This large 3-layer German Chocolate Cake is as delicious as it is beautiful. Its chocolate layers filled with sweet coconut pecan filling, decorated with chocolate frosting, and topped with Maraschino cherries, is a must for any dessert table. Pair this chocolate cake with a cold glass of milk!
Is the German Chocolate Cake From Germany?
No, the "German Chocolate Cake is an American creation that contains the key ingredients of sweet baking chocolate, coconut, and pecans. This cake was not brought to the American Midwest by German immigrants. The cake took its name from an American with the last name of 'German,'" claims whatscookingamerica.net.
German Chocolate Cake Recipe
- 4 ounce bar sweet Baker's Chocolate
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
How To Make a German Chocolate Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Butter or spray three 9 X 2 - inch round cake pans. Likewise, spray or butter one 9 X 13 - inch baking pan. Flour the cake pans, tapping out excess flour.
- Melt chocolate and water together over a bowl of hot water. Stir until smooth and set aside.
- Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl, and set aside.
- Using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars together until creamy. Scrape bowl. Add eggs one at a time, then add melted chocolate and vanilla, and beat on high until light and fluffy. Scrape bowl again.
- Turn mixer to low, and add half the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the liquid ingredients, alternating again, and scraping as needed between additions. Mix until batter is smooth with no lumps.
- Pour the batter equally into prepared pans.
- Bake round cake layers for 25 - 35 minutes, 9 X 13 - inch pan for 45 - 50 minutes, or until a pick comes out clean.
- Cool 9 X 13 - inch cake completely on wire racks before frosting or freezing. Cool round layers 10 minutes before loosening, then remove them from the pans, and cool completely.
- Place one round layer on a pretty cake platter, and spread 1/3 of the Coconut Pecan filling over the layer. Do not go all the way to the edge.
- Place another cake layer on top and repeat with 1/3 cup of filling, then the final chocolate cake layer. Press cake layer down ever-so-slightly.
- Spread a very thin layer of chocolate frosting over the top of the German Chocolate Cake. Frost the cake sides with chocolate frosting, taking care to seal the cake all the way to the bottom.
- Place a small amount of chocolate frosting in a small pastry bag fitted with a medium size star tip. Pipe a small border all the way around the top rim of the cake.
- Fill the inside of the border with the remaining coconut pecan filling getting all the way to the edge. Visually section off 12 slices, and pipe a rosette on top of the filling for each slice. Place a Maraschino cherry on each rosette.
- Refrigerate a few hours before slicing.
- Serves 12.
Chocolate Frosting Recipe
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 4 Tablespoons dark Dutch cocoa
- 4 Tablespoons whole milk or cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
How To Make Chocolate Frosting
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the brown sugar, and bring to a boil.
- Turn the heat to low, add cocoa and continue boiling for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add milk very slowly, being careful not to splatter. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from burner and cool to lukewarm.
- Using an electric mixer at medium speed, slowly add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, beating after each addition. Continue beating until frosting reaches desired spreading and/or piping consistency. Add a little more milk if the frosting is too thick. Add more powdered sugar if the frosting is too thin.
Coconut Pecan Filling Recipe
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 1 1/3 cup coconut
- 1 1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans
How To Make German Chocolate Filling
- In a medium pan mix sugar, evaporated milk, egg yolks and butter. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until coconut pecan filling comes to a boil. Boil on low for approximately 2 minutes or until very thick.
- Turn off heat and stir in coconut and chopped pecans.
- Let cool completely, then refrigerate until ready to use.
- Makes enough to fill and top a 9 inch triple layer German Chocolate Cake.
Check These Chocolate Cake Recipes Out!
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Donna Diegel - Donna Diegel is an experienced baker and published author with more than 25 years of experience in the food industry.
