A traditional homemade German Chocolate Cake made from scratch with layers of moist and delicious chocolate cake and topped with lots of a rich coconut and pecan frosting!
Any time I share a cake recipe with you guys, it’s always a great day! I just love cakes, they make me happy. As a matter of fact, whenever there’s a family gathering, I always volunteer myself to bring dessert, just so that I can make a cake or a trifle. One of my favorite cakes is German chocolate cake. I don’t make it often, but when I do, it’s a really good day, heck it’s a good week if I don’t give it away to family or friends, because I’ll be eating from it the whole week.
The chocolate cake is my usual buttermilk chocolate cake that I use all the time. I even used this recipe for my red velvet cake and modified it a bit. What can I say, it’s a no fail recipe and it always comes out perfect time after time. Why mess with a good thing? The only thing I did do different is cut out the sugar a bit in the cake by 1/2 cup only because there’s plenty of sugar in that coconut pecan frosting.
WHAT IS GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE
Which is what this cake is all about, that coconut pecan frosting. I seriously could eat that on its own, no cake needed, it’s just that good. I mean it has two of my favorite ingredients, coconut and pecans. You just can’t go wrong.
But believe it or not, German chocolate cake is really not German. It’s actually from the US and it’s a chocolate cake filled wand topped with coconut-pecan frosting.
HOW TO MAKE GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE
It really is easy to make this cake. There are two steps to making it.
Make the cake and let it cool completely. I’ve made this cake many times before, and I’ve made it in different pans, but I prefer this 3 layer cake most of all just because I think it looks prettier.
You can however make it in a 9×13 inch pan, though I would still cut it in half to make it into a 2 layer cake because you do want this frosting incorporated throughout the cake.
While the cake is cooling you can make the coconut-pecan toping. Make sure to let everything cool completely before assembling the cake.
CAN YOU MAKE GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE IN ADVANCE
Yes, you can make this in advance. You can make the coconut pecan frosting at least a day in advance and then store it in the fridge until ready to use.
You can also make the cake and bake it then let it cool completely. You can then wrap the cakes in plastic wrap tightly then stick them in a ziploc bag or freezer bag. Freeze for up to a month.
HOW DO YOU STORE GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE
I prefer to cover the cake and then refrigerate it. You can also leave it on the counter if it’s covered, but I would recommend keeping this cake in the fridge for up to 4 days.
I really hope you give this cake a try, it really is simple to make, basic cake ingredients, but if you follow the recipe exactly you will end up with one of the most moist, tender and fluffy cakes. Trust me, it’s really worth your while.
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German Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Cake batter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup hot coffee
Coconut-Pecan Topping
- 12 oz evaporated milk (1 can)
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup butter unsalted
- 2 2/3 cups sweetened coconut shredded or flaked
- 2 cups pecans , coarsely chopped
Instructions
Cake Batter
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
- You will need 3 cake pans, each 8 inches in diameter. Cut out 3 parchment paper circles that will fit inside the cake pans. Place the parchment papers inside and using some melted butter or cooking spray, butter each pan well.
- In a large size bowl or the bowl of your mixer combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix. With the mixer still on low speed, slowly add the coffee and continue mixing until everything is well combined and smooth. Scrape the bottom of the bowl with a spatula and mix as needed. Pour the batter into the 3 prepared pans, equally.
- Bake the cake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until baked through. Do the toothpick test, insert a toothpick in the middle of the cake and if it comes out clean, it's done. Let the cake cool in the pans for about 30 minutes then turn them out onto a cooling rack or a cutting board and cool completely. To get nice flat layers, cut the top of the cakes (the dome part) with a very sharp knife.
Coconut-Pecan Topping
- In a medium heavy saucepan combine evaporated milk, and vanilla, sugar and butter; cook on medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly so mixture does not burn. Remove from heat and stir in coconut and pecans. Cool to room temperature.
- To assemble the cake, place one cake on a serving platter and spread about 1/3 of the frosting evenly. Repeat with the 2nd cake layer and frosting, then place the last cake and spread the rest of the topping. Drizzle with chocolate syrup if preferred.
Video
Notes
- Cover the cake and refrigerate it. You can also leave it on the counter if it's covered, but I would recommend keeping this cake in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- You can also make this cake in 2 9 inch cake pans and then cut each one in half so you'll end up with a 4 layer cake. Alternatively, you can use a 9x13 inch pan as well and cut in half to have a 2 layer cake.
- The coffee is added to this chocolate cake because it adds depth to the flavor of the cake. The coffee will actually enhance the chocolate flavor. Although there is a cup of coffee in this cake, you will not taste the coffee.
- Buttermilk is also added in this chocolate cake to add depth to the cake while adding very little fat. It also helps tenderize the gluten in the batter, therefore you'll end up with a softer texture and fluffier cake. The buttermilk reacts with the baking soda to create bubbles of carbon dioxide, it is these bubbles that give your cake volume and you end up with a light and tender cake.
- If you're out of buttermilk or prefer not to use it, although I strongly recommend it, you may use 1 cup of milk plus 1 tbsp of lemon juice. Stir the two together then let it sit for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes you'll notice your milk is curdled, which is what you're looking for. You may also substitute with 1/4 cup of milk and 3/4 cup of yogurt.
- The coconut pecan topping uses evaporated milk instead of just regular milk because you end up with a creamier consistency, and it also has less fat content than cream. Evaporated milk is just milk where half the water has been boiled off.
- If you find the coconut pecan topping too runny, just add a tbsp of cornstarch and mix it in well. Make sure to let the topping cool completely before using it. Also if you refrigerate the cake after you're done assembling it, it will set and the topping will harden as the cake sits in the fridge.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Nutrition
Hi, Jo. I just tried your receipt for the German chocolate cake for the first time. I’m an American who lives in the Middle East so I was unable to secure buttermilk. I had fresh laban on hand, however, which is the Middle Eastern equivalent of buttermilk but lacks the water content – it’s actually more like yoghurt. Undecided, I added a tsp of lemon juice to a glass of milk so it would curdle. When I measured the milk, however, I combined one-half cup with one-fourth cup of laban and one-fourth cup of yoghurt. For the cake batter, I added a small amount of espresso powder to the cocoa powder, and for the coffee I used one cup of hot espresso. I found the coconut-pecan topping mixture on the thin side, so I added 1-2 tsp of cornstarch while boiling. Overall, the end result was very satisfying at 3 layers and definitely worth the effort. Due to the time factor, though, I would only make this cake about once a year for my younger brother’s birthday. Thank you for a well-thought out recipe. Your notes that accompanied the preparation process were valuable.
Hi Justin! So glad you enjoyed this! You’re right, it takes a bit of time to prepare, but so worth it in the end. 🙂
Absolutely. I’ve learned, also, that if whatever we bake (or cook) becomes a labor of love, we’re making a real contribution, especially if we’re doing it with others in mind. Thanks again for your great recipe.
Jo! This recipe is so delightful and easy for amateurs like me! So moist and flavorful, it’s always a hit when I make it (makes me look like a pro haha). The topping is super nice and not overpowering. I used unsweetened coconut instead and it turned out just as good. Thank you for sharing!!!
This cake was AMAZING!! I don’t do a lot of baking and made this special cake by request for my son’s birthday. Decadent, delicious and definitely making it again! Trying it in cupcake form for a large group next! Thanks, Jo!!
Yay, so happy you guys like this cake!
Made this cake twice and it is the best German chocolate cake I’ve tasted!!! Super moist and delicious flavor!! My family loves it!!
I made this cake for a co-worker’s dinner party. I multiplied 1 1/2 times to make a 3 layer 9” cake (note that to get half of 3/4 cup, convert to tablespoons). For the filling I added cornstarch. My co-worker reported back today that it was a huge hit and people couldn’t stop eating it. Thanks for a great recipe…I will make again for myself!
I’m confused on the coffee comment. Is cup of coffee made or coffee instant coffee? I been trying to make this cake for my twin girls but going through chemotherapy is been postpone.
Hi Anna! Sorry to hear you’re going through chemotherapy, hope you’re doing ok. I usually use instant coffee to make a cup of coffee, but you can use your regular coffee that you normally drink, you just need a cup of it.
I’m going to give this recipe a try for my fiancé’s birthday next weekend! Thanks for sharing!
Happy Birthday to your fiance and good luck!