Original German Sweet Chocolate Cake

Melt the chocolate in the boiling water and cool it until just warm.

Cream the butter and sugar, beat in the egg yolks, then mix in vanilla and the cooled chocolate.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, then add it alternately with the buttermilk.

Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold them gently into the batter.

Bake in three lined 9-inch pans at 350°F until the centers spring back, then cool.

Spread coconut-pecan frosting between the layers and over the top of the cake.