German Chocolate Cake (2024)

A decadent German Chocolate Cake Recipe, made with an extra moist and fudgy chocolate cake, a rich caramel/coconut frosting, and iced with a sweet and simple chocolate frosting.

Be sure to check out the how-to VIDEO below the recipe!

4.98 from 39 votes

Course: Cake, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Author: Sam Merritt

Chocolate Cake

• ▢ 1 ¾ cup (215 g) all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
• ▢ 1 cup (200 g) sugar
• ▢ ¾ cup (75 g) natural cocoa powder
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons instant coffee
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ cup (120 ml) canola or vegetable oil
• ▢ ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter melted
• ▢ 2 large eggs room temperature preferred
• ▢ 1 large egg yolk room temperature preferred
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 cup (236 ml) buttermilk¹
• ▢ ½ cup (120 ml) very hot or boiling water

Coconut Caramel Filling

• ▢ 4 large egg yolks
• ▢ 1 cup (236 ml) evaporated milk
• ▢ 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter cut into 8 pieces
• ▢ ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• ▢ ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 cups (125 g) chopped pecans preferably toasted
• ▢ 2 cups (160 g) sweetened shredded coconut

Chocolate Frosting²

• ▢ 1 cup (226 g) salted butter softened
• ▢ 3 ½ cups (440 g) powdered sugar
• ▢ ½ cup (50 g) natural cocoa powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons evaporated milk³

Chocolate Cake

• Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and prepare two 9" round cake pans by lightly greasing and flouring I also recommend lining the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment paper. Set aside.

• Combine flour, sugars, cocoa powder, instant coffee, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer) and use an electric mixer to stir until well-combined.

  1 ¾ cup (215 g) all-purpose flour, 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed, 1 cup (200 g) sugar, ¾ cup (75 g) natural cocoa powder, 1 ½ teaspoons instant coffee, 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt

• Add oil and melted butter and stir well (mixture will be very thick), then stir in eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla extract.

  ½ cup (120 ml) canola or vegetable oil, ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, 2 large eggs, 1 large egg yolk, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

• Gradually add buttermilk, stirring until completely combined.

  1 cup (236 ml) buttermilk¹

• Slowly add hot water (be careful not to splash yourself!), stirring until ingredients are well-combined. Pause occasionally to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula to ensure all ingredients are thoroughly combined.

  ½ cup (120 ml) very hot or boiling water

• Evenly divide batter into prepared pans. Transfer to oven and bake on 350F (175C) for 25-30 minutes and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Allow cakes to cool for 15 minutes before inverting onto cooling rack to cool completely before filling and frosting.

Coconut Caramel Filling

• Once your cake is in the oven, begin preparing your coconut/caramel German Chocolate Cake Filling. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine egg yolks and evaporated milk and whisk until eggs are lightly beaten.

  4 large egg yolks, 1 cup (236 ml) evaporated milk

• Add butter, sugars, and salt and place saucepan over medium/low heat (keep heat low so you do not cook your eggs!). Stir constantly until mixture is a light golden brown and thickened (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract, chopped pecans, and shredded coconut.

  8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cups (125 g) chopped pecans, 2 cups (160 g) sweetened shredded coconut

• Allow to cool completely before spreading over cake.

Chocolate Frosting

• In the bowl of a stand mixer OR in a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and cocoa powder until completely combined. Stir in vanilla extract and milk.

  1 cup (226 g) salted butter, 3 ½ cups (440 g) powdered sugar, ½ cup (50 g) natural cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 Tablespoons evaporated milk³

Assembly:

• Once your cake layers have cooled and your coconut/caramel filling is no longer warm to the touch, you can assemble your German Chocolate Cake!

• Place one cake round on serving tray or cake platter. Use your chocolate frosting to spread or pipe a border around the edge of the cake. Fill the border with half of your coconut/caramel filling.

• Top with second cake round. Frost top and sides of entire cake with remaining chocolate frosting.

• Top off cake with remaining half of coconut/caramel frosting.

• Slice, serve, and enjoy!

¹If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, please see my easy buttermilk substitute.

²This makes enough to lightly but entirely cover the cake without much left over for decorations. Since this is such a rich cake, this amount of frosting will be sufficient for most people. However, if you intend to decorate, please increase the frosting recipe by 50%.
³I recommend evaporated milk because you will likely have some over from your coconut filling if you purchased a 12 oz can. However, regular milk will work just as well!

Storing

German Chocolate Cake will keep at room temperature (granted you are not in a particularly hot/humid climate) in an airtight container for up to three days. It may also be refrigerated (in an airtight container) for up to a week.

German Chocolate Cake may be frozen, wrap well and freeze for up to several months.