German Chocolate Cheesecake Cake

I'm a very bad decision maker. No matter what it is, it's very hard for me to make up my mind. 

My mom: "Where do you want to go eat?"

Me:"Uh... this place looks good, but so does that one. I don't know!"

Story of my life right there.

So when it comes to picking what I want to bake next I have a very hard time. Usually it has to be a spur of the moment thing or I won't make anything at all. 

This is why this cheesecake is so great for me.

I don't have to decide between a cheesecake or regular cake, I can make both!

Genius. 

I made this cake for Christmas and I was definitely not disappointed.

Rich and decadent, this cake is perfection.

I really wouldn't change anything about it, except maybe to make more frosting! That stuff was so good, I could have just eaten it by itself. 

I followed this recipe pretty closely, except with the chocolate cake part. She used 3/8 cups of water, which I substituted coffee and kahlua. She also made a chocolate ganache to spread over the cheesecake crust, but I didn't make that part, instead I used melted chocolate to drizzle around the cake.

German Chocolate Cheesecake Cake

(Recipe adapted from Willow Bird Baking)

Crust Ingredients

1 box chocolate graham crackers

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Pinch of salt

Cheesecake Ingredients

3 packages (8 ounces each) of cream cheese, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract

3 eggs, room temperature

3 ounces or about 6 tablespoons chocolate chips, melted and cooled (I used half semisweet and half Ghirardelli 60% Cacao)

Cake Ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/8 cups unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/8 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

3/8 cup low-fat buttermilk

1/8 cup plus 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3/8 cups warm water (or 3/8 of equal parts coffee and kahlua)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Filling Ingredients

2/3 cup heavy cream

2/3 cup sugar

2 large egg yolks

2 ounces butter, cut into small pieces

1/3 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped

1 cup unsweetened coconut, toasted

Chocolate Drizzle Ingredients

3/4 cup melted bittersweet chocolate chips

Directions

Make the cheesecake crust: Combine the chocolate cookie crumbs, melted butter and salt in a plastic bag. Seal bag and using a rolling pin crush the graham crackers very fine.

You could also use a food processor which would be easier, but it's more stress relieving to whack something with a rolling pin in my opinion.

Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9" cake pan. (I use Wilton’s Cake Release, but you could also use butter and flour).

Whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and coarse salt together in a mixing bowl. Beat the dry ingredients on low until combined before increasing the speed to medium and adding the egg, buttermilk, warm water, oil, and vanilla. Beat about 3 minutes until the mixture is smooth. Pour it into the pan.

Place the pan in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with just a few moist crumbs, about 25-30 minutes. Rotate the pan about halfway through so it’ll bake evenly. When you take the cake layer out, leave the oven preheated for the cheesecake. Let the cake layer cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before turning it out onto a sheet of wax paper and leaving it to cool completely. Wrap the cake layer and stick it in the freezer to firm it up for assembly.

Make the cheesecake: While the cake layer is baking, mix cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until well blended and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing between each, and continue mixing until combined. Add the chocolate and continue mixing until combined. Pour mixture into prepared crust and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake for 55 minutes or until center of cake is almost set. The top may crack, but it doesn’t particularly matter, since you’ll be covering it anyway. Let the cheesecake fully cool. When almost cool, place it in refrigerator to chill while you prepare the filling.

Make the filling: Place the butter, salt, toasted coconut, and toasted pecans in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the cream, sugar, and egg yolks over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thickened, coats the spoon, and reads 170 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Pour this mixture over the coconut mixture and stir until the butter melts. Let the mixture cool completely (I set mine in the fridge once it was almost cool to thicken it some more.)

To make the chocolate drizzle place the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and melt by placing it in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval.

Assemble the cake: Place half of the filling on top of the chilled cheesecake and spread it out. Carefully place the chocolate cake layer on top. Spread the rest of the filling on top of the chocolate cake layer. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Chill for 3 hours or overnight. When completely chilled, loosen the cake from rim of springform pan by wrapping the pan in warm dishtowels. Remove the springform pan and serve.