German Chocolate Cake (2024)

German Chocolate Cake is a traditional cake with a tender chocolate crumb that’s layered with decadent homemade coconut frosting. The cake makes a great centerpiece at holiday gatherings because of its impressive layers and gooey frosting. The color contrast between the cake and frosting layers and the texture of the frosting makes this cake an absolute show-stopper, and the flavors are equally as delightful as the presentation!

Three layers of chocolate cake are baked to perfection with a few simple steps, and the stove-top frosting is so easy to make that even beginners should feel confident baking this recipe. Melted Baker’s German chocolate and unsweetened cocoa powder offer a duo of chocolate flavors for rich cake layers that are balanced with the sweetness of the coconut pecan frosting. For more homemade cake recipes, try my caramel cake, butterscotch cake, or strawberry cake.

What You Need to Make This Recipe

German chocolate – Baker’s German sweet chocolate offers rich chocolate flavor to the cake layers. This ingredient can be found in a box near the other baking chocolates or chocolate chips at most grocery stores.

Cocoa powder – for the best German chocolate cake, use unsweetened cocoa powder and melted German chocolate. The double chocolate combo makes for the most mouth-watering flavor and moist layers.

Buttermilk – buttermilk has a slight tang compared to whole milk or heavy cream, and it helps the cakes rise for a fluffy and tender texture. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, it’s simple to learn how to make buttermilk.

Leavening – this recipe uses a combination of both baking soda and baking powder to create a tender cake that rises perfectly.

Eggs – separate the whites from the egg yolks for the batter before letting them come to room tempearture. Eggs are much easier to separate when they are cold. Whole eggs are used for the coconut pecan frosting, so there is no need to separate those.

Shredded coconut – sweetened coconut works best for this recipe. If you prefer firmer and thicker frosting, use the full 3 cups of coconut. For thinner frosting, use just 2 cups.

Pecans – add a nutty-richness to the frosting that just can’t be beat. Finely chop the nuts before adding to the other frosting ingredients. Use toasted pecans for a deeper and nuttier flavor and substitute walnuts or macadamia nuts if you prefer.

How to Make German Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease three (8-inch) round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Combine the chocolate and hot water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until melted and combined. Or, melt in a double boiler over hot water, stirring until combined. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

3. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and 1¾ cups of sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then, beat in the vanilla extract.

4. Add the melted chocolate mixture and beat until incorporated.

5. With the mixer on low speed, add a third of the flour mixture.

6. Add half of the buttermilk and continue mixing. Repeat with another third of the flour, the rest of the buttermilk, and the final third of the flour. Beat just until each is combined, and occasionally stop to scrape down the bowl.

7. Beat the egg whites in a separate clean bowl with clean beaters on high speed until thick and frothy. Slowly sprinkle in the remaining ¼ cup of sugar, and beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter with a spatula.

8. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and spread to smooth the tops. Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes or until the centers spring back when lightly pressed. Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for about 15 minutes. Then, remove the cakes and cool completely on the wire racks. Remove the parchment paper.

9. Make the frosting by whisking together the sugars, milk, and egg yolks in a medium saucepan. Add the butter and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until the butter melts and the mixture begins to boil and thicken, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the chopped pecans, 2 cups of coconut, and vanilla extract. Add more coconut for a firmer, thicker frosting if desired. Let cool until spreadable, about 30 minutes.

10. To assemble, place a cooled cake layer on a cake stand and top with a third of the frosting. Spread the frosting just to the edge of the cake, not down the sides. Place another cake layer on top and repeat with another third of the frosting. Finish with the last cake layer and remaining frosting. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the frosting to fully set.

Pro Tips For Making This Recipe

• Melt the chocolate first. Start this recipe by melting the chocolate and water so that it can cool slightly before it is added to the other ingredients.
• Divide the sugar for the cake batter. Beat 1¾ cups of the sugar with the butter and hold back the remaining ¼ cup to sprinkle into the egg whites as they are beaten. The sugar in the egg whites helps to stabilize them and hold onto air when beaten.
• Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk. To help the ingredients blend smoothly without overmixing, add a third of the flour mixture, followed by half the buttermilk, and continue alternating until all the dry ingredients and buttermilk are added.
• Create a deeper chocolate flavor with coffee. Swap the hot water for hot coffee to enhance and enrich the flavor of the chocolate.
• Beat the egg whites in a clean bowl. Folding the beaten egg whites into the batter gives the cake an amazing texture that is fluffier than regular chocolate cake. For the egg whites to reach the stiff peak state, they must be beaten in a clean bowl using a clean beater. Fat (like egg yolks) can inhibit the egg whites from whipping up properly and cause them to never reach stiff peaks. I’ll often use a stand mixer for the main batter and a hand mixer to beat the egg whites.
• Fold the egg whites in gently. Aim to preserve as much of the airy texture of the egg whites as possible by gently folding them into the chocolate cake batter. Be patient and use a rubber spatula to scrape around the edge of the bowl as you fold.
• Frosting variation. You can use all of one type of sugar in the frosting if desired. I like the mix of light brown sugar and granulated sugar for a balanced, caramel-like flavor.
• Double up on the frosting. Double the German chocolate cake frosting recipe if you love the coconut pecan flavor or want thick layers of frosting! I often do this because the frosting is my favorite part, and I like a generous amount between each layer.
• Spread the frosting just on the tops of the cake layers. This cake is typically frosted between the layers and on the top, not the sides of the cake. This creates the cake’s signature appearance and also means frosting the cake is quick!

Frequently Asked Questions

If you’ve tried this German chocolate cake recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!