German Chocolate Cake

Yesterday was Aric's Birth Day and I made this cake for him; I got the recipe from his mother and she said that it is a Birth day favorite. I have been making this cake for quite a while and I really like it. It was so yummy that we didn't only had a slice left and Aric took it to work this morning. I was planning on enjoying it all by myself and Aric usually doesn't take cakes to work, so he must of liked it last night. :D

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup plus
2 Tbls. butter
2 eggs
1 1/3 cup sugar
6. Tbls. Cocoa
1 cup plus 2 Tbls. milk
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt

Mix well and bake in 2 sprayed or greased and floured 9" round cake pans at 350 F for 20-25 minutes. remove from pans and cool on racks.

Cool cake and cut each layer in half so you have 4 layers of cake. Fill layers with the fillings bellow finishing top layer to within 1" from edge. Ice the cake with chocolate icing. Top with Maraschino cherries that have stems and have been patted dry with paper towel.

FILLING
1 Cup Cream of evaporated Milk
3 eggs beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup sugar
1 cube butter
2 cups coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Cook and stir constantly over med. heat until thickened; about 10 min. Add 2 cups coconut and 1 cup chopped pecans. Beat until thick and well blended. Cool (You can add more coconut and pecans if you want; it makes it thicker)

CHOCOLATE ICING
1/2 cub butter
3 Tbls. cocoa
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
enough milk to make a stiff icing - around 2-4 Tbls. added one spoon at a time.
Ice cake on top and sides. Pipe a decorative border around the bottom of cake.