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Classic German Chocolate Cake

Katie

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Learn how to make this super delicious and moist chocolate cake with a heavenly chocolate buttercream frosting. Stuffed and topped with traditional coconut pecan filling.

This cake was a request from my dad, but it ended up being my best chocolate cake recipe. I use this cake base for most of my cocoa cakes. So moist and delectable!

Assembly

To assemble and frost the cake, you can make a naked cake like mine shown here and use all the chocolate frosting inside the layers under the coconut. Or you can smear a thin layer of frosting on each cake under the coconut and frost the outside of the cake fully.

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German Chocolate Cake

Author Katie

Ingredients

CHOCOLATE CAKE

  • 1 ¾ cups flour
  • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • ¾ cup milk
  • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup hot water
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ½ cup canola oil

COCONUT PECAN FILLING

  • ½ cup butter
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 8 oz evaporated milk
  • ¾ cup chopped pecans
  • 2 cups shredded coconut
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 1 tbsp corn syrup
  • 2 ½ cups confectioners sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • ⅛ tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp milk

Instructions

CHOCOLATE CAKE

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Grease three 6 inch pans with non-stick spray or butter.
  • In a large bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • In another bowl, mix oil, eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla.
  • Pour the liquid mixture into the dry and mix.
  • Add in hot water and stir until just combined. The batter should be thin.
  • Divide cake batter evenly into the three greased pans.
  • Bake for 23 – 27 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

COCONUT PECAN FILLING

  • In a medium saucepan, cook butter, sugar, yolks, and evaporated milk on medium low.
  • Stir until a low boil, add in nuts, vanilla, and coconut. Mix well.
  • Let the filling cool before using.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

  • Whip butter until light and fluffy.
  • While mixing on low, add in confectioners sugar, cocoa powder, corn syrup, vanilla, salt, and milk.
  • Mix on low until powder is incorporated and then turn it up to medium high.

CAKE ASSEMBLY

  • Smear a very thin layer of chocolate frosting on the cake, top with ⅓ of the coconut filling.
  • Repeat on the next layers.