cup unsalted butter
4 eggs, separated
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sour cream
FOR THE FROSTING/ TOPPING
3 egg yolks
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/3 cup flaked coconut + more for garnish
1 cup chopped pecans + more for garnish
Directions
Preheat an oven to 325 F. In a saucepan, add the chopped chocolate and water and heat over low heat. Stir frequently until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside to cool.
Stir flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder in a bow. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, add the egg whites and use the whisk attachment to whip the egg whites until they become stiff peaks. Set aside (in another bowl if you are using one bowl for a stand mixer).
Wipe the bowl of your stand mixer clean and then add the brown sugar and butter. Mix until thoroughly combined and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time to the sugar mixture and mix until thoroughly combined. Put the mixer on low speed and add the melted chocolate and vanilla.
Beat in half of the flour mixture then add the buttermilk. Repeat. Now fold in the egg whites and sour cream.
Add the cake batter to prepared muffin cups and bake for about 13 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
While the cupcakes cook and cool, prepare the topping. Add the egg yolks, brown sugar, butter, vanilla and evaporated milk to a saucepan. Stirring frequently, cook over low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, until the mixture has thickened up and starts to bubble. Turn off the heat and stir in the coconut and pecans. Set aside and let cool for at least 30 minutes.
After the cupcakes and topping are cooled, use an ice-cream/ cupcake scooper to scoop to topping right on top of each cupcake. Sprinkle with the extra pecans and coconut to garnish.
