German's Sweet Chocolate Cake

This is the cake that Len requests every year for his birthday. The card that my mother found with the Baker's chocolate bar and gave me many, many years ago is starting to fall apart so I am adding it to my blog.
This recipe is straight from Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate, no changes at all.

Update for a better cake: The last time I made this cake I used Guittard 64% chocolate and the cake was much better.

German's Sweet Chocolate Cake
1 package German's sweet chocolate, 4 ounces
1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 egg yolks, unbeaten
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
4 egg whites, stiffly beaten
Butter 3 8" cake pans and line with baking parchment. Preheat oven to 350º. Melt chocolate in 1/2 cup of boiling wate. Cool. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each. Add vanilla and melted chocolate and mix until blended. Sift flour with soda and salt.  Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk, beating after each addition until batter is smooth. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Pour batter into pans and bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool and then frost with the filling that follows below.

Coconut and Nut Filling and Frosting
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups sweetened, flaked coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, my mother always used walnuts but the recipe called for pecans
Combine milk, sugar, egg yolks, butter, and vanilla in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat. Add coconut and nuts. Beat until cool and of spreading consistency. Makes 2 1//2 cups, or enough to cover tops of 3 8" layers.