German Chocolate Cake
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Learn how to make classic German chocolate cake, with rich chocolate layers and coconut-pecan frosting. This timeless dessert has been a favorite for decades and is always a crowd-pleaser.
German chocolate cake is a decadent chocolate cake layered with a gooey coconut-pecan frosting. It’s named after Sam German, who created “German’s chocolate” for Baker’s back in 1852. The cake became famous in the 1950s, when a Texas homemaker’s recipe was published in a Dallas newspaper. It was such a hit, it boosted German’s Chocolate sales by 73% in just one year!
Typically, the sides of a German chocolate cake are left bare or coated with chocolate ganache. For an attractive and easy finish, I suggest leaving the sides uncovered and drizzling a glossy chocolate glaze over the top. This creates a pretty drip effect without the extra effort of covering the sides.
“Hands down, the best cake I have ever had.”
What You’ll Need To Make German Chocolate Cake
- Cake Ingredients: Semi-sweet chocolate, eggs, all-purpose flour, unsweetened natural cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, butter, granulated sugar, vanilla, and buttermilk.
- Frosting Ingredients: Egg yolks, evaporated milk, light brown sugar, butter, sweetened flaked coconut and pecans.
- Chocolate Glaze Ingredients: Heavy cream, light corn syrup, and melted chocolate.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. Melt the chocolate: In a heatproof bowl, pour boiling water over the chocolate. Let it sit for a minute, then stir until the mixture is smooth.
Step 2. Beat the egg whites. In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to whip the egg whites to stiff peaks.
Pro Tip: When beating the egg whites, make sure your bowl and whisk are very clean—even a tiny bit of grease will keep them from reaching stiff peaks.
Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
Step 4. Cream the butter and sugar: Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Step 5: Mix in the egg yolks and chocolate. Add the eggs one by one, then add the melted chocolate and vanilla.
Step 6. Finish the batter: On low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk. Gently fold in the egg whites in two batches until the batter is smooth.
Pro Tip: Use a large rubber spatula for folding. Stop just before the egg whites are fully incorporated; over-mixing will make the cake tough.
Step 7: Bake and cool. Divide the batter into three 9-inch pans and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then move the layers to wire racks to cool completely.
Step 8: Make the frosting. Whisk the egg yolks, milk, and brown sugar in a saucepan. Add the butter, bring to a boil, and simmer over medium-low heat for 12 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the coconut, pecans, vanilla, and salt.
Pro Tip: If you’d like, toast your pecans and coconut at 350°F for 5 to 8 minutes before adding them. This adds a deep, nutty crunch that balances the sweet frosting.
Step 9: Make the glaze. In a medium bowl, microwave the cream and corn syrup until boiling. Stir in the chopped chocolate, let sit for 30 seconds, then whisk until smooth. Let it cool until slightly thickened.
Pro Tip: Wait until the glaze reaches the consistency of thick maple syrup before pouring. If it’s too warm, it’ll pool at the bottom; too cold, and it won’t drip.
Step 10: Assemble and store. Place one cake layer on a platter. Spread a third of the frosting over top. Repeat with the remaining layers and frosting, leaving the sides of the cake bare. Drizzle the chocolate glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. You can store the cake at room temperature for two days or freeze unfrosted layers for up to three months.
Video Tutorial
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German Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, best quality such as Ghiradelli, chopped
- ½ cup water
- 4 eggs, whites and yolks separated
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- ¼ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder, such as Hershey’s, sifted
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk (see note)
For the Coconut-Pecan Frosting
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 (12-oz) can evaporated milk
- 1½ cups (packed) light brown sugar
- ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 2½ cups lightly packed sweetened flaked coconut (preferably Baker’s)
- 2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Chocolate Glaze
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 2 oz semi-sweet chocolate, best quality such as Ghiradelli, chopped
Instructions
- Make the Cake Layers: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position. Spray 2 or 3 (9-in/23-cm) round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray with flour, such as Baker’s Joy or Pam with Flour. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment circles and spray again.
- Place the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring the water to a boil in the microwave (or on the stovetop) and pour over the chocolate; let sit for one minute. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is completely smooth.
- In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside and clean the beaters (you’ll use them again for the batter).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a very large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes (start on low, then increase the speed to medium). Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in the melted chocolate mixture and the vanilla. On low speed, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour.
- Add about ⅓ of the egg whites to the cake batter; fold until evenly combined. Add the remaining egg whites and fold just until the batter is uniform. Divide the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
- Bake until the cakes are set and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes for 3 layers or 35 to 40 minutes for 2 layers. Cool the cakes in the pans for about 15 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
- Make the Coconut-Pecan Frosting: In a 2-qt (2L) saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, evaporated milk, and light brown sugar; add the butter and bring to a gentle boil. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until thick, about 12 minutes (adjust the heat as necessary to keep the mixture at a gentle boil). Remove from the heat and stir in the coconut, pecans, vanilla, and salt. Let cool to room temperature.
- Make the Chocolate Glaze: Pour the cream and corn syrup into a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high power until boiling, about 1 minute. Add the chopped chocolate. (Alternatively, place the chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the cream and corn syrup to a boil and then pour it over the chocolate.) Let the mixture sit for 30 seconds, then whisk until smooth and glossy. Let the ganache cool until slightly thickened but still pourable, whisking occasionally so a film doesn't form on top, 10 to 15 minutes. (If it gets too thick, you can warm it in the microwave for 10 seconds, or until just pourable.)
- Assemble and Serve: For a 3 layer cake: Place 1 cake layer, rounded side down, on a cake platter. Using a metal spatula, spread ⅓ of the coconut-pecan frosting over the layer. Add the second layer, rounded side down; spread with ⅓ of the frosting. Add the third layer, rounded side up; spread with remaining frosting, leaving the sides of the cake unfrosted. For a 2-layer cake, follow the same procedure but spread half of the frosting over the bottom layer and the remaining half over the top layer. Prepare the chocolate glaze and drizzle it over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Cut the cake with a small, very-sharp serrated knife, using a sawing motion and wiping the knife clean (carefully!) between slices.
Notes
- Check out some easy guidance on how to make buttermilk using milk and lemon juice or vinegar.
- Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: The cake can be made up to two days ahead of time and stored in a cake dome at room temperature. The cake layers can also be frozen without the frosting for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely, wrap them individually in plastic wrap, and then in foil. Thaw overnight on the countertop before assembling and frosting the cake.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Please don’t call it German Chocolate Cake if it’s not made with German Chocolate. I was so excited to see the recipe and then so disappointed that it doesn’t contain its namesake. German Sweet Chocolate is not hard to find – it’s online everywhere if it’s not in your local grocery store (who will usually order it for you if it’s not in stock).
Hi Jeanne, Thanks for sharing your perspective. It’s true that the original German Chocolate Cake was made with German’s Sweet Chocolate. However, most modern takes on this classic, including mine, use ingredients like cocoa powder or various types of chocolate for convenience because German’s chocolate is not widely available. The cake’s signature mild chocolate taste can still be easily achieved by carefully balancing the amounts of sugar and chocolate—and the pecan-coconut frosting definitely drives the flavor home. My goal is always to create recipes that are practical and accessible for everyday bakers. This recipe is easy for home cooks to replicate, and it delivers that deliciously familiar flavor we all love. Happy baking!
Do you ever include high-altitude Instructions? I live at 7,000 feet and seldom make cakes.
Hi Gloria, Thanks for your note. I don’t have experience baking at high altitudes so, unfortunately, I don’t have any wisdom to share – I’m sorry! You may find these tips helpful though.
I notice a couple of comments that the batter was too thick and/or the cake came out dense/heavy. I have had this issue before too and wondered if you had any advice on what might have went wrong in the prep. Over beating one aspect? Or some other issue? Thanks..appreciate your insight!
Hi Susan, the frosting for this cake is pretty dense by nature, but the cake itself is not. Just make sure to use the spoon and level method to measure your flour. Hope you enjoy the cake if you make it!
First off I want to say I love your recipes. Everyone I have made has been a success. I would love to make this for our New Year’s Eve dinner. I have 10 % cream could I use that for the glaze ? Would I have to add more chocolate to get the thickness??
Thanks
Cheryl
Hi Cheryl, thanks for the nice words about the recipes – so glad you like them! I don’t recommend 10% cream here – I’d stick with heavy cream – sorry!
Hi Susan!! I’ve successfully have made The classic German Chocolate Cake and the Coconut Pecan icing for over 30 years and yes you can use the 10% cream if you like. You do not need heavy cream for the icing. That is the purpose of the yolks!! My opinion and suggestion : canned evaporated milk. That is from the original recipe from Bakers, the back of German Chocolate box!!🍫
Cook under 8 mins because the icing will thicken when cooled.
I’m wondering, why the semi-sweet chocolate instead of bars of German chocolate?
Great question! German chocolate is not widely available, so I developed the recipe using semi-sweet.
I prefer the German’s chocolate for this. Can I use one 4 oz bar in lieu of regular chocolate? Thanks much and I really enjoy all of your recipes.
Glad you like the recipes! Yes, you can use German’s chocolate if you’d like, but the cake will be a touch sweeter. Hope you enjoy the cake!
Would this recipe work in a 9×13 pan?
Hi Karen, unfortunately it won’t in a 9 x 13 as you wouldn’t get the nice layers that German chocolate cake has. Sorry!
Hi Jenn,
I have a question regarding the chocolate ganache. Why does it need the corn syrup? What is the purpose of it? Can it be omitted? If so, will it change the taste?
Lucy
Hi Lucy, the corn syrup helps to make the ganache shiny. You can omit it; just keep in mind that it won’t be as shiny. Hope you enjoy the cake!
Hi Jen
I would like to make this and frost it a couple of weeks beforehand and then freeze the completed cake. I would then defrost it overnight. If you agree should this be defrosted in the fridge or on the counter?
Many thanks for so many great recipes. I particularly like your attention to detail in writing the recipes.
Hi Barbara, Thanks for your nice words about the recipes — so glad you like them! I wouldn’t recommend freezing this with the frosting (you can freeze the cakes before they’re frosted though).
I was wondering if I need to make any high altitude adjustments? I live at about 6,000 ft. Thank you for all your recipes & great instructions!
Thanks for your note. I don’t have experience baking at high altitudes so, unfortunately, I don’t have any wisdom to share – I’m sorry! You may find these tips helpful though. Hope you enjoy the cake if you make it!
I made this cake for my mom’s birthday. It was a big hit – it looked and tasted great! Thank you, again, Jenn 🙂