The first time I tried making a German chocolate cake roll, I was totally convinced it would crack into pieces and I'd end up serving "deconstructed cake" for dessert. It was Christmas 2016, and I wanted something impressive that wasn't just another boring layer cake. I pulled that chocolate sponge out of the oven, tried to roll it up in a kitchen towel like the recipe said, and heard this awful cracking sound. My stomach dropped. But when I unrolled it later and looked close, the cracks were tiny and the filling covered them up completely. That's when I realized this wasn't nearly as scary as everyone makes it sound.
Why You'll Love This German Chocolate Cake Roll
I've made this German chocolate cake roll every Christmas and Thanksgiving for the past five years. Sometimes Easter too when I'm feeling ambitious. People always think it's complicated because it looks fancy, but it's way easier than making a regular layer cake. You don't have to level anything or worry about frosting sliding off or dealing with three separate layers. You bake one thin sheet of German Chocolate Cake Roll, let it cool for exactly the right amount of time, roll it up, fill it, and you're done. The whole thing takes maybe an hour if you're taking your time. I've made three-layer cakes that ate up half my day and didn't look half as good as this.
The coconut pecan filling is what makes this worth the effort. That sweet, gooey, nutty mixture tastes exactly like the frosting on regular German Chocolate Cake Roll, except you get it in every single bite because it's rolled up inside. No sad dry cake bites with no frosting. Every slice has chocolate cake, that filling, and chocolate frosting on top. liam won't touch coconut in any other situation - absolutely hates it - but he'll eat two slices of this without a single complaint. His exact words were "the cake makes the coconut not gross," which I'm taking as high praise from a seven-year-old. The cake stays moist for days too, not like some rolled cakes that turn into cardboard by morning.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This German Chocolate Cake Roll
- German Chocolate Cake Roll Ingredients
- How To Make German Chocolate Cake Roll Step By Step
- Substitutions
- German Chocolate Cake Roll Variations
- Equipment For German Chocolate Cake Roll
- Storing Your German Chocolate Cake Roll
- Top Tip
- Why This German Chocolate Cake Roll Works
- FAQ
- Time to Roll Up Something Impressive
- Related
- Pairing
- German Chocolate Cake Roll
German Chocolate Cake Roll Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake:
- All-purpose flour
- Cocoa powder
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Large eggs
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Water or coffee
For the Coconut Pecan Filling:
- Evaporated milk
- Egg yolks
- Granulated sugar
- Butter
- Vanilla extract
- Sweetened shredded coconut
- Chopped pecans
For the Chocolate Frosting:
- Powdered sugar
- Cocoa powder
- Butter (softened)
- Milk or cream
- Vanilla extract
Optional Extras:
- Extra chopped pecans for topping
- Chocolate shavings
- Caramel drizzle
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make German Chocolate Cake Roll Step By Step
Make the Chocolate Sponge:
- Line your jelly roll pan with parchment paper (don't skip this or you'll cry later)
- Beat eggs and sugar together until thick and pale (takes about 5 minutes)
- Fold in flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt gently
- Spread batter evenly in pan (corners too, don't leave them empty)
- Bake at 350°F for 12-15 minutes until it springs back when you touch it
Roll It Up (This Is Critical):
- Lay out a clean kitchen towel and dust it with powdered sugar
- Flip the hot cake onto the towel immediately (don't wait)
- Peel off the parchment paper carefully
- Roll the whole thing up with the towel inside starting from the short end
- Let it cool completely rolled up (this teaches it not to crack later)
Make the Coconut Pecan Filling:
- Cook evaporated milk, egg yolks, sugar, and butter in a saucepan over medium heat
- Stir constantly until it thickens (takes about 10-12 minutes)
- Take it off heat and stir in coconut and pecans
- Let it cool completely before using (hot filling makes the cake soggy)
Assemble Everything:
- Unroll the cooled cake gently (it's okay if you hear tiny cracks)
- Spread the coconut pecan filling evenly leaving an inch border
- Roll it back up without the towel this time
- Frost the outside with chocolate frosting
- Chill for at least an hour before slicing
Substitutions
Making this German Chocolate Cake Rollf or various situations taught me what substitutions actually work:
For the Cake:
- All-purpose flour → Gluten-free flour blend (add ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum)
- Water → Brewed coffee (makes chocolate flavor deeper)
- Regular cocoa → Dutch-process cocoa (darker color, milder taste)
- Note: Don't mess with the egg amount or it won't roll right
For the Filling:
- Pecans → Walnuts or almonds (different taste but still good)
- Sweetened coconut → Unsweetened (reduce sugar by 2 tablespoons)
- Evaporated milk → Half and half (works in a pinch)
- Butter → Coconut oil (makes it dairy-free but changes flavor slightly)
For the Frosting:
- Butter → Margarine or dairy-free butter
- Milk → Any milk alternative (almond, oat, whatever you have)
- Powdered sugar → Make your own by blending granulated sugar
Different Fillings:
- Skip coconut entirely → Use chocolate ganache or whipped cream
- Add caramel → Drizzle caramel sauce over filling before rolling
- Extra chocolate → Add mini chocolate chips to filling
German Chocolate Cake Roll Variations
Chocolate Caramel Version:
- Add ½ cup caramel sauce to the coconut filling
- Drizzle more caramel over the top
- Sprinkle with sea salt flakes
- Tastes like a candy bar in cake form
Mocha German Chocolate:
- Add 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder to cake batter
- Mix espresso into the chocolate frosting too
- Keep the regular coconut pecan filling
- Perfect for coffee lovers (not for kids' dessert though)
Extra Chocolate Lover's Roll:
- Add ½ cup mini chocolate chips to the filling
- Use chocolate ganache instead of frosting on top
- Sprinkle with chocolate shavings
- liam's favorite version by far
Maple Pecan Twist:
- Replace half the sugar in filling with maple syrup
- Use all pecans, skip the coconut
- Add maple extract to frosting
- Great for people who hate coconut
Holiday Peppermint:
- Add ½ teaspoon peppermint extract to cake
- Mix crushed candy canes into filling
- Top with white chocolate drizzle
- Screams Christmas party
Equipment For German Chocolate Cake Roll
- 15x10 inch jelly roll pan (this size matters - don't use a different one)
- Parchment paper (not wax paper, not foil)
- Clean kitchen towel (flour sack towels work best)
- Offset spatula for spreading
- Medium saucepan for filling
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
Storing Your German Chocolate Cake Roll
Fridge Storage (5 days):
- Wrap the whole roll tightly in plastic wrap
- Store seam-side down so it doesn't unroll
- Keep it away from foods with strong smells (it absorbs odors)
- Let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before slicing
Freezer Storage (2 months):
- Wrap it twice - once in plastic wrap, once in foil
- Freeze the whole roll before slicing it
- Label it with the date (trust me, you'll forget)
- Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving
Slicing and Serving:
- Use a sharp serrated knife
- Wipe the knife clean between cuts for pretty slices
- Cut slices about 1 inch thick
- Room temperature tastes better than cold
Top Tip
- The fridge is where this lives once it's assembled. Wrap the whole thing tightly in plastic wrap and store it seam-side down so it doesn't try to unroll itself overnight. Keep it away from anything with a strong smell - onions, garlic, leftover Chinese food - because cake absorbs odors like a sponge. I learned this the hard way when I stored it next to leftover curry and ended up with vaguely spicy-smelling German Chocolate Cake Roll.
- I always make this the day before I need it. The flavors get better after sitting overnight in the fridge. The coconut pecan filling soaks into the German Chocolate Cake Roll just enough that everything tastes more blended together instead of like separate components. Day-of cake is fine, but next-day cake is noticeably better. It also means one less thing to panic about the day of the party.
- The freezer works great for longer storage - up to two months if you wrap it properly. Wrap it once in plastic wrap, then again in foil so nothing gets through. Freeze the whole roll before you slice it, and label it with the date because three months later you won't remember when you made it. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, not on the counter.
Why This German Chocolate Cake Roll Works
I've made this German chocolate cake roll every Christmas and Thanksgiving for the past five years. Sometimes Easter too when I'm feeling like doing something extra. People always think it's complicated because it looks fancy sitting there with that perfect spiral showing through every slice, but it's way easier than making a regular layer cake. You don't have to level anything or worry about frosting sliding off or dealing with three separate layers that need to line up perfectly without leaning. You bake one thin sheet of German Chocolate Cake Roll, let it cool for exactly the right amount of time, roll it up, fill it, frost the outside, and you're done.
The coconut pecan filling is what makes this worth making instead of just buying a cake. That sweet, gooey, nutty mixture tastes exactly like the frosting on regular German chocolate cake, except you get it in every single bite because it's rolled up inside. No dry cake corners with no frosting. Every slice has German Chocolate Cake Roll, that filling running through the middle, and chocolate frosting on top. liam won't touch coconut in any other form - absolutely refuses to eat it - but he'll eat two slices of this without a single complaint. His exact words were "the cake makes the coconut not gross," which is the highest praise a seven-year-old can give anything.
FAQ
What is the misconception about German chocolate cake?
Most people think German Chocolate Cake Roll came from Germany. It didn't. It's named after Samuel German, an American guy who created a type of dark baking chocolate for Baker's Chocolate Company back in 1852. A recipe using "German's Sweet Chocolate" showed up in a Texas newspaper in 1957, became wildly popular, and people started calling it German chocolate cake. It's as American as apple pie, just with a confusing name.
What is the difference between a roll cake and a roulade?
They're basically the same thing - a thin sponge cake rolled up with filling inside. "Roulade" is the fancy French word for it, and "roll cake" is what normal people call it. Some people will tell you roulades are specifically French or have specific fillings, but honestly it's just semantics. If it's rolled, it's a roll cake. Call it whatever makes you feel fanciest.
What makes a German chocolate cake different?
The coconut pecan filling is what makes it different from regular chocolate cake. Most chocolate cakes have chocolate frosting or vanilla buttercream. German chocolate cake has this specific sweet, gooey filling made with evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, coconut, and pecans. That filling is what makes it German chocolate cake instead of just chocolate cake with random toppings.
What goes in a German chocolate cake?
The cake itself is basic chocolate cake - flour, cocoa powder, eggs, sugar, the usual stuff. What makes it special is the filling: evaporated milk, egg yolks, sugar, butter, shredded coconut, and chopped pecans all cooked together until thick. You can add chocolate frosting on top, but the coconut pecan filling is the non-negotiable part that makes it what it is.
Time to Roll Up Something Impressive
You've got everything now - how to roll it without breaking it into a million pieces, why warm cake bends and cold cake cracks like glass, how to make that coconut pecan filling thick enough to stay where you put it instead of oozing out the sides, and why letting it sit overnight in the fridge makes it taste way better than serving it the same day. This German chocolate cake roll proves that desserts that look fancy don't have to be complicated or eat up your whole afternoon. Just a thin chocolate cake, some filling that tastes like the best part of regular German chocolate cake.
Want more desserts that look harder than they are? Our Best Key Lime Pie Cupcakes bring that sharp, tangy Florida flavor to something you can hold in one hand and eat standing up at a party. They're perfect for summer when you don't want heavy chocolate cake weighing you down. Looking for cookies that look like they came from an expensive bakery? Try our Easy Raspberry Filled Almond Snowball Cookies that literally melt in your mouth and make people ask where you bought them. Need something stupid fast for weekend brunch? Our Easy Blueberry Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls use dough from a can and taste like you got up at 5 AM to bake from scratch.
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with German Chocolate Cake Roll
German Chocolate Cake Roll
Equipment
- 1 15x10 inch jelly roll pan (Correct pan size is crucial for proper thickness)
- 1 Parchment paper (Prevents sticking when rolling)
- 1 Clean Kitchen Towel (For rolling the hot cake)
- 1 Offset spatula (To spread batter and frosting evenly)
- 1 Medium saucepan (To cook the coconut pecan filling)
- 1 Hand or Stand Mixer (For beating eggs and sugar)
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour - or gluten-free blend + ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum
- ¼ cup cocoa powder - Dutch-process or regular
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs - room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon water or coffee - enhances chocolate flavor
For the Coconut Pecan Filling
- 1 cup evaporated milk - or half and half
- 3 large egg yolks - lightly beaten
- ¾ cup granulated sugar - reduce slightly if using unsweetened coconut
- ½ cup butter - or coconut oil for dairy-free
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut - or unsweetened
- ¾ cup chopped pecans - or walnuts/almonds
For the Chocolate Frosting
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar - sifted
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup butter - softened
- 2 tablespoon milk or cream - adjust for consistency
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 15x10 inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper and lightly dust a clean kitchen towel with powdered sugar for rolling later.
- Beat eggs and sugar together for about 5 minutes until thick and pale. Gently fold in flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Add vanilla and water or coffee, mixing just until combined. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched. Immediately flip the hot cake onto the prepared towel, peel off the parchment paper, and roll it up with the towel inside from the short end. Let cool completely.
- In a saucepan, cook evaporated milk, egg yolks, sugar, and butter over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened (about 10-12 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, coconut, and chopped pecans. Cool completely.
- Unroll the cooled cake gently. Spread the coconut pecan filling evenly over the surface, leaving a 1-inch border. Roll it back up without the towel and place seam-side down on a serving platter.
- Beat powdered sugar, cocoa powder, butter, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Frost the outside of the roll evenly. Chill for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.
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