Delicious layers of moist GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE, in divine harmony with a luscious coconut pecan filling then coated in a glorious chocolate frosting. The most incredible showstopper chocolate cake you’ll ever have!
Just hearing that description above makes my mouth water with excitement. I probably wouldn’t stop at one slice because this cake is “sehr gut“! It’d be hard for you to stop at one too. Trust me, I almost ate half of the cake after I did the photo shoot for this.
If I could choose one sweet cake that would embody the feeling of luscious awesomeness, it would be this German Chocolate Cake. It combines the nutty taste of pecan and coconut with the luscious chocolate flavor layered cake and frosting. If you want to impress your friends with melt-in-your-mouth goodness, you better stick around to find out how to make this heavenly dessert.
Undeniably delicious and fun to make! You may want to ask dad or hubby to help you out with this for Father’s Day celebration.
What is German Chocolate Cake?
When you hear the words “German Chocolate”, you know that your taste buds will experience lavish euphoria. Contrary to its name, this sweet cake isn’t actually a German cake dessert per se. It’s a layered chocolate cake from the U.S. that sports a moist layered chocolate cake, chocolate frosting, and a gooey oeey coconut pecan filling.
This chocolate coconut cake got its name from an English-American Samuel German who developed the formulation of dark baking chocolate that was used in this cake recipe back then. Although a few of today’s recipes call for that, it doesn’t make this cake here any less than the traditional German Chocolate Cake.
It still has that unapologetic decadent and indulgent vibes in it that never fails to make you drool! Every bite is undeniably good!
Making Homemade German Chocolate Cake
Making this chocolate cake recipe sure needs a lot of elbow grease. Not that it’s hard to make, but it takes quite an amount of time to get everything up. Let’s get to know the components behind this cake so you can prepare and manage your time when making this.
Chocolate Cake
Consider this as the body of the whole dessert. To make this, we would combine all our dry ingredients in one bowl and cream together butter and sugar in another bowl. We do this so that our cake would have little to no lumps. Then combine these two bowls along with eggs (one at a time) and mix them together. We will then add sour cream, vanilla (see my Homemade Vanilla Extract HERE), and buttermilk. Mix it up a little more until all the ingredients are incorporated once again.
Tip 1: If you don’t have buttermilk, see my other easy substitutions HERE.
Tip 2: Want to make this cake in advance? Bake the cake layers, let them cool and wrap them. Put it in the fridge for up 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Coconut Pecan Filling
While the cake is delicious enough to WOW everyone at the dining table, the coconut pecan filling is actually the STAR of the show. It’s gooey, ooey, nutty, and delightfully sweet. It’s made with…
- softened unsalted butter
- brown sugar
- sugar
- room temperature egg yolks
- evaporated milk
- vanilla extract
- shredded coconut
- pecans
Take note that evaporated milk is different from condensed milk. It’s often sold in cans in the baking aisle. If you don’t have one, you can swap it with half-and-half. Don’t go with whole milk as it’s too thin nor with heavy cream as it’s too thick.
Tip 3: Aside from the layered cake, you may also prepare this coconut filling ahead of time. Just let them cool before covering and storing it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Once ready to use, just let it bring to room temperature before spreading it on the cake.
Chocolate Frosting
This part is so easy! You can let your kid have some fun with making the frosting. Start with sifting together powdered cocoa and confectioner’s sugar, then add the softened butter, milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt (to balance out the sweetness). You may use this to frost the top and the sides of the cake.
Oooweee! Just imagine all of these three components in one cake?!??
Decoration Tips
There are a lot of ways to doll up this already exciting addictive homemade German Chocolate Cake.
- You can top the cake with the chocolate frosting instead of the coconut pecan filling.
- Add some halved roasted pecans on top for a more nutty topping.
- If you think the coconut in this cake is still scarce based on your liking, go ahead and toast some coconut flakes and use them to decorate the sides of the cake.
- Ain’t chocolatey enough? Go ahead and cover this gorgeous layered cake here with some shaved chocolate.
- Or you may want to drizzle this cake with some caramel sauce for an epic chocolate meets caramel highlight.
Got some ideas on how to doll this up? We’d love to hear what you did with this cake in the comment section.
How to Store German Chocolate Cake?
I know you just wanna slice through it right away, but I found out that letting everything sit overnight in the fridge actually makes this cake tastes EVEN BETTER! Just cover it tightly and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
More Showstopper Cake Recipes
How to Make German Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Cake Batter
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients flour, cocoa powder, salt baking soda, and powder. Set aside. In another large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Then mix using an electric mixer. A stand mixer works just as well.
Add in eggs one at a time mixing well each time in between each addition. Next, add sour cream, vanilla, buttermilk, and continue mixing fully until all the ingredients have been fully combined. Add in the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients. Mix altogether. Pour in hot water (depending on consistency) and mix until the water is fully incorporated into the mix. Pour cake batter evenly into 3, 8-inch cake pans. For accurate measurements, I weigh each pan and adjust accordingly. Place cake in the oven and bake for about 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove and let it cool completely. I usually make these days in advance, wrap it off and freeze. When ready to use, remove, and assemble.
How to Make Chocolate Frosting
Sift together cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Then add softened butter, milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Mix with an electric mixer until fully combined. Set aside.
Assembling the cake
Proceed with the filling. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, butter, sugar, egg yolks, and evaporated milk whisking occasionally until mixture simmers. Keep whisking until mixture thickens, about 10 -12 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla, coconut, and pecans. Set aside and let it cool before assembling the cake. It will continue to thicken as it cools down. Start spreading on the cake when it has reached the desired consistency
Start by placing one on a cake stand or serving plate. Divide coconut pecan filling into 3. Layer pecan filling on cake and then spread it in a smooth layer. Leave about ½ inch between the filling and edge of the cake. Follow with the second cake and add pecan filling and spread over the entire cake. Scoop up a big batch of frosting with a spatula and apply it thickly to the side of your cake. Alternatively, you can use a pipe with a pastry bag and a large round tip. Smooth it out or create layers. Pipe remaining chocolate frosting around the edge of the cake. Garnish with coconut shavings and/or pecans. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before cutting to prevent the cake from falling apart as you cut it.
Watch How To Make It
German Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
German Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (118g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon (5g) salt
- 1 teaspoon (6g) baking soda
- 2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder
- 1 cup (227g) butter
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs , room temp
- ½ cup (115g) sour cream , room temp
- 2 teaspoons (8.4g) vanilla extract
- ½ cup (122.5g) buttermilk , room temp
- ¼ - ½ cup (59.25ml-118.5ml) hot water
Coconut Pecan Filling
- ½ cup (99g) brown sugar , packed
- 6 ounce (170.1g) unsalted butter , softened
- ½ cup (100g) sugar
- 3 large egg yolks , room temp
- 1 cup (250ml) evaporated milk
- 2 teaspoons (8.4g) vanilla extract
- 1 ½ -2 cups (150g-200g) shredded coconut
- 1 - 1 ½ cup (109g-163.5g) pecans , chopped
Chocolate Frosting
- ¾ cup (88.5g) cocoa powder
- 3 ½ - 4 cups (700g-800g) powdered sugar
- 8 ounce (226.8g) unsalted butter , softened
- 2- 4 tablespoons (30g-60g) milk
- 2 teaspoons (8.4g) vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
German Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients flour, cocoa powder, salt baking soda, and powder. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Then mix using an electric mixer or stand mixer works just as well.
- Add in eggs one at a time mixing well each time in between each addition.
- Next, add sour cream, vanilla, buttermilk, and continue mixing fully until all the ingredients have been fully combined. Add in the dry ingredients to the bowl with wet ingredients. Mix altogether.
- Pour in hot water (depending on consistency) and mix until the water is fully incorporated into the mix.
- Pour cake batter evenly into 3 8-inch cake pans. For accurate measurements, I weigh each pan and adjust accordingly.
- Place cake in the oven and bake for about 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove and let it cool completely. I usually make these days in advance, wrap it off and freeze. When ready to use, remove and assemble.
Coconut Pecan Filling
- Proceed with the filling. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, butter, sugar, egg yolks, and evaporated milk whisking occasionally until mixture simmers. Keep whisking until mixture thickens, about 10 -12 minutes. It will continue to thicken as it cools down. Start spreading on the cake when it has reached the desired consistency.
- Remove from heat and add vanilla, coconut, and pecans. Set aside and let it cool before assembling the cake. (It will thicken while cooling.)
Chocolate Frosting
- Sift together cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Then add softened butter, milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Mix with an electric mixer until fully combine. Set aside.
Assembling the Cake
- Start by placing one on cake stand or serving plate.
- Divide coconut pecan filling into 3. Layer pecan filling on cake and then spread it in a smooth layer. Leave about ½ inch between the filling and edge of the cake.
- Follow with the second cake and add pecan filling and spread over the entire cake.
- Scoop up a big batch of frosting with a spatula and apply it thickly to the side of your cake. Alternatively, you can use a pipe with a pastry bag and a large round tip. Smooth it out or create layers.
- Pipe remaining chocolate frosting around the edge of the cake.
- Garnish with coconut shavings and/or pecans. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before cutting to prevent the cake from falling apart as you cut it.
Tips & Notes:
- Can I replace pecans? Yes, you can. Swap it with hazelnuts or any preferred nuts. Or if you're allergic to nuts, swap it with shredded coconut.
- What I can use in place of buttermilk? See my homemade buttermilk methods HERE.
- Is evaporated milk the same with condensed milk? No, they're not. Evaporated milk is often sold in cans in the baking aisle. If you don’t have one, you can swap it with half-and-half. Don’t go with whole milk as it’s too think nor with heavy cream as it’s too thick.
- Can I use other chocolate cake recipes? Yes, absolutely. Use whatever chocolate cake recipe you have and just use the filling for that cake recipe. You can even use a boxed cake mix to save time if desired.
- Do I need to bring everything at room temperature? Yes, you need to. This is for the batter to mix together easily and evenly.
- Can I make it in advance? Want to make this cake in advance? Bake this cake layers, let them cool and wrap them. Put it in the fridge for up 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. You may also prepare this coconut filling ahead of time. Just let them cool before covering and storing it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Once ready to use, just let it bring to room temperature before spreading it on the cake.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Nutrition Information:
250g
Kyle says
Some of my family likes coconut, most don’t. And none of us enjoy pecans either.
Do you have any advice on other types of fillings that could work well?
Looking to try this out on Thursday!
Duane Mo tez says
Sorry but Real German Chocolate Cake is made with Coffee…. Just Sayin
Kiki says
Thank you …for the frosting ..can the quantity of sugar be reduced without affecting my products ( frost)? Thank you
ImmaculateBites says
Yes you can reduce it to your liking it.
Wendy says
Hola Imma ! RiquÃsima tarta por ejemplo para un cumpleaños. Lástima que no somos fans del chocolate. Pero seguro que debe de estar exquisita. Besitos.
Julia says
I wanted to thank you for not just the awesome recipe, but the etymology behind the name. I always find those kinds of things interesting (I teach English, so that might have something to do with it =).
And I don’t think I have ever seen a German Chocolate Cake that had coconut pecan filling, but that looks/sounds fantastic. I believe I already have all of the ingredients to make it, which of course means that it was meant to be made right now =D
ImmaculateBites says
Hahah. This cake is screaming your name, so you had better get baking!! Looking forward to your feedback. Happy baking! 🙂
Ms. H says
Just letting you know I see egg in your instructions, but not on the ingredients.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Ms. H. Please check again, Thanks.
Cletus says
Look delicious. Can’t wait to try this.
imma africanbites says
Thank you. Please let me know how it goes. =)