Description
You will bake a truly decadent German chocolate cake featuring rich, moist chocolate layers and the signature gooey coconut-pecan frosting. This scratch baking recipe is a timeless American classic, perfect for your next celebration.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 ounces Baker’s German Sweet Chocolate, chopped
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 large egg yolks
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
- Melt the chopped German Sweet Chocolate with the boiling water. Stir until smooth and set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking soda, and salt. Set the dry ingredients aside.
- In a separate large bowl, cream together the 1 cup of butter and 2 cups of sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the 4 egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- Gently fold the melted chocolate mixture into the batter.
- In a clean bowl, beat the 4 egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate batter until no white streaks remain.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the layers cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the Coconut Pecan Frosting: In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, evaporated milk, 4 tablespoons of butter, and 2 egg yolks. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 8 to 10 minutes. Do not boil.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the chopped pecans and shredded coconut. Let the frosting cool completely; it will thicken as it cools.
- Once the cake layers are cool, place one layer on your serving plate. Spread about half of the coconut pecan frosting evenly over the first layer. Top with the second cake layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
Notes
- For extra moist chocolate layers, check your buttermilk expiration date; fresh buttermilk makes a difference.
- If you want a richer chocolate flavor, use high-quality German’s Baking Chocolate.
- You can toast the pecans lightly before adding them to the frosting for deeper flavor.
- If the frosting seems too thick after cooling, you can gently warm it for a few seconds, but remember it sets up quickly.
- Prep Time: 30 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 45g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 75mg