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German Chocolate Cake is a classic dessert! Light-as-air layers of moist chocolate cake are covered in a traditional coconut pecan frosting. This cake is so simple to make & decorate (especially since we don’t frost the sides!) and makes a delicious addition to any celebration.
Why you’ll love German Chocolate Cake:
- Light Chocolate Cake – Light & fluffy chocolate cake layers are made with delicious german chocolate! This is not a super rich chocolate cake, so if you’re looking for that, try my Chocolate Truffle Cake instead.
- Coconut Pecan Frosting – A simple frosting is made on the stovetop with sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks, sugar, butter, pecans, and coconut. It’s the traditional filling for this cake!
- Easy Cake Recipe – This cake recipe takes a few steps but it is relatively easy to make – especially since the sides of the cake aren’t frosted.
Ingredient Overview:
As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Use the table of contents (back at the top, below the first image, to navigate).
- German Chocolate – Baker’s is the only brand I know of that makes German Chocolate. It comes in a 4-ounce bar in a green and brown box, and can be found in the baking aisle at many major grocery stores.
- Butter – I always use salted buter for the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if you prefer. We’re using this instead of vegetable oil in this cake to add extra richness!
- Eggs – Use large eggs, at room temperature. (This cake does use a lot of eggs – try my Eggless Chocolate Cake for an eggless option!)
- Vanilla extract – Use real vanilla for the best flavor.
- All-purpose flour – Spoon your flour into the measuring cup, then level it with a flat utensil for best results, or use a scale. Scooping the measuring cup directly into your flour will lead to too much flour, and a potentially dry bake.
- Buttermilk – Be sure to use buttermilk here, instead of a substitution.
Recipe Substitutions & Variations:
- Gluten-free – I have not tested a gluten-free version of this cake.
- Dairy-free – I have not tested a dairy-free version of this cake and am uncertain that it would work with this recipe.
- German Chocolate – If you can’t find the bar of german chocolate near you, I’m not 100% sure what to substitute as I’ve never tried this recipe with a substitute. Here’s an article from Food52 where a few readers discuss a substitute – you may consider trying that, but please know that I have not tried it myself and cannot guarantee a good result.
- Other Substitutes – This cake can be a bit delicate, and because of that, I do not recommend making any substitutions to the recipe. I haven’t ever made this recipe any way besides how it is written, and I fear any changes would compromise the structure of the cake.
How to Make this German Chocolate Cake:
Step 1: Start the Batter. Microwave chocolate & water together until smooth. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, cream together softened butter & sugar. Add egg yolks one at a time, mixing until just incorporated. Add the chocolate mixture & vanilla, and mix. Alternate adding 1/3 of the dry ingredients with 1/3 of the buttermilk until it’s all mixed in.
Step 2: Whip Egg Whites. Beat the egg whites in a separate medium bowl until stiff peaks form, and the mixture doesn’t budge when you flip the bowl upside down.
Step 3: Fold In Egg Whites. Gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter, taking care not to deflate them as they give the cake its light texture. (This technique is also used in Chocolate Mousse!)
Step 4: Bake Cake Layers. Divide the batter among your three prepared pans and bake as directed in the recipe card below.
Step 5: Make the Frosting. Heat the egg yolks, milk, vanilla, butter, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 10-12 minutes, then stir in the coconut and pecans.
Step 6: Frost the Cake. Let frosting cool a bit to thicken before frosting the cake layers.
Serving + Storing:
One the cake is frosted, place it in the fridge for at least 60 minutes to let everything firm up before slicing and serving. Serve with milk or coffee! Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Expert Baking Tips:
- Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
- Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.
FAQs:
Yes, but be prepared for them to have flat tops! I haven’t made these into cupcakes in years so to be honest I don’t remember how many cupcakes the recipe will make. My guess is about 20.
I do not recommend doubling it, as folding in that amount of egg whites into the batter would be very difficult to do without deflating them and compromising the structure of the cake. You can certainly halve the recipe and bake in two 8-inch pans.
More Cake Recipes to Love:
- White Forest Cake
- Gingerbread Cake
- Perfect White Birthday Cake
- German Chocolate Cake
- Raspberry Chocolate Ganache Cake
- Best Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment & star rating!
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German Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 4 ounces Baker's German Sweet Chocolate, chopped
- 1/2 cup water, 118 mL
- 2 cups + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled or weighed out , 280 grams
- 1 tsp baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature, 226 grams
- 2 cups granulated sugar, 420 grams
- 4 large eggs, separate them then bring to room temperature on the counter ahead of time
- 1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
For the Coconut Pecan Frosting
- 4 large egg yolks, at room temperature , yes, in addition to the 4 separated eggs above – for a total of 8 eggs
- 12 oz can evaporated milk
- 3/4 cup salted butter, 170 grams
- 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 315 grams
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 7 oz sweetened, shredded coconut, 198 grams
- 1 and 1/2 cups chopped pecans, 190 grams
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 350℉. Grease and flour three 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans well with shortening, then place a parchment round in the bottom of each pan, and coat it in shortening as well. Dust the insides of the pans with flour, covering all areas, and tap out the excess.
- Start the Cake Batter: Microwave chopped chocolate and water in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until completely melted. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.4 ounces Baker's German Sweet Chocolate, chopped, 1/2 cup water, 2 cups + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled or weighed out , 1 tsp baking soda, pinch of salt
- Finish the Cake Batter: In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter with an electric mixer until creamy, about 30-60 seconds. Add sugar and beat on high until creamed with the butter, about 1-2 minutes. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing on medium high until just incorporated after each addition. Add the chocolate mixture and vanilla, and mix until just incorporated. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix until just a few streaks of flour remain, then add 1/3 of the milk and mix until just a few streaks of milk remain, then repeat this two more times. Scrape the bowl well, and gently fold in any stray bits of flour or milk with a spatula.1 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature, 2 cups granulated sugar, 4 large eggs, separate them then bring to room temperature on the counter ahead of time, 1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 cup buttermilk
- Beat the Egg Whites: Beat the egg whites in a medium bowl with mixer on high speed, until stiff peaks form. (The eggs should be completely stiff, and you should be able to flip the bowl upside down and they don't budge.)Gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter. To fold, run your spatula down one side of the bowl, underneath the bottom of the batter, and up the opposite side of the bowl. Then, cut the spatula through the middle of the batter, and repeat this. Folding is a gentle motion – do not use a usual stirring motion or you will knock out all the air we worked so hard to whip into the egg whites. This will take a few minutes – be patient and keep going until all the egg white has disappeared into a silky batter.
- Bake: Divide the batter between your three prepared pans. Bake the cakes for 22-30 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with some moist crumbs. Tip: To divide the batter perfectly evenly, use a kitchen scale. My batter weighed 1595 grams, so it was about 520-530 grams per pan. If you're pretty good at eyeballing this, don't worry about weighing it out.
- Cool the Cake Layers: When the cake is done, immediately run a butter knife around the edges of the cake layers to loosen from the side of pan. Let the cake layers cool in the pans for 15 minutes and then invert onto cooling racks. If they seem to be stuck at all, tap gently but firmly all across the bottom of the pan while it's flipped upside down. Let cake layers cool completely before frosting.Make Ahead Tip: Make the cake layers a day ahead. Once they're completely cooled, place each one on a dinner plate or something similar and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Keep at room temperature overnight, and frost the next day!
- Make the Coconut Pecan Frosting + Frost the Cake: In a large saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, milk and vanilla. Add the sugar and butter. Cook on medium heat about 10-12 minutes. The mixture will have thickened and become golden brown. It will coat the back of a wooden spoon and hold a trail when you drag your finger through the mixture on the back of the spoon.Remove from the heat. Stir in the coconut and pecans. Let the frosting cool about 15-20 minutes, or until it's thick enough that it won't run all over the cake, but not too thick that you can't spread it. (You can speed this up in the fridge – keep an eye on it.)Frost in between each cake layer and on the top. Cover the cake with plastic wrap (use toothpicks to keep it from sticking to the top of the cake) or use a cake plate with a lid, and chill in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours before slicing, so it can set up.4 large egg yolks, at room temperature , 12 oz can evaporated milk, 3/4 cup salted butter, 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 7 oz sweetened, shredded coconut, 1 and 1/2 cups chopped pecans
- Serve + Store: Slice and enjoy with a glass of cold milk! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’ve attempted to make this German Chocolate Cake several times and everytime I take it out of the oven the cake sinks in the middle. I live in high altitude (6,500 ft) and I know this is the reason it falls. Do you have any suggestions for making this cake in high altitude?
Hi Margarita! Unfortunately I have no experience baking at high altitude, but here are a few articles from reputable baking sources that should help! https://zoebakes.com/2021/08/31/baking-at-high-altitudes/ & https://blog.wilton.com/high-altitude-baking/ Best of luck!
This was by far the ugliest cake I’ve ever made, and I’ve never had so many people ask for the recipe. A coworker staked out my desk for 3 days while I was on vacation to ask how to make it.
My second layer went to pieces coming out of the pan. I think I didn’t let it rest long enough and was a bit reckless with my technique. The cake was so moist and delicious that not a single person said a word.
Because my cake carrier is so short, I can only have 2 layers. I made 6 cupcakes with the top layer and extra frosting.
Oh my gosh Hannah, I’m cracking up at your comment haha! 🙂 So glad you enjoyed this cake! I’ve had a layer break on me before as well, you definitely have to handle this cake with a bit of care. But it always tastes great no matter what, as you found out haha 🙂
Now I want to go get the ingredients and bake one! It is my very favorite cake! I made it the first time when I was 12, back in 1960. Back then, the recipe was on the back of the chocolate bar package, which made it easy to gather all the ingredients when shopping. It (along with coconut cake) was a traditional Christmas dessert for us.
The buttermilk is essential, it just makes a better cake. If I have two recipes for the same flavor cake and one has buttermilk and folded in egg whites and the other does not I will choose the first one every time.
Someone asked me once what we did with the 4 egg whites from the frosting. Answer: make the coconut cake!
Trivia: I always wondered why it was ‘German Chocolate’, why no other chocolate tastes quite like it, why the label says “German’s” & why only Baker’s makes it. It was developed by a man named German, (who may have been an employee); Baker’s owns the patent, but kept Mr German’s name. Such a nice way to honor the inventor of this wonderful chocolate.!
I’ve made this both in cake and cupcake forms— excellent! I also added her chocolate buttercream from the best yellow cake and chocolate frosting to the sides when I decorated the cakes. Sooooo delicious and decadent! I’ve never made s Blue Bowl recipe that was anything but exceptional!
Thanks so much for your kind comment, Sue! 🙂
This is absolutely THE best German chocolate recipe you will find! Her directions are clear and her hints helpful!
Glad to hear you enjoyed this cake, Sue! 🙂
Excited to try this German Chocolate cake but I needed to search other recipes to figure out the amount of sugar and vanilla to add to the frosting. It lists both ingredients in the directions(under 9.) but not in the ingredients list.
Sorry about that mistake – thanks for catching it! There should be 2 cups granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. I’ll update the recipe, too. 🙂 Happy baking!
Oh, disregard my last comment – I just realized you were referring to the frosting not the cake. It should be 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla in the frosting.
Who doesn’t love a good chocolate cake?! This will probably be my new favourite treat, Stephanie! What kidn of milk do you use for this recipe?
You can use buttermilk but I didn’t have any so I just used regular (I believe it was 2%!)
Love this cake, it’s a family favorite.
Same with my family! 🙂
Oops!!! I can’t type.
“it”
And give it 5 stars!!!!!
Eat is slightly warm for bonus amazing-ness!!! The best birthday gift a mother-in-law can receive. It was stuffed with love.
Aww! Thank you so much!!! ❤️❤️