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2 cups shredded sweetened coconut

1½ cups finely chopped pecans

1. Place the milk, butter, and vanilla in a medium saucepan, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and combined.

2. Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl, and, whisking constantly, add some of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolks until combined. Whisk the mixture back into the saucepan, and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.

3. Remove from heat, and stir in the coconut and pecans. Cool completely, and refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use, up to 2 days.

ganache glaze

MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS

This ganache thickens as it sits. The ganache used for the Inside-Out German Chocolate Torte and in step 7 of the Belgian Chocolate Birthday Cake (Cakes) should be pourable but thick enough to fully coat the cakes.

1 pound bittersweet or semisweet chocolate

2½ cups heavy cream

1. Chop the chocolate finely using a serrated knife; place in a large heatproof bowl.

2. Bring the cream to a boil over medium-high heat; pour directly over the chopped chocolate. Allow to sit 10 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to gently stir the chocolate and cream until well combined and smooth. Let sit at room temperature until cooled and just thickened, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes but up to 1 hour, depending on the temperature of the room.

raspberry-filled layer cake

MAKES ONE 8-INCH 4-LAYER CAKE

The fluffy exterior of this cake conceals a delicious pink filling, made simply by combining some of the frosting with raspberry jam.

12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pans and wire racks

3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising), plus more for the pans

4 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1½ cups sugar

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

4 large egg whites

Seven-Minute Frosting (Basics)

1 cup raspberry jam

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter two 8 × 2-inch professional round cake pans, and line the bottom with parchment rounds. Butter the parchment; dust the pans with flour, tapping out excess. Set aside.

2. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl, and set aside. Beat the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until it is creamy. Add the sugar to the butter in a steady stream, and continue beating until the butter is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk and vanilla in 3 additions, starting and finishing with the dry; be careful not to overmix. Set the batter aside.

3. In a medium metal bowl or clean bowl of an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites just until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of the egg whites into the batter until combined. Fold in the remaining whites in 2 batches. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, and smooth the tops with a metal spatula.

4. Bake until a tester inserted near the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center, about 30 minutes. Let the pans cool 15 minutes on a wire rack before unmolding. Loosen the sides with a small metal spatula or paring knife, and invert onto the greased wire racks. To prevent the layers from splitting, invert again so the tops are up. Cool completely before assembling the cake or wrapping airtight to freeze cake for later.

5. If the cakes are not level, use a serrated knife to trim the tops off. Carefully slice each cake horizontally into 2 equal layers. (You will have 4 layers.) Place one-third of the frosting in a bowl, and fold in the raspberry jam.

6. To assemble, place 1 sliced layer on an 8-inch cardboard cake round. Spread the top with ¼ inch raspberry frosting. Repeat with the remaining layers and remaining raspberry frosting, placing the final layer bottom side up. Lightly coat the assembled cake with a thin layer of white frosting to protect against crumbs in the frosting. Finish with the remaining frosting. Serve