What is German Chocolate Cake?
How to Make German Chocolate Cake:
1. Make the chocolate cake: Combine dry ingredients (sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt). Combine wet ingredients (eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla). Mix together and stir in boiling water.
2. Bake at 375°F: Pour batter into prepared 8 or 9-inch round baking pans. I like to cut a round piece of wax or parchment paper for the bottom of the pan also, to make sure the cake comes out easily.
3. Make the German Chocolate Frosting: Combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, egg yolks, and evaporated milk in a saucepan and bring the mixture to a low boil over medium heat. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, nuts and coconut. Allow to cool completely before layering it on the cake.
4. Make chocolate frosting: Melt butter, stir in cocoa powder, slowly add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed to thin the frosting, or a little extra powder, until you reach your desired consistency. Stir in vanilla.
5. Assemble: Place one of the cake rounds on your serving stand or plate. Smooth a thin layer of chocolate frosting over the cake layer, and then spoon half of the coconut frosting on top, spreading it into a smooth layer. Leave about ½ inch between the filling and edge of cake. Stack the second cake round on top. Smooth chocolate frosting over the entire cake. Spoon remaining coconut frosting on top of the cake.
Pro Tips:
Use room temperature ingredients. Run hot water over the eggs to bring them to room temperature. Stick the buttermilk in the microwave for just a few seconds. It really makes a difference!
Decorating cake is easy! I used a wilton 2D tip for the swirls on top of this cake, but I also love the Wilton 1M tip. I use both tips with an Ateco flex 14” reusable piping bag. Those three items right there are my favorites for cake and cupcake decorating.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: Both frostings (coconut and chocolate) can be made ahead and placed in a covered container in the fridge. The coconut frosting will keep for 1-2 weeks, depending on the freshness of the ingredients used. The chocolate frosting will keep for 2-3 weeks. Remove frostings from the fridge an hour before you're ready to frost the cake, to give them time to come to room temperature.
To Freeze: After baking the cake layers, allow them to cool completely, then wrap them well in plastic wrap and stick each layer in a ziplock freezer bag. Freeze for up to three months. Frost the cakes when they are frozen–they are much easier to frost this way! The assembled German Chocolate Cake can also be frozen, covered well, for 2-3 months (I recommend slicing the cake and wrapping each slice really well in plastic wrap, then placing in a freezer-safe container, for best results). Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Consider trying these popular Dessert Recipes:
- Better Than Anything Cake
- Mississippi Mud Brownies
- Snickerdoodles Bars
- Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Tres Leches Cake
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Recipe
German Chocolate Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake:
- 2 cups granulated sugar (400 g)
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (210 g)
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (75 g)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (6 g)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda (7.5 g)
- 1 teaspoon salt (5 g)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk (240 ml)
- 1/2 cup oil (vegetable or canola oil) (120 ml)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (10 ml)
- 1 cup boiling water (240 ml)
For the Coconut Frosting:
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar (100 g)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 g)
- 1/2 cup butter (115 g)
- 3 large egg yolks
- 3/4 cup evaporated milk (180 ml)
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract (15 ml)
- 1 cup chopped pecans (120 g)
- 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut (80 g)
For the Chocolate Frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter (115 g)
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (65 g)
- 3 cups powdered sugar (360 g)
- 1/3 cup evaporated milk (80 ml)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 ml)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375°F. Grease two 8 or 9-inch round baking pans. I like to cut a round piece of wax or parchment paper for the bottom of the pan also, to make sure the cake comes out easily.
For the Cake:
- Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. In a separate bowl combine the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla and mix well. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Stir in boiling water (batter will be very thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
- Bake for 25 - 35 minutes (depending on your cake pan size. The 9'' pan takes less time to bake) or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with few crumbs. Cool 5 minutes in the pan and then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.
For the German Chocolate Frosting:
- In a medium saucepan add brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, egg yolks, and evaporated milk. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a low boil over medium heat. Stir constantly for several minutes until the mixture begins to thicken.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, nuts and coconut. Allow to cool completely before layering it on the cake.
For the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:
- Melt butter. Stir in cocoa powder. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed to thin the frosting, or a little extra powder, until you reach your desired consistency. Stir in vanilla.
Cake Assembly:
- Place one of the cake rounds on your serving stand or plate.
- Smooth a thin layer of chocolate frosting over the cake layer, and then spoon half of the coconut frosting on top, spreading it into a smooth layer. Leave about ½ inch between the filling and edge of cake.
- Stack the second cake round on top. Smooth chocolate frosting over the entire cake.
- Spoon remaining coconut frosting on top of the cake.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe May 2017. Updated February 2021.
Chocolate cake recipe adapted from Hersheys. Coconut Frosting is from my Mom!
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O.m.g. BEST recipe EVER. Moist, not over sweet. I mean absolutely amazing. Follow recipe to a T and you’ll have yourself an amazing cake. Sooooo good!!!!
Made this cake for my friend who is a chocolate fiend. Was amazing, the recipe is easy to follow – and I’m not a baker. Try it!
I have been making this cake ever since I found the recipe online. Now I make it for my husband’s birthday every year, and usually for the holidays as well. It’s the most unbelievable German chocolate cake I have ever had, and I have tried many. It’s super moist, and the flavor is outstanding! After finding this recipe, I subscribed to your recipe site and now I make so many other great recipes. Thank you for sharing all you gems with us!
I forgot to add 5 stars!!
This was an excellent cake. I made it for my husband for his 50th birthday party and everyone loved it and said it was the best German chocolate cake they’ve ever had. I’m gonna make this over and over again. It was absolutely fabulous.
I have made this cake several times, and it is delicious! Even my friends who think they don’t like German chocolate cake love it. I get requests for it!
I have made this cake 3 times now. It has become a family favorite! We absolutely love it. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Will this recipe work for cupcakes? Do I need to change temp and time?
Great question! Yes, this recipe works well for cupcakes! Bake at 350°F for about 18–22 minutes, and fill the liners about 2/3 full. Just check with a toothpick around 18 minutes. Enjoy!
I see that some review mention that the center of their cake sunk. Mine did too, however I now realized that I used 3 whole eggs and not just the yolks. Could that be the reason? It would be helpful in your directions to not just say add eggs, but rather say, add egg YOLKS. It still tastes great and the sunken middles of my cupcakes
allows for more frosting. So it was a blessing in disguise.
The cake call got 2 whole eggs the icing call for 3 Eggs yolk
Is it possible to make this cake a one layer sheet cake, eliminating the chocolate frosting? If so what size sheet cake pan because I have several.
Yes, you can definitely make this as a one-layer sheet cake and skip the chocolate frosting. I recommend using a 9×13-inch pan for this recipe. Just keep an eye on the bake time; it may need a little less time in the oven, so start checking for doneness around 28–30 minutes. Hope you love it!
I really got skeptical about this recipe when I arrived at the 1 cup of boiling water and the (batter would be very thin). I decided to give it a try in spite of. My cake was very moist, delicious and beautiful. Best I’ve ever made from scratch. I will pass this recipe on to my family and friends forever.
This cake is absolutely delicious!! I make it with gluten free ingredients and works perfectly well. Thank you!
Should the recipe say egg whites not yolk? Because I have scrambled egg yolk in my frosting now after adding the coconut and pecans. 👎
Ahh no, I totally get the frustration 😩 But the recipe is correct—it should be egg yolks, not whites. The trick is to whisk constantly and keep the heat at medium or lower so they don’t scramble. It thickens into that custardy texture once it simmers. If it gets too hot too fast, sadly… scrambled frosting happens.
Can I use fat free evaporated milk? Bought it by accident.
Yep, fat-free evaporated milk will work in a pinch! The frosting might be slightly less rich, but it’ll still taste great. No need to run back to the store!
-Stacy
I made this cake for my daughters birthday. They all loved it!
I love this chocolate cake! Has anyone tried to make it in small 1lb loaf pans? If so, how long was your bake time?
Made this for my husband’s birthday (it’s his favorite cake) and he said it was the best german chocolate cake he’s ever had. I did follow recipe to a T – although I did use high quality eggs, butter, vanilla and cocoa powder, and would again.