This post was created as in partnership with Imperial Sugar. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.
Are you a fan of German Chocolate Cake? Then these German Chocolate Cake Truffles will soon be your new favorite. These nutty, sweet orbs are made from delicious German chocolate cake and coconut pecan frosting rolled together into balls, then coated in a chocolate shell. Decorate with a sprinkle of coconut and chopped pecans to give a hint as to what’s inside!
The classic combination of coconut, pecans, and chocolate is one of our favorites. Some of our other popular German chocolate recipes include a classic German Chocolate Cake or these decadent German Chocolate Brownies!
Truffles? Or cake balls?
When it really comes down to it, these are pretty much the same thing as classic cake balls. But they feel so much extra with the coconut pecan frosting in them and they really do mimic the texture of truffles. So German Chocolate Cake Truffles it is.
Whatever you want to call them, they are a lot like the Oreo balls that are popular around the holidays. The miniature nature and snap of tempered chocolate around the outside make these decadent little sweets the perfect treat for sharing. They would make an elegant little addition to any cookie platter or dessert spread at a party!
Every bite is packed with the rich, almost caramel-like flavor of the coconut pecan frosting and it’s chewy crunch. And the classic flavor of the sweet German chocolate is given a boost from the extra chocolate coating the outside that helps the cake crossover to the realm of homemade candy.
Cake Ball Ingredients
- German chocolate cake: You can use a box mix to make things even easier, but my from scratch version isn’t difficult to make and tastes so much better!
- Coconut pecan frosting: Homemade is definitely the way to go, but again, you could just buy canned frosting and use that instead.
- Milk, semisweet, or dark chocolate: This creates the chocolate shell that surrounds the classic german cake truffle center. I love the large bars of chocolate from Trader Joe’s for this type of dipping as they are great quality and very affordable.
- Coconut & pecans: I like to decorate the truffles with a sprinkle of sweetened coconut and chopped pecans to highlight what is inside of the balls and give a decorative finish. Plus, they help cover up any imperfections from dipping the truffles.
How to Make German Chocolate Cake Truffles
- Prep work first: Start by baking your German chocolate cake base, then crumbling it in a large bowl. A full recipe makes almost 16 cups of cake crumbs. While the cake bakes, make the frosting so it can cool down before adding it to the crumbs.
- Add the frosting and mix: Once the cake is crumbled and the frosting is cooled, just mix them together in a large bowl until they start to come together. It’s literally mashing up an entire German chocolate cake to create the dense, almost fudgy centers of these truffles. Try (and fail) to not sneak bites of cake while you do this.
- Scoop into balls and freeze: Use a small scoop to scoop out ping-pong ball size mounds of cake and frosting and use your hands to roll them into balls. It’s a sticky, messy business and you will need to wash your hands a couple of times along with the way when they start getting too sticky. Spraying your hands with a bit of nonstick cooking spray before rolling the balls helps a bit though. Stick in the freezer for an hour to firm up, otherwise they will fall apart when dipping.
- Coat in melted chocolate: Melt your chocolate in the microwave by heating in 20 second increments and stirring between each burst of heat. Use a fork or a skewer to dip each cake ball in the melted chocolate, then transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and sprinkle with coconut and chopped pecans. Let set until the chocolate has rehardened, then serve at room temperature.
Storage and freezing instructions
Uneaten truffles should be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Let them sit out at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.
These can be frozen for 2-3 months. Just thaw overnight in the fridge and let them sit out for 1-2 hours to come up to room temperature before serving.
More Dessert Recipes Like This
- Black Forest Cake
- Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods
- Chocolate Pecan Pralines
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge
- Classic French Chocolate Macarons
- Chocolate Salted Caramel Whoopie Pies
- Puppy Chow (aka Chex Mix Muddy Buddies)
German Chocolate Cake Truffles
Ingredients
- 1 prepared German chocolate cake (either from a mix or using my from-scratch recipe)
Coconut Pecan Frosting
- 2 cups evaporated milk
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup salted butter
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 6 egg yolks
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups shredded, sweetened coconut
- 1 3/4 cups chopped pecans
Assembly
- 1 1/2 pounds milk chocolate chopped
- Additional coconut for decorating
- Additional chopped pecans for decorating
Instructions
- Prepare cake according to package or recipe instructions, then set aside to cool.1 prepared German chocolate cake
- For frosting, combine evaporated milk, sugar, butter, vanilla extract, egg yolks, and salt in a saucepan. Stir constantly over medium heat using a heat resistant spatula or a wire whisk until thickened.2 cups evaporated milk, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 cup salted butter, 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract, 6 egg yolks, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Add coconut and pecans and stir to combine. Allow to cool in a refrigerator or chill on an ice bath if needed immediately.3 cups shredded, sweetened coconut, 1 ¾ cups chopped pecans
- To assemble, in a large bowl, use your hands to crumble cake into small crumbs. Spoon coconut pecan frosting into bowl and stir until mixture is well-combined.
- Use a small scoop to scoop even size balls of dough. Roll dough between your palms until round like a ball. Place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper, and refrigerate or freeze for 1 hour.
- Place chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it until melted, stirring every 20 seconds to prevent overheating.1 ½ pounds milk chocolate
- Using a fork, submerge a cake ball in melted chocolate. Gently tap fork on side of bowl to remove excess coating. Replace dipped truffle on baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Top each truffle with a sprinkle of coconut and chopped pecans. Repeat with remaining cake balls.Additional coconut, Additional chopped pecans
- Refrigerate truffles to set coating, about 15 minutes. Truffles are best served at room temperature, but must be stored in refrigerator in an airtight container.
Nutrition
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.
Do you use sweetened flaked coconut here? Or unsweetened? I wasn’t sure and I ran into a dilemma at the grocery store, lol!
I use sweetened coconut!
Thanks!
If I make a boxed german chocolate cake, how many truffles would half of the prepared cake make? Thanks for answering all my questions!! 🙂
Probably 26-30.
Well, I thought up another question, lol… If I only use half of the prepared cake, does that mean I need to cut the frosting in half, too?
Lol – comment away! I will always try to respond even if it takes me a while some times. Yes, you would need to use half the frosting if you are making half the cake.
Thanks so much!! Appreciate all your answers!!!
Glad I could help, lol!
How thick should the frosting be when you put in the fridge to cool? Mine was kind of liquidy when I took it off the stove. It’s been in the fridge for a few hours now, and it’s still not as thick as I think it should be? It’s my first time making it… I’m using only half the cake, so do you think I should take a fourth more of the cake I’m not using, and crumble that up to go in it, too?
The frosting should be fairly thick when you put it in the fridge – not soupy. You could try cooking it again before using it to thicken it so it isn’t liquidy. Or yes, another possibly fix would be to add more cake crumbles to take up the extra liquid.
It wouldn’t let me reply to your latest comment, so I’m replying here… Well, didn’t see your comment till after I made them, lol. My mom and I’s fridge is kind of full right now, lol, so the chocolate coating set on them before I was able to fit them in there somewhere, lol lol, but when my mom and I split one, it was a little soft inside… Will have to try another to see if putting them in the fridge helped them firm up! I was able to make 34 Truffles with half the cake and frosting!
Ok! Yes putting them in the fridge will help firm them up. Thanks for the amounts. Good to know!