German Chocolate Cake Recipe

Classic and tasty this German Chocolate Cake Recipe is layered with chocolate cake, chocolate buttercream, and a coconut pecan filling. A tasty cake for any and all occasions.

If I were made to choose one of my favorite cakes of all time, it would have to be this German Chocolate Cake Recipe. There is nothing about this cake that I don’t like.

If you are a chocolate lover, then this is the dessert for you. With the chocolate buttercream and coconut pecan filling/topping, it is one of the best combinations ever.

This cake is one you can make all year round and is great to bring to parties, holidays, gatherings, or just to make at home because you are craving it.

We have made this cake more times than not as it is one of the most requested cakes that we get, and everyone always asks for the recipe.

When you get it requested so often, then you know it is just that good. Moist, flavorful, and filling – you absolutely must make my German Chocolate Cake Recipe.

Some of my other favorite cakes that we have on our site include: Angel Food Cake, Marble Cake and Chocolate Bundt Cake.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

• This serves a crowd, so it is great for gatherings.
• Loads of chocolate, but a great contrast from the coconut pecan filling.
• You can decorate this any way that you’d like.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED (FULL RECIPE BELOW):

All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Fine sea salt
Baking soda
Granulated sugar
Light brown sugar
Vegetable oil
Eggs
Buttermilk
Vanilla extract
German baking chocolate
Boiling water
Unsalted butter
Egg yolks
Evaporated milk
Toasted sweetened coconut flakes
Toasted chopped pecans
Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Powdered sugar
Whole milk
Pecan halves, for garnish, optional

HOW TO MAKE A GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE:

Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°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.
2. In a large bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla until smooth. 
4. Whisk in the melted chocolate until combined.
5. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and whisk together until there are no lumps. 
6. Pour in the boiling water and whisk to combine.
7. Evenly distribute the batter between the two cake pans. Bake for 23-28 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Let the cakes cool in the pan completely on a wire rack.

Filling/Frosting:

1. While the cakes are cooling, make the pecan coconut frosting. Place the brown sugar, sugar, butter, egg yolks, and evaporated milk in a saucepan.
2. Whisk until combined, there will be chunks of butter, that’s okay. Place over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly until it comes to a low boil. Continue to whisk until it starts to thicken, about 1 minute.
3. Take off the heat and add the vanilla, toasted coconut, and toasted pecans and stir it in until combined. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
4. 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.
5. Add the vanilla and 2 tablespoons of milk. Stir it in until combined. Place the mixer on to 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.

Assembly:

1. 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. 
2. Frost with a thin layer of chocolate buttercream on top of the cake. 
3. Add half of the coconut pecan frosting on top and smooth it out almost to the edge, leaving a half-inch border.
4. Add the other cake, top side down on top. 
5. Next add a thin layer of chocolate frosting on top and on the sides of the cake.
6. Add the remaining coconut pecan frosting on top of the cake, leaving a ½ inch border.
7. 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.

HOW DO I TOAST THE PECANS AND COCONUT?

To toast the pecans, preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the pecans in a single layer on a sheet tray, and place them into the oven.

Bake, turning every 2 minutes until they become aromatic, 5-8 minutes. Take them out and immediately place on a room temperature plate, they will continue to toast slightly until they become room temperature.

To toast the coconut, preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the coconut in a single layer on a sheet tray, and place them into the oven.

Bake, turning every 2 minutes until they start to brown, 5-8 minutes. Take the tray out and immediately and pour the coconut on to a cool room temperature plate, they will continue to toast until they become room temperature.

I always pull my coconut a shade or two before what I want because it does keep getting more brown as it cools.

DO I HAVE TO USE GERMAN BAKING CHOCOLATE?

To be a true German Chocolate Cake Recipe, you will need to use german baking chocolate otherwise, it is just a chocolate cake with a filling and frosting.

If you cannot find german baking chocolate or would like to use another chocolate, you can use semi-sweet or dark baking chocolate.

DO I HAVE TO USE THE CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM?

I know some people like to use the coconut pecan filling/frosting only, and you can do this if you do not want to use the chocolate buttercream.

If that is the route you want to go, then I would 1.5x the filling recipe and then split it between the first layer and then the top. This will be more of a naked cake going this way.

HOW TO STORE:

This can be stored at room temperature in a cake saver or an airtight container where it will keep for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for 1 week.

This can also be frozen, place your cake in a freezer container and it will keep in the freezer where it will keep for up to 3 months.

To defrost you can remove to the refrigerator or countertop until thawed.

TIPS AND TRICKS:

• This is best served at room temperature but best cut chilled.
• You can use just the coconut pecan frosting if you’d like, see above on how to do that.
• Toasting the coconut and pecans really give the filling/frosting a depth of flavor, see above on how to toast them.
• If you don’t want to use german chocolate you can use semi-sweet or dark chocolate but won’t be a true German Chocolate cake.
• This can be frozen, see above on how to do that.
• To measure your boiling water properly add extra water to your pan and then after boiling pour into a measuring cup.

Are you a chocolate lover who also loves a good classic cake? Then there is no doubt that you will enjoy my German Chocolate Cake Recipe.

If you like this recipe you might also like:

• Chocolate Poke Cake
• Chocolate Chip Cake
• Chocolate Espresso Cake
• Turtle Poke Cake
• Ding Dong Cake
• Easy Chocolate Bundt Cake

If you’ve tried this GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!