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slice of German chocolate cake on a white plate with the whole cake in the background
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5 from 44 votes

German Chocolate Cake

This rich chocolate cake, with its sweet coconut pecan filling and decadent chocolate buttercream frosting, is bound to become one of your favorite cakes. It's guaranteed to impress your guests and satisfy any chocolate craving.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16
Calories: 619kcal
Author: Chef Dennis Littley

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup hot water
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Coconut Pecan Frosting

  • ½ cup salted butter
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 12 ounce evaporated milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  • 1 cup salted butter softened
  • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Chocolate Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Butter two 9-inch cake rounds and line the bottom with parchment paper. Butter the parchment rounds.
  • Add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to a large mixing bowl.
  • Blend the dry ingredients together
  • Add the eggs, buttermilk, warm water, oil, and vanilla to the bowl.
    Eggs and buttermilk should be at room temperature.
  • Mix by hand or on medium speed with the beater attachment of an electric mixer until smooth. Don't overmix!
  • Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans.
  • Bake the cakes for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Let the cakes cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes and then turn out the cakes onto the wire racks and allow them to cool completely.

Coconut Pecan Frosting

  • Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
  • Whisk in the sugar and brown sugar until well combined.
  • Add the (room temperature) egg yolks, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract, mixing well.
  • Cook the mixture over medium heat for 10 - 12 minutes until thickened. Stir the mixture frequently and don't let it burn.
  • Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the coconut and pecans. Let it cool completely before using it to assemble the cake.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  • Using a stand mixer or large mixing bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the butter until fluffy. Add in the cocoa powder and vanilla extract. Beat until well combined.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of milk to thin out the mixture, mixing until creamy.
  • Add the powdered sugar to the mixture, 1 cup at a time. Mix until well combined (scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl between additions of the sugar).
  • Add 1-2 additional tablespoons of milk to achieve a spreadable consistency with the chocolate buttercream frosting.

Assembly

  • Place one layer of the chocolate cake, top down on a large cake dish.
  • Spread half of the coconut pecan frosting on top of the first layer.
  • Place the other cake layer on top of the frosted first layer and spread the remainder of the coconut pecan frosting on the top of the second layer.
  • Use the chocolate buttercream to frost the outside of the cake. Save some for a pastry bag to decorate the top edge of the cake.,

Nutrition

Calories: 619kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 475mg | Potassium: 330mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 64g | Vitamin A: 691IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 122mg | Iron: 2mg