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German Chocolate Cake

German Chocolate Cake is a rich and indulgent dessert with layers of moist chocolate cake and a luscious coconut pecan frosting! The combination of sweet, gooey coconut pecan filling and decadent chocolate cake layers make this a gorgeous chocolate cake perfect for any special occasion.

Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 704 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: German , American

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cake
  • 1 ¾ cups flour
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 1 cup cocoa
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ½ tbsp baking powder
  • ½ tbsp baking soda
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • ½ cup oil
  • ½ tbsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ cup boiling water
For the Pecan Coconut Frosting
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 cup 2% milk
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tbsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp coconut rum optional
  • 2 cups shredded coconut
  • 1 ½ cups toasted pecans chopped

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and prep two 8 inch cake tins with cooking spray and baking parchment. 
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
  3. In another bowl or a large jug, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, vanilla and the eggs until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and whisk until you have a thick batter.
  4. Add the boiling water and whisk into the cake batter before dividing it between the two tins - use a pair of kitchen scales if you have them to get even layers.
  5. Gently lift each tin a few inches off the countertop and drop them back down a few times to knock out any air bubbles before baking for 30 minutes, or until the cakes are set and the tip of a sharp knife or a cocktail skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
  6. While you are baking and cooling the cakes, make the frosting. First, melt the butter in a small saucepan over a medium high heat until it is nutty and brown. Remove from the heat to cool.
  7. In another, much larger saucepan, add the egg yolks and gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Then whisk in the sugars, heavy cream, salt, and cooled brown butter.
  8. Set the pan over a medium heat and cook, whisking almost constantly once the mixture has started to warm until it has thickened, and you’ve started to see a few bubbles. It is ready if it coats the back of a spoon, but whatever you do don’t let it boil! 
  9. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla and coconut rum, if using. Switch to a spatula, and fold in the coconut and chopped pecans. Set aside - it will thicken once it has cooled.
  10. Once the cakes have reached room temperature and the frosting has thickened, using a large bread knife or a cake leveller, split each layer in two, and sandwich each together with 1/4 of the frosting, leaving the remaining frosting to decorate the top of the cake.

Notes

  • This cake will keep in an air-tight container for up to 3 days, though the cake layers can be baked a day ahead or even frozen for up to 3 months before splitting.
  • For a less rustic finish, you can finish the sides of this cake with ganache.
  • Make up a double quantity
  • before assembling the cake, and allow it to cool enough to pipe. Pipe a boarder around each layer before adding the coconut pecan frosting as a filling, pipe stars around the top edge before adding the main frosting in the middle, and smooth the sides with the remaining ganache. 
  • This cake will keep in an air-tight container for up to 3 days, though the cake layers can be baked a day ahead or even frozen for up to 3 months before splitting.
  • For a less rustic finish, you can finish the sides of this cake with ganache. Make up a double quantity before assembling the cake, and allow it to cool enough to pipe. Pipe a boarder around each layer before adding the coconut pecan frosting as a filling, pipe stars around the top edge before adding the main frosting in the middle, and smooth the sides with the remaining ganache. 

Nutrition Information

Calories 704kcal (35%) Carbohydrates 91g (30%) Protein 10g (20%) Fat 37g (57%) Saturated Fat 12g (60%) Polyunsaturated Fat 7g Monounsaturated Fat 16g Trans Fat 0.1g Cholesterol 90mg (30%) Sodium 454mg (19%) Potassium 390mg (11%) Fiber 6g (24%) Sugar 67g (134%) Vitamin A 351IU (7%) Vitamin C 0.4mg (0%) Calcium 149mg (15%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 704

% Daily Value*

Calories 704kcal 35%
Carbohydrates 91g 30%
Protein 10g 20%
Fat 37g 57%
Saturated Fat 12g 60%
Polyunsaturated Fat 7g 41%
Monounsaturated Fat 16g 80%
Trans Fat 0.1g 5%
Cholesterol 90mg 30%
Sodium 454mg 19%
Potassium 390mg 8%
Fiber 6g 24%
Sugar 67g 134%
Vitamin A 351IU 7%
Vitamin C 0.4mg 0%
Calcium 149mg 15%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.