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Close-up of a moist German Chocolate Cake slice with caramel coconut pecan frosting and chocolate curls on top.

German Chocolate Cake

A rich and moist German Chocolate Cake made from scratch, layered with creamy caramel coconut frosting, and topped with chocolate curls and pecans. The perfect celebratory dessert for birthdays and holidays.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Chill & Frost: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 640kcal
Cost: 15$

Equipment

  • 3 9-inch round pans (Lined with parchment paper)
  • 1 Stand or hand mixer (For batter and egg whites)
  • 1 Saucepan (For frosting)
  • 1 Cooling rack (To cool cake layers evenly)
  • 1 Spatula (For folding egg whites and frosting)
  • 1 Cake stand (For assembling and serving)

Ingredients

For the Cake

  • 4 oz German's sweet chocolate - Melted and cooled
  • 2½ cups All-purpose flour
  • 2 cups Granulated sugar
  • 1 cup Unsalted butter - Softened
  • 4 Eggs - Separated
  • 1 cup Buttermilk - Room temperature
  • 1½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon Baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon Salt

For the Frosting

  • 4 Egg yolks
  • 1 can Evaporated milk - (12 oz)
  • 1½ cups Granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup Butter - Unsalted
  • 2 cups Shredded coconut - Sweetened
  • 1½ cups Chopped pecans - Toasted optional
  • 1½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt

Optional Topping

  • ½ cup Chocolate curls - For garnish
  • ¼ cup Chopped pecans - Sprinkle over top layer

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and line pans with parchment.
  • Melt chocolate and let it cool.
  • Cream butter and sugar, then beat in egg yolks.
  • Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla.
  • Alternate dry mix and buttermilk into batter.
  • Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold into batter.
  • Divide batter into pans and bake for 25–30 mins.
  • Let cakes cool completely on racks.
  • Cook egg yolks, milk, and sugar until thickened.
  • Stir in butter, then add coconut, pecans, and vanilla.
  • Let frosting cool to spreadable consistency.
  • Layer cakes with frosting and top with curls and pecans.

Notes

Nutrition facts are estimated using automated tools and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For the most accurate results, please calculate using your specific ingredients.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Slice | Calories: 640kcal (32%) | Carbohydrates: 72g (24%) | Protein: 6g (12%) | Fat: 36g (55%) | Saturated Fat: 18g (113%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 120mg (40%) | Sodium: 310mg (13%) | Potassium: 190mg (5%) | Fiber: 3g (13%) | Sugar: 52g (58%) | Vitamin A: 650IU (13%) | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 80mg (8%) | Iron: 3.5mg (19%)