recipe

German Chocolate Cake: a sensational dessert to impress your guests

Total time: 1H + Cooling time

Difficulty: Low

Serves: 8 people

Ingredients

for the cake

all-purpose flour

2 cups

Granulated sugar

2 cups

Unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup

Baking soda

2 tsp

baking powder

1 tsp

salt

1 tsp

Large eggs

Buttermilk

1 cup

Warm water

1 cup

vegetable oil

1/3 cup

vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp

for the filling

Salted butter

1/2 cup

Granulated sugar

1/2 cup

Brown sugar

1/2 cup

large egg yolks

Evaporated milk

1 12-ounce can

vanilla extract

2 tsp

unsweetened coconut flakes

1 1/2 cups

pecans, chopped

1 cup

for the buttercream

salted butter at room temperature

1 cup

Unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cup

milk or cream

1 to 3 tbsp

vanilla extract

1 tsp

powdered sugar

3 to 4 cups

Have you been searching for an incredible dessert recipe to make your friends and family say, “Wow,” at your next party? Look no further than this amazing German chocolate cake recipe! It's an easy cake to bake, but one that is sure to delight your guests with its decadent chocolate flavor and sweet pecan-coconut filling.

This tender, moist German chocolate cake is a beautiful chocolate layer cake that's ideal to serve at birthday parties, holiday gatherings, potlucks, and more. Once you try it, you'll come back to this recipe time and time again!

What is German Chocolate Cake?

German chocolate cake is a rich, layered cake made from chocolate cake and coconut-pecan filling. Despite its name, this stunning dessert isn't actually German. The name comes from Samuel German, a 19th-century chocolatier who created a type of dark baking chocolate that came to be used in this cake recipe. The cake itself dates to the mid-1950s and was created by Mrs. George Clay. The recipe was printed in a newspaper and quickly became popular across the United States.

How to Make German Chocolate Cake

There are a few parts to making homemade German chocolate cake: prepping and baking the cake, making the filling, making the chocolate buttercream, and assembling the cake. Here's how to make easy German chocolate cake step by step.

Start by heating your oven to 350F and greasing two cake pans with cooking spray. Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl. Beat the eggs, buttermilk, water, oil, and vanilla into the dry ingredients until you get a smooth batter. Divvy the batter up between the two prepared cake pans. Bake the cakes for 30 to 35 minutes, then take them out of the oven to cool completely.

To make the filling, start by melting the butter over medium heat. Add both sugars and stir them until they dissolve into the butter. Beat in the egg yolks, evaporated milk, and vanilla, then cook the filling mixture for 12 to 14 minutes, whisking constantly until thickened. Take the pot off the heat and fold in pecans and coconut. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

While everything is cooling, cream butter in a bowl until it takes on a fluffy texture. Mix in the cocoa powder and vanilla, then add in the powdered sugar. Whisk in one tablespoon at a time of milk until the buttercream reaches your desired consistency. Put the buttercream in a piping bag.

Now for the fun part – assembling the cake! Spread half of the filling on top of one of the cakes. Place the second cake on top of the first cake. Spread the remaining filling over the top cake. Decorate the cake with buttercream as desired. Serve with some whipped cream or ice cream for an ultra-decadent cake experience!

Tips for Making the Best German Chocolate Cake

Use room-temperature ingredients to make your German chocolate cake.

Use your preferred gluten-free flour to make gluten-free German chocolate cake.

Not a fan of buttercream? Use regular frosting instead, or leave the cake unfrosted.

Buttermilk will give your cake an ultra-soft, tender crumb, but you can swap it for regular milk mixed with 1 teaspoon of vinegar if you don't have any buttermilk on hand.

To make a dairy-free German chocolate cake, add vinegar to your preferred plant-based milk and use your preferred plant-based frosting rather than buttercream.

How to Store German Chocolate Cake

Cover your German chocolate cake and store it at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Can You Freeze German Chocolate Cake?

Of course! German chocolate cake freezes well. Wrap the cake in cling film then freeze it for up to 3 months. You can also slice the cake and wrap each slice individually for extra convenience. When you're ready to enjoy the cake, leave it to thaw overnight in the fridge, then let it come to room temperature before serving.