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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

5 from 1 vote
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.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Chill & Frost 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 12 slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 640
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

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

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

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line pans with parchment.
  2. Melt chocolate and let it cool.
  3. Cream butter and sugar, then beat in egg yolks.
  4. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla.
  5. Alternate dry mix and buttermilk into batter.
  6. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and fold into batter.
  7. Divide batter into pans and bake for 25–30 mins.
  8. Let cakes cool completely on racks.
  9. Cook egg yolks, milk, and sugar until thickened.
  10. Stir in butter, then add coconut, pecans, and vanilla.
  11. Let frosting cool to spreadable consistency.
  12. 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.