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+ servings

German Chocolate Cake

This homemade German Chocolate Cake Recipe is filled and topped with a coconut pecan frosting and all coated in a chocolate buttercream. The perfect cake for any and all occasions.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time38 minutes
Total Time1 hour 8 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, German
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 1048kcal

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar packed
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 4 ounces German baking chocolate chopped and melted
  • 1 cup boiling water

For the Pecan coconut frosting:

  • ¾ cup light brown sugar packed
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • ¾ cup evaporated milk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 ¼ cup toasted sweetened coconut flakes
  • 1 ¼ cup toasted chopped pecans

For the chocolate frosting:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips melted and cooled
  • 4 ⅓ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2-3 tablespoons whole milk
  • Pecan halves for garnish, optional

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray 2 9-inch cake pans with baking spray. Place parchment paper in the bottom of the pan. Spray the top of the paper with baking spray, set aside.
  • In a large bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda, set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla until smooth.
  • Whisk in the melted chocolate until combined.
  • Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk together until there are no lumps remaining.
  • Pour in the boiling water and whisk to combine.
  • Evenly distribute the batter between the two cake pans. Bake for 23-28 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Let the cakes cool in the pan completely on a wire rack.
  • While the cakes are cooling, make the pecan coconut frosting. Place the brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, egg yolks, and evaporated milk in a saucepan.
  • Whisk until combined, there will be some chunks of butter, that’s normal and fine. Place over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly until it comes to a low boil. Continue whisking until it starts to thicken, this takes about 1 minute.
  • Remove from the heat and add the vanilla, toasted coconut, and toasted pecans and stir in until combined. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
  • Once the cakes and pecan coconut frosting are cooled, make the chocolate buttercream. In the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment cream the butter and the melted chocolate together until smooth. Add the powdered sugar a little at a time until fully mixed in.
  • Add the vanilla and 2 tablespoons of milk, stir it in until combined. Place the mixer on medium-high speed and whip for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. If the frosting seems too thick, add the extra 1 tablespoon of milk.
  • Once the cakes and pecan coconut frosting are cooled, make the chocolate buttercream. Take the cooled cakes out of the pan and trim off the top if it is uneven. Place one of the cakes bottom side down onto your serving platter.
  • Frost with a thin layer of chocolate buttercream on top of the cake.
  • Add half of the coconut pecan frosting on top and smooth it out almost to the edge, leaving a half-inch border.
  • Add the other cake, top side down on top.
  • Next add a thin layer of chocolate frosting on top and on the sides of the cake.
  • Add the remaining coconut pecan frosting on top of the cake, leaving a ½ inch border.
  • Pipe the remaining chocolate frosting around the top edge of the cake, I used a 1M star tip. Garnish with pecans halves if desired, serve immediately.

Notes

  1. Instead of using semi-sweet chocolate in the buttercream, try using some melted German chocolate for some extra chocolate flair. 
  2. If you can't find German chocolate, then you can try semi-sweet or dark chocolate.
  3. While I highly suggest taking the time to toast the coconut, if you don't have the time, or don't want to, you can use sweetened coconut flakes out of the bag along with chopped pecans. 
  4. The buttercream frosting is optional and I feel it really makes this cake, bu if you don't want to use it you don't have to. Instead, make 1.5 times the recipe for the coconut pecan frosting and still add half of the coconut pecan frosting between the cake layers and use it on top as well. You'll find that it may end up more of a "naked" cake.
  5. This cake is easier to cut once you've chilled it. But I still suggest serving it at room temperature if possible.

Nutrition

Calories: 1048kcal | Carbohydrates: 132g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 496mg | Potassium: 380mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 111g | Vitamin A: 903IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 152mg | Iron: 3mg