Most of us learned to love German(’s) chocolate cake when our moms would bake it using the standard recipe on the Baker’s semi-sweet (or was it the dark?) baking chocolate bar. That’s still the best recipe. No need to fancy it up or distract with rum flavor this or rum that. Less is more. The classics are best.

Additionally, most of us were first introduced to this cake during the off-season for nuts (back then there were fewer products which you could buy year-round—you kids just don’t know 🙂 ). If it wasn’t the Holidays season, our moms’ icings were less likely to have nuts (other than extra coconut). So a lot of us learned to enjoy it that way, and the pecan flavor just doesn’t harmonize well with the rest. If I wanted saltiness with chocolate, I’d eat a typical chocolate chip cookie.

Evidently, your Uncle Wayne is wise, refined, and has good taste. Cherish him.

This looks really good too!