If you’re on the hunt for a classic German Chocolate Cake recipe, this is it! Moist, tender and soft German chocolate cake layers frosted with a decadent coconut pecan frosting you’ll flip for! Easy, impressive and delicious!
I dunno about where you live, but here in Sacramento spring has nearly sprung and I have mixed feelings.
I love the milder weather, Easter candy, and spring dresses. I loathe allergy season, how it is a precursor to summer (ugh) and how so short-lived it is here! We seriously get maybe a month of mild spring weather and then it takes the fast-track to Hades and turns into summer in a snap.
So believe me, me and my Claritan-D are going to be trying to savor the spring weather for as long as possible!
OUR LATEST VIDEOSNaturally, I think people want to start baking again in the spring. Everyone’s either fallen off their diet bandwagon from January (thank god, and welcome back!) or they’re more lenient with their diets and only indulge for weekends or holidays (hi, Easter). So I have been brainstorming lots of decadent springtime recipes for you to try and I think this cake should be at the tip-top of the list.
German chocolate cake is nothing new by any stretch of the imagination, but I think it can be kind of lackluster from most grocery stores. The frosting tastes artificial and the cake can be dry and not very flavorful. I have solved both of those dilemmas for you with this Amazing German Chocolate Cake!
The cake itself has a nice, mellower chocolate flavor and lots of vanilla notes. The texture is supremely moist and tender and stick-to-your-fork delicious – no dry, cardboard cake here! And the frosting I could write an entire love ballad about. It’s the traditional coconut pecan frosting but it is homemade entirely from scratch, giving such incredible, ample flavor with butter, vanilla, coconut and pecans in every bite! It’s rich and sweet without being cloying, and since it tends to lie on the more decadent side, I only frosted in between the layers and on top of the cake. You could totally go ahead and frost the sides with a chocolate buttercream, but I found the “naked” cake to be utterly perfect with the frosting placed just so.
To really drive home that flavor, you can also drizzle the top with some chocolate ganache. You know, for research purposes or whatever. You’ll thank me later if you decide to do it my way; trust me.
Easy, simple but decadent and totally perfect for springtime: you’ll flip for this classic cake done right!
*adapted from Baking Step by Step
Amazing German Chocolate Cake
Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel
Recipe type: Cakes/Cupcakes
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 10-12
This Amazing German Chocolate Cake has earned the title of “amazing” because it is! Moist, tender chocolate cake surrounded by homemade, decadent coconut pecan frosting. So rich and easy but totally impressive!
Ingredients
- FOR THE CAKE:
- One 4-ounce bar German baking chocolate, roughly chopped
- 1 & ½ cups whole milk
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 & ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- FOR THE COCONUT PECAN FROSTING:
- 1 & ⅓ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 large eggs
- Two 5-ounce cans evaporated milk (or 1 & ⅓ cups)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 & ⅔ cups sweetened flaked coconut
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- Chocolate sauce or ganache for drizzling
- Pecan halves for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease two 9-round cake pans with cooking spray. Place a parchment paper round in the bottom of each pan, then grease the parchment bottom and sides of the pan once more. Set aside. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the chocolate and milk together on low heat, stirring constantly to prevent scorching, until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and cool about 10 minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and granulated sugar for 2 minutes on medium-high speed until fluffy and pale in color. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, followed by the vanilla extract. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually add in ⅓ of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the chocolate milk mixture, mixing well after each addition until a soft batter comes together.
- Distribute the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist – not wet – crumbs. Cool completely.
- While the cakes cool, make your frosting: In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, butter, eggs and evaporated milk together and whisk until combined and smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 6-8 minutes or until thickened – a little like soft set pudding. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla, coconut, and pecans. Let cool completely until thickened and set.
- To assemble: place one cake layer upside down onto a cake plate or serving dish. Frost with half of the coconut pecan frosting. Top with the remaining cake layer and finish frosting the top with the remaining coconut pecan frosting. Drizzle with chocolate sauce or chocolate ganache and garnish with pecan halves, if desired. Store the cake covered in the fridge or at room temperature for about 2-3 days.
3.5.3228
Decadent yet simple German Chocolate Cake… you need this recipe!
Have a super sweet day!
xo, Hayley
