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A homemade slice of German chocolate cake with rich, moist chocolate layers, gooey coconut pecan filling, and thick, glossy chocolate frosting on top, served on a white plate.

German chocolate cake

This decadent German chocolate cake features impossibly moist chocolate layers paired with a rich, nutty coconut-pecan frosting. A timeless classic perfected over generations, it’s the ultimate celebration cake that's surprisingly easy to make from scratch.
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Best German chocolate cake recipe ever, Easy German chocolate cake recipe, German chocolate cake, German chocolate cake frosting, German chocolate cake origin, German chocolate cake recipe, White German chocolate cake recipe from Scratch
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Cooling + Frosting Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 620kcal
Cost: $13

Equipment

  • 9-inch round cake pans (Greased and floured)
  • Electric mixer (Stand or hand mixer)
  • Large mixing bowls
  • Medium saucepan (For frosting)
  • Measuring cups & spoons
  • Rubber spatula
  • Wooden spoon (For frosting)
  • Wire cooling racks
  • Cake stand or plate (For assembling)

Ingredients

  • 4 oz Baker’s German’s sweet chocolate - Chopped
  • ½ cup Boiling water
  • 1 cup Unsalted butter - Softened
  • 2 cups Granulated sugar
  • 4 Large eggs - Separated
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 2 cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • 1 cup Buttermilk - At room temperature

For the Coconut Pecan Frosting:

  • 1 cup Evaporated milk
  • 1 cup Granulated sugar
  • 3 Egg yolks
  • ½ cup Butter
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups Sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 cup Pecans - Toasted and chopped

Instructions

  • Gather ingredients, preheat oven, and prep cake pans
  • Melt German’s chocolate with boiling water
  • Cream butter and sugar until fluffy
  • Add yolks, melted chocolate, and vanilla
  • Mix flour, baking soda, and salt
  • Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk
  • Beat egg whites and fold into batter
  • Divide batter and bake cake layers
  • Cool cakes on wire racks
  • Cook frosting base until thickened
  • Stir in vanilla, coconut, and pecans
  • Assemble cake with frosting between layers
  • Garnish top and serve

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be considered an approximation. Actual values may vary based on specific ingredients used and portion sizes

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 620kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 310mg | Potassium: 240mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 52g | Vitamin A: 720IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 2.5mg