Updated on February 3rd, 2021
This is a classic recipe for German Chocolate Cake. I am sure many of you have tried this before so you already know how dominant and rich it really is. The cake itself is fairly rich and moist; the frosting uses ingredients such as shredded coconut and chopped pecans. As you can see from the ingredient list, this might not be the healthiest recipe for you, but it sure is good! This cake is a triple layer so make sure to take small slices. This recipe makes a perfect dessert, give it a try for Easter.
German Chocolate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (4 ounces) package sweet dark chocolate
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter (softened)
- 2 cups of sugar
- 4 eggs (separated)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Frosting-
- 1 (12 ounces) can evaporate milk
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup butter
- 4 egg yolks (slightly beaten)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 (7 ounces) package shredded coconut (about 2–2/3 cups)
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 3 (9 inches) round baking pans. Over a double boiler add water and chocolate, melt the chocolate. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and well combined.
- Remove from heat and set aside. In another bowl sift flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time beating well after egg one is added. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture alternately with buttermilk beating well after each addition (so add a little flour, then a little buttermilk, repeat until gone). Beat egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed until they form a peak. Fold egg whites into batter. - Pour and divide evenly into the 3 baking pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and cool for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes remove from the cake pans and finish cooling on wire racks.
To make the frosting- In a large saucepan add milk, sugar, butter, egg yolks, and vanilla. Cook on medium heat for 12 minutes while stirring constantly until the mixture has thickened and is golden brown. - Remove from heat, stir in coconut and pecans. Cool to room temperature and spreading consistency.
- Spread the frosting between each of the layers and then over the top and sides of the entire cake.
Funny to see this tonight! I was actually tossing around the idea of making German Chocolate Cake for my mom’s birthday! Not what I ended up making – but seeing yours makes me wish I did!
hey bobby!
we’re going to have a baby shower this sunday and I’m making my cakes. I’m going to make your banana cake and I’m going to try this one out tomorrow as a test. I could only get bakers german chocolate (for german choco cake). Do you think that would be ok? also, I love moist cakes and your banana cake is very moist. Would you consider this cake very moist? I’ve read that when you separate the eggs cakes turn out a little dryer. do you think it would be ok to just throw them in???? I would really appreciate some advice b/c I wanna have two really yummy cakes for the party so whatever you recommend I will try!!
Megan- this cake is moist but not as moist as the banana cake. bakers german chocolate will work fine. I think it would be just fine to throw the eggs in. However, if your looking for very moist cakes, I would recommend the black magic cake or the carrot cake. Both are very moist.
https://blogchef.net/carrot-cake-recipe/
https://blogchef.net/black-magic-cake-recipe/
ok I’m making the cake right now and don’t know where to add the 1/2 cup water….am I missing something????
opps. the water goes with the chocolate to be melted. I do this all the time 🙁
lol it’s ok bobby! I melted the chocolate and then realized that I didn’t know where to add the water. I figured it was with the chocolate so I just added it a little later and then reheated it. I did decide to thrown the eggs in one at a time whole. The cake turned out really moist and chocolaty. The only thing I had a problem was with the frosting. It tasted great but it wasn’t very caramelized; just a tad “liquidy”. I followed it exactly by adding all the ingredients (except for the pecans and coconut) and cooked it for 12 min. Do you recommend cooking it longer or adding a cornstarch if it doesn’t thicken before adding the coconut and pecans. I loved the cake and will make it again and hope my frosting turns out superb for the party.
Megan- I am glad you enjoyed the cake. Yes, cooking it for longer should do the trick. If not you could add some a little cornstarch. You could also try adding more cococut, that should help a bit if its too thin.
Just wanted to say that I did end up making this cake and the banana cake for our baby shower and they ended up being HUGE hits. I did have to add 1tsp cornstarch to the frosting for the german choco but it turned out perfect. there were about 15 ppl including some children and there ended up being only a couple slices left (remember I made two cakes!)
Megan- I am glad everything turned out well. The banana cake is one of my all time favorites.
sensacional, I love it.