Moist layers of German Chocolate Cake slathered with the best homemade coconut pecan frosting ever are the hallmarks of this classic dessert! It’s always best made from-scratch with real German’s sweet chocolate!
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My mom, aunt, and brother each always requested German chocolate cake as their traditional birthday cake. And it was always made from scratch, never from a box mix or a can of frosting, so I have made this cake dozens and dozens of times over the years.
It has soft, fluffy layers of chocolate cake piled with a rich, caramelly coconut pecan frosting that is cooked on the stovetop. And despite the name, German chocolate cake is not actually a German dessert. Instead, it was created in America in 1852 and named for Samuel German, the inventor of a type of sweetened chocolate that bears his name and is still a key ingredient in this cake today!
If you love all things German chocolate-inspired, be sure to try my German Chocolate Brownies and my German Chocolate Cake Truffles next!
What You’ll Need
This is a brief overview of some of the key ingredients you will need to make this recipe. Be sure to scroll to the printable recipe card below for the full amounts and instructions.
- Baker’s German’s Chocolate Bar: A type of sweetened chocolate that is a key ingredient for a traditional German chocolate cake. See below for substitutions.
- Eggs: You’ll need four eggs for the cake itself and five egg yolks for the rich coconut pecan frosting.
- Flour: I prefer making this recipe with cake flour so it is extra light and tender, but regular all-purpose flour works as well.
- Salted Butter: Adds richness and moisture to the cake batter and frosting.
- Sugar: You will need granulated sugar for both the cake and frosting, as well as some brown sugar for more depth in the frosting.
- Buttermilk: A favorite ingredient for cakes, this adds flavor, moisture, and creates a very tender, soft crumb.
- Shredded Sweetened Coconut: This is a crucial part of the frosting and overall flavor of a German chocolate cake.
- Pecans: Another key element of the iconic German chocolate cake frosting. This can be omitted if you have nut allergies, or replaced with walnuts or even chopped pretzels (as long as you plan to serve the cake within a day of making it).
- Evaporated Milk: Add richness and a wonderfully caramel flavor to the frosting.
- Baking Soda: Reacts with the acidity of the buttermilk to help leaven the cake.
- Salt: Balances all of the flavors, preventing the cake from being either too sweet or bland.
How to Make German Chocolate Cake
- Melt the chocolate. Chop your German chocolate bar and transfer it to a medium bowl. Pour the boiling hot water over the chocolate and stir until completely melted and smooth. You can get away with just using very hot tap water, but you might need to microwave the mixture for 20-30 seconds after mixing if the chocolate doesn’t melt completely.
PRO TIP: Be sure to let the chocolate cool before adding to the rest of the cake batter. If it is too hot, it can affect the butter temperature, melting it and causing the cake layers to turn out more greasy and dense instead of light and fluffy. I like to melt the chocolate first and let it cool while working on other steps.
- Separate egg whites and egg yolks. Carefully crack the eggs and separate the yolks from the whites, transferring the egg whites to a medium mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat the egg whites on medium speed until stiff peaks form, then set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light, about 2-3 minutes using the paddle attachment on a stand mixer at medium speed.
- Add the egg yolks one at a time. Mix in the egg whites on medium speed, stopping to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl until evenly incorporated.
- Stir in the melted chocolate and vanilla. Once the chocolate is no longer hot, add it to the cake batter along with the vanilla extract.
- Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk. I don’t like to dirty another bowl, so I typically add half of the flour along with all of the baking soda and salt. Mix on low speed just until you only see a few streaks of flour remaining, then add half of the buttermilk and mix again. Repeat with the remaining flour and buttermilk. Do not overmix the batter.
- Fold in the egg whites. Add the egg whites from earlier and fold them in by scraping the batter from the bottom of the bowl and lifting it to fold over the top of the stiff egg whites. Repeat the motion of cutting through the batter with your spatula, lifting some of it, and letting it fall gently on top of the egg whites. This helps incorporate the egg whites into the batter without overmixing and causing the egg whites to deflate. This should only be done by hand and not using your mixer.
- Pour into pans. Evenly divide the batter between three 9-inch round cake pans that have been lined with parchment paper circles on the bottom and sprayed with baking spray or greased and floured.
- Bake. Bake for 24-28 minutes at 350°F until a toothpick or other cake tester inserted into the middle of each cake layer comes out with just a few crumbs on it. Do not overbake.
- Cool. Let the cake layers cool in their pans for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely before assembling.
- Make the frosting. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, sugars, evaporated milk, and egg yolks. Heat over medium heat, stirring or whisking almost constantly to prevent the egg yolks from scrambling until the butter has melted and the mixture is thickened and syrupy with a golden brown color. It should not come to a boil.
- Add coconut and chopped pecans. Stir in the shredded sweetened coconut, chopped pecans, and vanilla extract then let the frosting cool completely before assembling the cake. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Assemble. Once the cake layers and frosting have cooled completely, place a cake layer on a cake stand or decorative plate and top with ⅓ of the coconut pecan frosting. Spread the frosting in an even layer to the edges of the cake. Top with the next cake layer and another ⅓ of the frosting. Repeat with the final cake layer and remaining frosting, leaving the edges of the cake exposed.
Recipe FAQ’s
A real German chocolate cake is made using German sweet baking chocolate, whereas normal chocolate cakes typically uses unsweetened cocoa powder or unsweetened baking chocolate. German baking chocolate is normally sweeter and not as intensely chocolaty as other baking chocolate.
If you want to make a German chocolate cake but don’t have Baker’s German’s chocolate on hand, you can simply use an equal amount of semisweet chocolate in place of the German’s chocolate and make a regular chocolate cake. Or try mixing one tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder with one tablespoon + one teaspoon of sugar and one teaspoon of vegetable shortening for each ounce of German chocolate called for in a recipe. Neither approach is a perfect substitute, but it’s close enough that when paired with the coconut pecan frosting you should be okay.
Sometimes you will see German chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting around the outside, especially at restaurants.
Personally, I not only prefer the look of a “naked cake” where you can see the coconut pecan filling between the layers, but I also like the taste better without the extra chocolate frosting fighting with an otherwise perfect balance of moist and light German chocolate cake layers and coconut pecan frosting.
Another option would be to 1.5x or even 2x the batch of coconut pecan frosting so that there is enough to cover the outside of the cake entirely. Frankly, it gets a little messy and the presentation isn’t always the prettiest, but if the frosting is your favorite part about this dessert, then I say go for it!
While this cake can be stored for a day or two at room temperature, I would keep it in the fridge for any longer than that. Just be sure to store the leftover cake in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out and let it sit out at room temperature for at least an hour before serving as cold cake sometimes can taste stale.
Can I freeze German chocolate cake?
You can make the cake layers in advance and freeze them for up to 1 month. Just let them cool completely, then wrap each layer individually in plastic wrap and lay them flat on a baking sheet to freeze. Once frozen, store the layers in freezer-safe ziploc bags for extra protection. You can assemble the cake without bothering to thaw the layers! Just be sure to leave enough time for the cake to thaw before serving if you take this approach.
You can also freeze individual cake slices by wrapping them in plastic wrap and storing in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature for 2-3 hours before serving.
Recipe Tips & Substitutions
- Always use room temperature ingredients. It makes a difference in how well the cake batter mixes together and results in a lighter, moister cake. If you are like me and tend to forget to pull ingredients out ahead of time, I often stick the eggs in a bowl and cover them with hot tap water for a few minutes and microwave the butter for 10-12 seconds while I’m pulling the other ingredients out.
- Don’t overmix. Once you start adding the flour and dry ingredients to the wet ingredients you only want to mix until combined.
- Don’t overbake. A common problem a lot of bakers experience when making a cake from scratch is that it turns out dry. This can be avoided by making sure not to overbake your cake layers. Test with a toothpick and remove the cake layers when the toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs sticking to it.
- Make the frosting in advance. The coconut pecan frosting will thicken as it cools, so it’s a good idea to make it ahead of time. If you try frosting the cake while your frosting is still warm, chances are your layers are going to slide all over the place. It can be made a day or two in advance and refrigerated until you are ready to assemble the cake.
- Buttermilk Substitution: If you don’t have buttermilk, add 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice to a 1 cup measuring cup, then fill the rest of the way with whole milk. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes before using in place of the buttermilk in the recipe.
More Cake Recipes
- Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting
- Devil’s Food Chocolate Cake
- Vintage Cherry Chip Layer Cake
- Best Red Velvet Cake
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Best German Chocolate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Cake
- 4 ounces Baker's German's sweet chocolate chopped
- 1/2 cup boiling hot water
- 1 cup salted butter
- 1 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups (300g) cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
Frosting
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (150g) brown sugar
- 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
- 3/4 cup salted butter
- 5 large egg yolks room temperature
- 3 cups shredded sweetened coconut
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line three 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper circles and spray with baking spray. Set aside.
- Add the chopped chocolate to a medium bowl, then pour the water over it and stir gently until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.4 ounces Baker's German's sweet chocolate, ½ cup boiling hot water
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together using a stand mixer or electric mixer for about 4 minutes until light.1 cup salted butter, 1 ¾ cups (350g) granulated sugar
- Separate egg whites from yolks, reserving the egg whites in a medium bowl. Add the yolks one at a time to the butter and sugar, mixing after each addition.4 large eggs
- Add the melted chocolate and vanilla, and mix until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again.1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt alternately with the buttermilk. Mix just until combined after each addition, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. I have found that if I start by adding about ¾ cup of the flour along with all of the baking soda and salt, then about ⅓ cup of the buttermilk, then more of the flour and buttermilk and so on, I don’t need to sift the dry ingredients together beforehand and dirty an extra bowl.2 ½ cups (300g) cake flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 cup buttermilk
- Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, then gently fold into the batter.
- Divide the cake batter evenly between three 9-inch round cake pans and bake 24-28 minutes at 350°F until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out with just a few crumbs on it. Cool completely on wire racks.
- For the frosting, heat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, evaporated milk, butter, and egg yolks in a medium saucepan over medium heat until thick and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Be sure to stir constantly so as not to scramble the eggs. Remove from the heat and add coconut, pecans, and vanilla. The frosting will continue to thicken as it cools. Cool for at least 30 minutes until thick enough to spread before assembling the cake.¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar, ¾ cup (150g) brown sugar, 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk, ¾ cup salted butter, 5 large egg yolks, 3 cups shredded sweetened coconut, 1 ½ cups chopped pecans, 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- To assemble the cake, set the first cake layer on a cake plate and frost just the top with ⅓ of the frosting. Repeat with the next two layers, leaving the sides of the cake bare. If you want to frost the outside of the cake, you will need to make a double batch of the frosting.
Notes
- Buttermilk Substitute: If you don’t have buttermilk, add 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice to a 1 cup measuring cup, then fill the rest of the way with whole milk. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes before using in place of the buttermilk in the recipe.
- Storage: Keep covered in an airtight container for 3-4 days on the counter or 5-7 days in the fridge. If storing in the fridge, I recommend letting the cake come to room temperature before serving.
- Freezing: You can freeze individual slices of this cake for up to 2 months by wrapping them in plastic wrap and storing in a freezer-safe container. Let thaw on the counter for 2-3 hours before enjoying.
- 9×13-inch Pan: Increase the baking time to around 30 to 35 minutes.
- 8-inch Cake Pans: Increase the baking time to around 35 minutes.
- Cupcakes: I don’t actually recommend this recipe as written for cupcakes because the cake part is just too light to hold up under the weight of the frosting in this form. Instead, I would use my regular chocolate cupcake recipe and a cookie scoop to pile a mound of the coconut pecan frosting on top.
THE FROSTING!!!! I could have eaten that by the spoonful straight from the bowl! It was delicious.
This was such a moist cake, I was really pleased with how it turned out as I am not really a baker!
Thank you
How would you adjust for two layers or a Bundt cake ? I only have two cake pans ….
I haven’t made this recipe in a bundt pan, but if you only have two cake pans, I would either reserve some of the batter and just reuse one of the pans (sort of a pain because it double the baking time) OR make cupcakes with the remaining batter.
Could you bake this in Bundt pan and drop the icing on top and it will bake down into the cake. Martha Stewart has this recipe but the cake ingredient uses cocoa. Wanted to bake original Bakers recipe in Bundt pan.
Thanks!
I have never tried that, but it sounds like a fun variation!
Hi I love your recipe for red velvet cake but I’m confused as to how you use the same size pans 2 8or9” cake pans when you double or triple the recipe. Please explain.
Hi Valerie – I’m not sure I understand your question. If you want to double or triple the recipe but use the same 8 or 9-inch cake pans, you will just have to bake them in batches, not fill the pans twice as full.
This cake was way overdone at 25 min in a 350 degree preheated oven. This was my first time making a three layer cake so not sure if amounts I put in first two pans were equal to last but I would say check it at 20 minute mark. I’m debating making two new cakes right now as frosting is already made and this is for a big birthday.
Could you make this cake in a 9 x 13 pan?
Yes, absolutely.
I made this cake for a family birthday party. Everyone raved about it saying “This is the best cake you’ve ever made!” (I’ve baked a ton of cakes coming from a family of eight.) The only comment I have is that I ran out of the chocolate frosting at the end and had to stretch it to get the sides covered. Next time I will need to make 11/2 of a recipe to frost and decorate a 9″ cake. Thank you for the amazing recipe!