Easy Homemade German Chocolate Cake Recipe
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Aug 17, 2024 • 3 min read
German chocolate cake combines deep notes of chocolate with toasted pecans and shredded coconut suspended in a butterscotch custard filling.
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What Is German Chocolate Cake?
German chocolate cake is a chocolate layer cake featuring a thick, silky coconut-pecan custard filling. Some of the hero ingredients in a German chocolate recipe include cocoa powder, which is responsible for its dark chocolate flavor; evaporated milk, which serves as the base for the creamy filling; and buttermilk, which gives the cake its signature moistness. The cake is occasionally topped with a chocolate frosting, though this is optional for those who may find it too sweet when combined with the coconut-pecan filling.
Contrary to popular belief, the German chocolate cake did not originate in Germany. It was named for American baker Samuel German, who developed the baking chocolate that appears in the recipe in the late 1800s—though the cake recipe itself wouldn’t appear until the 1950s, in a Dallas newspaper. German’s signature baking chocolate is not as prominent in contemporary recipes for the cake.
4 Tips for Making German Chocolate Cake
The best German chocolate cake lets each component shine without tipping too far into the too-sweet territory. Consider the following tips for baking your own:
- 1. Bloom the cocoa powder. For the deepest chocolate flavor, “bloom,” or rehydrate, the cocoa powder with a hot liquid. Hot water is the most common method, but hot coffee or oil will also work.
- 2. Use a serrated knife to trim the layers. If you prefer perfect, even cake layers, use a serrated knife to trim the domes of the individual cakes. If you don’t mind a slight lift in the center of the cake, simply invert the center layer—the weight of the frosting and the top layer will help it settle.
- 3. Use natural, unsweetened cocoa powder. Dutch-process cocoa powder is alkalized, which means it won’t react with the leavening agents in the cake batter. No reaction, no rise.
- 4. Make cupcakes. German chocolate cupcakes are a great option for dinner parties or birthday celebrations. To amp up the sweet chocolate treat, top the cupcakes with coconut-pecan frosting.
Easy German Chocolate Cake Recipe
makes
prep time
10 mintotal time
45 mincook time
35 minIngredients
For the coconut pecan frosting:
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line three 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
- 2
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla on medium speed until well combined.
- 3
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- 4
With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture a little at a time until they are fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- 5
Carefully whisk in 1 cup of boiling water.
- 6
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pans. Bake for about 25 minutes, checking for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of each cake.
- 7
While the cakes bake, make the custard frosting. Separate the egg yolks into a small bowl; save the egg whites for another use.
- 8
Whisk together the evaporated milk, 3 large egg yolks, butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring continuously until thickened. Stir in the vanilla extract, chopped pecans, and shredded coconut. Set aside and let it cool completely.
- 9
Invert the cake layers onto wire racks to cool.
- 10
When you’re ready to assemble, place the bottom cake layer right-side up on a cake stand or platter, then spread a layer of coconut-pecan frosting onto it.
- 11
Top it with a second cake layer, upside down, gently pressing to adhere. Repeat with another layer of frosting. The top cake layer should be right-side up. Finish with the remaining frosting, and serve.
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