German Chocolate Cake

5 from 13 votes

German Chocolate Cake

German Chocolate Cake is a classic dessert! Light-as-air layers of moist chocolate cake are slathered with 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.

Prep Time1

Cook Time24

Total Time1 24

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Dessert

Keyword: Cake, Thanksgiving, Christmas

Servings: slices

Author: Stephanie Simmons

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

US Customary - Metric

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

Note: To sub for buttermilk, add 1 tbsp lemon juice to a 1-cup glass measuring cup, then pour in the milk until you reach the 1 cup line. Stir, and let sit 5 minutes. Give it another stir and then use as directed.

Nutrition