A decadent German Chocolate Cake Recipe, made an extra moist and fudgy chocolate cake, a rich caramel/coconut frosting, and iced with a sweet and simple chocolate frosting.
German Chocolate Cake
…Or, as I originally wanted to call it, “Not Your Mama’s German Chocolate Cake”.
I’m taking some liberties with the traditional German Chocolate Recipe today. After lots of testing, I wasn’t satisfied with many of the classic versions of this cake. Maybe you’ve tried them before: Chocolate cakes made with melted bars of German chocolate and whipped egg whites. They yield a lighter but more dry and not terribly chocolatey cake.
While I tried to love it, I kept going back to my classic chocolate cake instead. Maybe its my recent intense chocolate cravings (thank you, pregnancy), but I wanted a dense, fudgy cake that actually tasted like chocolate.
While our caramel/coconut layer stays (fairly) true to tradition, this German Chocolate Cake is honestly the most decadent, best version I’ve ever tried. Which, of course it is or I wouldn’t be sharing it with you here today 😉. Let’s get to it.
German Chocolate Cake Frosting
When most people think of German Chocolate Cake, they usually think about the frosting.
Traditional frosting is something of a cross between a frosting, a custard, and a caramel. The base is made primarily with egg yolks, evaporated milk, and brown sugar and cooked on the stovetop until thickened. Once cooked, we’ll stir in shredded (sweetened) coconut and toasted pecans.
When making this frosting, it’s so important that you don’t turn up your heat too high or you’ll end up cooking bits of your egg. Also, make sure you let your frosting cool completely before trying to decorate your cake or you’ll likely end up with a runny mess.
This caramel-esque frosting is the only frosting that some German Chocolate Cake recipes use, and if that’s how you want to make yours then go for it.
Personally I wanted a little bit more chocolate (shocking), so I made a simple chocolate frosting to frost the outside of the cake and decorate the top. I also used it as a dam on the first layer of the cake to help hold the coconut frosting inside, making it easier to frost the outside (see below).
Why is it Called German Chocolate Cake?
This cake actually does not come from Germany, it’s considered an American cake. The recipe was named because of the creator of German chocolate, a man named Samual German. However, these days German Chocolate Cake is now generally used to describe any chocolate layer cake frosted with this coconut/caramel frosting. And while I do feel a little guilty about cutting Mr. German’s chocolate out of our recipe today, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with the results.
You can read here to find out more about the origins of this not-so-German cake.
Does German Chocolate Cake Need to be Refrigerated?
If you plan to enjoy your German Chocolate Cake within a day or two it will keep just fine at room temperature in an airtight container (so long as you aren’t in a particularly humid climate). You may refrigerate this cake, just be sure to keep in an airtight container (to help keep it from drying out, as refrigerators are notorious for drying out cake!).
This cake will keep for a week in the refrigerator.
Can You Freeze German Chocolate Cake?
Yes! this cake can be frozen. It will keep for several months in the freezer, granted it is properly sealed and stored (I would wrap it well with plastic wrap and foil).
Enjoy!
More Recipes You Might Like:
- Coconut Cake
- Hummingbird Cake
- Carrot Cake
- Marble Cake
- Or check out more of my Cake Recipes
Let’s bake together! Follow me on my YouTube channel where I’ve already uploaded over 150 recipe videos that you can watch for free!
German Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1 ¾ cup (215 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar
- ¾ cup (75 g) natural cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons instant coffee
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (120 ml) canola or vegetable oil
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter melted
- 2 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature preferred
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (236 ml) buttermilk¹
- ½ cup (120 ml) very hot or boiling water
Coconut Caramel Filling
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 cup (236 ml) evaporated milk
- 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 8 pieces
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cups (125 g) chopped pecans preferably toasted
- 2 cups (160 g) sweetened shredded coconut
Chocolate Frosting²
- 1 cup (226 g) salted butter softened
- 3 ½ cups (440 g) powdered sugar
- ½ cup (50 g) natural cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons evaporated milk³
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and prepare two 9" round cake pans by lightly greasing and flouring I also recommend lining the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment paper. Set aside.
- Combine flour, sugars, cocoa powder, instant coffee, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer) and use an electric mixer to stir until well-combined.1 ¾ cup (215 g) all-purpose flour, 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed, 1 cup (200 g) sugar, ¾ cup (75 g) natural cocoa powder, 1 ½ teaspoons instant coffee, 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt
- Add oil and melted butter and stir well (mixture will be very thick), then stir in eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla extract.½ cup (120 ml) canola or vegetable oil, ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, 2 large eggs, 1 large egg yolk, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- Gradually add buttermilk, stirring until completely combined.1 cup (236 ml) buttermilk¹
- Slowly add hot water (be careful not to splash yourself!), stirring until ingredients are well-combined. Pause occasionally to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula to ensure all ingredients are thoroughly combined.½ cup (120 ml) very hot or boiling water
- Evenly divide batter into prepared pans. Transfer to oven and bake on 350F (175C) for 25-30 minutes and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Allow cakes to cool for 15 minutes before inverting onto cooling rack to cool completely before filling and frosting.
Coconut Caramel Filling
- Once your cake is in the oven, begin preparing your coconut/caramel German Chocolate Cake Filling. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine egg yolks and evaporated milk and whisk until eggs are lightly beaten.4 large egg yolks, 1 cup (236 ml) evaporated milk
- Add butter, sugars, and salt and place saucepan over medium/low heat (keep heat low so you do not cook your eggs!). Stir constantly until mixture is a light golden brown and thickened (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract, chopped pecans, and shredded coconut.8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cups (125 g) chopped pecans, 2 cups (160 g) sweetened shredded coconut
- Allow to cool completely before spreading over cake.
Chocolate Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer OR in a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and cocoa powder until completely combined. Stir in vanilla extract and milk.1 cup (226 g) salted butter, 3 ½ cups (440 g) powdered sugar, ½ cup (50 g) natural cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 Tablespoons evaporated milk³
Assembly:
- Once your cake layers have cooled and your coconut/caramel filling is no longer warm to the touch, you can assemble your German Chocolate Cake!
- Place one cake round on serving tray or cake platter. Use your chocolate frosting to spread or pipe a border around the edge of the cake. Fill the border with half of your coconut/caramel filling.
- Top with second cake round. Frost top and sides of entire cake with remaining chocolate frosting.
- Top off cake with remaining half of coconut/caramel frosting.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
³I recommend evaporated milk because you will likely have some over from your coconut filling if you purchased a 12 oz can. However, regular milk will work just as well!
Storing
German Chocolate Cake will keep at room temperature (granted you are not in a particularly hot/humid climate) in an airtight container for up to three days. It may also be refrigerated (in an airtight container) for up to a week. German Chocolate Cake may be frozen, wrap well and freeze for up to several months.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Sarah
This has become my go-to German Chocolate Cake! Everyone raves about it and I’m asked to make it for birthdays every few months. Thank you for an incredible recipe!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoy it so much, Sarah! 🙂
Suzanne
Hello~
I really liked this recipe from reading it, and your instructions/video was great. I baked this cake, but it came out extremely oily and didn’t rise well in the middle. I followed the recipe exactly, so not sure why this happened. I even left it in the oven a bit longer in hopes it would “correct” but ended up having to throw it away and start over with a different recipe that didn’t call for both butter and oil. Wondering if anyone else had this problem? I love all your recipes and have made many of them with perfect success, but this one bombed for me 🙁 Any ideas how this happened?
Sam
Hi Suzanne! I’m so sorry this happened! I’ve never run into this issue before. I would just double check all of the measurements if making it again. I hope it goes better next time. 🙂
Nicole
I absolutely love this cake!! I’ve made it twice now. Each time everyone has said it’s THE BEST German chocolate cake they’ve ever had!! I toast extra Pecans and decorate the bottom edge with them. I also add a chocolate ganache drizzle over my decorative dam on top.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We love hearing that, Nicole! Thanks for trusting our recipe and coming back to leave a comment–we appreciate it! 🙂
Kat Insko
Followed the recipe as written except used hot coffee instead of hot water… it was already brewed and begged to be used! Easy to follow recipe and delicious results. Thanks!
Patricia
I am getting ready to make the German Chocolate cake recipe, my husband’s favorite. He wants all coconut pecan frosting, no chocolate frosting. Will this frosting recipe frost a complete 2 layer cake or do I need to make more frosting?
Sam
Hi Patricia! I actually have notes on the amount of frosting this recipe creates down below the recipe. 🙂
Lori
How many cups, approx, is the filling?
Sam
Hi Lori! Unfortunately, I haven’t measured this one out to say for sure. 🙁
Michelle “Oma”
I made this cake today for my brother’s birthday. German chocolate is his birthday cake since childhood. I was hoping this cake was as good as the reviews. I was so happy with how it turned out! Everyone loved it. It was a huge hit. I only wish I could post a picture of how beautiful it came out but this doesn’t give me the option. The cake was so moist and chocolatey. There’s nothing worse than a dry cake. The frosting was a perfect match for the cake and the filling was amazing. I think it was the best German Chocolate cake I have ever had. It was a little work but well worth it. I will use this chocolate cake recipe in the future with other fillings as well because it is the most moist chocolate cake recipe I have found. Thank you so much for this recipe. It will definitely be a favorite to pass down.
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Michelle! If you join my Facebook Group you can post pictures there or tag me on Instagram @Sugarspun_sam. 🙂
Joli
Can I substitute expresso powder for the instant coffee with no other changes to recipe? I already have expresso, but never instant coffee.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Joli! The flavor might become a bit more pronounced with espresso powder, but it should work fine otherwise. Hope that helps 😊
Bruce
I’m not sure where to begin on this amazing cake. It’s interesting that you can taste the coffee just a little in the batter, and it really tastes good (and I don’t drink coffee), but in the finished cake, it just intensifies the chocolate flavor. The texture of the cake is a little like a chiffon cake, but sturdier, and so intensely chocolate! The brown sugar makes all the difference in the coconut-pecan frosting (I prefer to use 1 1/2 cups each of coconut and pecans. As suggested by America’s Test Kitchen, I don’t add the toasted pecans until after the frosting has cooled, and they stay really crunchy). I didn’t put a layer of chocolate frosting on top, under the other, just because I forgot to. Also, there is plenty of the chocolate frosting to frost the sides and decorate. I have a lot left over, so don’t make extra for that purpose. She must have put it on 2 inches thick, if she didn’t have enough for decorating.
This is going to be my go-to chocolate cake from now on. Be sure to have a big glass of milk to go with it!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you loved it, Bruce! Thanks so much for coming back to leave a review. Enjoy 🙂
JILL
Omg!I forgot to add the baking soda will my cake still turn out ok?😔
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Oh no! It probably won’t rise correctly, unfortunately 😔
Jill
I threw it away!I remade it it’s in the oven now!Hopefully this one comes out right!🙏
Jill
Can I use this recipe for cupcakes?😋
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Jill! We’d recommend using our chocolate cupcake recipe 🙂
Bruce
I made mini-cupcakes from your Easy Chocolate Cupcake recipe (great, of course), and will be putting the Coconut-Pecan Frosting on them. I’m switching from Ghirardelli’s recipe, because your 4 egg yolks compared to their 3 makes a firmer frosting, and your addition of brown sugar is a definite improvement in the rich flavor. I did stay with their ratio of 1 1/2 cups of each of coconut and pecans, because I like that balance.
It’s important to use sweetened coconut, because unsweetened doesn’t have a lot of flavor.
Sam
I hope they turn out perfectly, Bruce! 🙂
Bruce
I haven’t made it yet, but I know it will be 5-star! Your recipe for the coconut-pecan is very similar to the Ghirardelli recipe I’ve used for a long time. Theirs has one less egg yolk, only granulated sugar, and 1 1/2 cups each of coconut and pecans. When I make yours, I’m going to stick with equal amounts of coconut and pecans.
Another difference is that they toast the pecans, and don’t add them until the frosting is completely cooled, so they stay crisp. It makes a big difference.
I’m making German chocolate cupcakes for a party Tuesday, so I’ll give you a full report after that. I’m also making your vanilla cupcakes, which I will fill and frost with an amazing butterscotch pudding from America’s Test Kitchen (think Werther’s Original flavor, not Jell-o or brown sugar. It starts by caramelizing sugar, then adding cream).
All of the cupcakes will be mini, so there will be a lot of them (A recipe for 12 regular makes 48 mini cupcakes).
Lucy Lu
Hi Im making this german chocolate cake and in South Africa our ovens are celcius so 350f would be 177c but my oven doesnt have 177c so what temperature would I use I have 180c?
Sam
Hi Lucy! I would bake on 175C, if you don’t have that you can use 180C. Enjoy!
Edna Wells
My family doesn’t like the pecans in the frosting. So I made it without. My frosting came out runny. How do I fix this?
Sam
Hi Edna! You can stir in more powdered sugar until it thickens a bit. 🙂
Leslie
I made this for my father-in-law’s birthday because German chocolate is his favorite kind of cake. I’ve never really been a fan until I tried this one. Amazing!! The chocolate icing was a little sweet for me but still delicious. Will definitely make this again! I could eat the coconut pecan caramel sauce with a spoon. So good!
Sandy Fath
We love German Chocolate cake so we can’t wait to make this! Can you make this in a 9×13 pan? If so how would we adjust the bake time?
Sam
Hi Sandy! It will fit in a 9 x 13, but I haven’t bake it in one myself so I can’t say for sure what the bake time would be.
Marlene
If I don’t have instant coffee can I just brew some coffee and omit the warm water? Thanks!
Sam
Hi Marlene! That will work great. 🙂
Marcy
This looks amazing! If I want to make this in cupcake form, how do I go about doing so? Would I use your chocolate cupcake recipe or half the cake recipe?
Sam
Hi Marcy! I have a chocolate cupcake recipe I would recommend using. 🙂
Leota
I don’t drink coffee what other substitute can I use? Thanks
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Leota! You can just skip it altogether! The coffee is only in this cake to enhance the chocolate flavor (you don’t actually taste coffee). Enjoy 🙂
Wayne
I tried your German chocolate cake all went well. How ever when I made the Carmel coconut icing I fallowed the recipe but the icing never firmed up any suggestions
Help
Wayne Walker
Sam
Hi Wayne! I’m so sorry this happened! It sounds like it may have needed to cook just a little bit longer. Make sure it’s thickening while on the stovetop. The video may be helpful. 🙁