German Chocolate Cake

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This German Chocolate Cake recipe is a classic! Tender, moist layers of chocolate cake are filled with an out-of-this-world coconut pecan filling that’s gooey and full of flavor and texture! It’s all frosted with the perfect chocolate buttercream!

Why You’ll Love This German Chocolate Cake Recipe

The moment you sink your teeth into your first bite of this German chocolate cake, you’ll know you chose the right recipe. Here’s what makes it so special.

• Moist and tender. The cake layers themselves are so tender, moist and light, but not so light that the filling and frosting overwhelm them. Plus, I love the way the slight crunch from the pecans and the gooeyness of the filling interrupts (in the best way) the soft, fluffy cake.
• The best flavor combo. The subtle flavor of sweet German chocolate paired with the rich, almost caramel-y coconut pecan filling is a match made in heaven. Sweet but not too sweet and rich but not overpowering.
• Uses real German chocolate. Not all German cake recipes use the traditional German chocolate, but this cake does. It’s in both the cake layers and the frosting, so it’s well deserving of the name.
• Presentation. We eat with our eyes first and this cake, wrapped in a luscious chocolate frosting and topped with an enticing coconut-pecan filling, leaves no doubt in the viewer’s mind that they are about to experience some seriously tasty cake.

What Is German Chocolate Cake?

German chocolate cake was, contrary to what you might think, not invented in Germany. It derives its name from the kind of chocolate that is traditionally used in the cake layers, German chocolate. The melted German chocolate is sweeter and less intense than the unsweetened cocoa powder used in standard chocolate cakes.

Other signature elements of a typical German chocolate cake are the buttermilk (which makes the cake nice and tender) and whipped egg whites (which make it gloriously fluffy) incorporated into the batter. German chocolate cake is often (but not always) filled with a sticky, gooey coconut-pecan filling and frosted with either that same filling or a chocolate frosting.

If you’re looking to use a regular chocolate cake that doesn’t use German chocolate and has a simpler method, feel free to use my best chocolate cake to layer with the coconut-pecan filling.

Recipe Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to pull off this excellent German chocolate cake recipe. Make sure to scroll to the recipe card below for exact measurements.

Coconut Pecan Filling

• Egg yolks – These give richness to the filling and help to thicken it.
• Evaporated milk – Do not use sweetened condensed milk. It’s not the same thing. This helps form the base of the filling
• Vanilla extract – For a touch of flavor.
• Sugar – For sweetness and moisture.
• Unsalted butter – Another part of the base of the filling. It adds great flavor.
• Sweetened shredded coconut
• Chopped pecans – I like buying toasted pecans or toasting my own. The flavor is richer and more buttery that way.
• Salt – For flavor.

Chocolate Cake

• Water – The hot water helps melt the chocolate and makes it easier to incorporate into the cake batter.
• German chocolate – A must for German chocolate cake. I use Baker’s brand chocolate bars.
• All-purpose flour – Be sure to measure this accurately or you will end up with a dry cake. I recommend a food scale, but the spoon and level method works as well.
• Baking soda – For the best rise and tender texture.
• Salt – For flavor.
• Unsalted butter – The butter should be at room-temperature. Otherwise, it won’t cream properly with the sugar.
• Sugar – For sweetness, but also for moisture and a tender texture.
• Eggs – Be sure to use large eggs, not medium or extra large.
• Vanilla extract
• Sour cream – Start with room-temperature sour cream. Cold sour cream won’t mix as easily into the batter. This adds extra moisture to the cake.
• Buttermilk – The buttermilk should be at room temperature otherwise it won’t incorporate easily into the batter. This also adds additional moisture and a fluffy texture.

German Chocolate Frosting

• Unsalted butter – Use room-temperature butter. Cold butter will give you a lumpy frosting.
• Natural unsweetened cocoa powder – I used regular unsweetened, but you could use a dark cocoa, if you’d like.
• Powdered sugar – To add volume to your frosting and get it a good consistency for decorating. Feel free to reduce it, if desired. Just keep in mind that adjustments change the consistency of the frosting.
• German chocolate – I used the same baking bars I linked to above. Chop it up and melt it in 15-second intervals in the microwave, stirring between each.
• Salt – For a little extra flavor.
• Heavy whipping cream – You can use more or less cream to get the right consistency for your buttercream.

How to Make German Chocolate Cake

Layer cakes can seem intimidating but I assure you that you can do it. Just take it one step at a time with each of the 3 parts. Here’s a quick look at how to make them. For more detailed instructions and a video, scroll to the recipe card below.

To make the filling

• Whisk. In a saucepan, whisk together the evaporated milk and vanilla extract.
• Cook. Add the sugar and butter and cook on medium heat for 12-15 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened.
• Finish. Remove from heat and stir in shredded coconut, pecans, and salt.
• Chill. Chill in a bowl in the fridge for 2-3 hours, until fully thickened.

To make the cake layers

• Prep. Line the bottoms of 3 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Melt. Bring the water to a light boil and pour it over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
• Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
• Cream. Cream together the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the remaining wet ingredients. Into the butter mixture, stir the egg yolks, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract and sour cream. Mix in the melted chocolate mixture.

• Put it all together. Mix half of the dry ingredients into the batter, followed by the buttermilk and then the remaining dry ingredients.
• Whip. Whip the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form.
• Fold. Fold the egg whites into the batter in two parts.

• Bake. Divide the batter between the cake pans and bake for 20-25 minutes.
• Cool. Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 2-3 minutes before turning them out onto cooling racks.

To finish the cake

• Make the frosting. Beat the butter until smooth and then mix in the cocoa powder and half of the powdered sugar. Mix in the melted chocolate in 2-3 batches and then, finally, 3 tablespoons of heavy cream and the remaining powdered sugar.
• Adjust consistency. Add the remaining heavy cream, as needed, to get the right consistency of frosting.
• Flatten. Cut the domes from the tops of the cakes so they are flat.

• Assemble. Place the first cake layer on a serving plate and pipe a dam of frosting around the top edge. Fill the dam with 1/3 of the coconut pecan filling. Repeat, stacking the second cake layer on top of the first. Top with the third cake layer.
• Frost. Frost the outside of the cake and pipe a border of frosting shells around the top edge of the cake. Fill the border with the remaining coconut pecan filling.
• Chill. Refrigerate until ready to serve. The cake is best enjoyed cool, but not too cold.

Tips for Success

These simple tips and tricks will help guide you through the process of making this German chocolate cake. Keep them in mind as you go through the process.

• Careful with heat. Keep the heat at medium when cooking the coconut pecan filling. Anything lower and the filling won’t thicken properly. Anything higher and you risk burning it or having it not thicken properly.
• Keep it moving. When cooking the filling, it is important to stir it constantly. This will help it thicken evenly and will also help prevent burning.
• Don’t skimp on creaming time. When creaming together the butter and sugar for the cake layers, do so until it has become quite fluffy and significantly lighter in color.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl. When making the cake batter and the frosting, be sure to use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl intermittently. This will help ensure that all of the ingredients make it into the mixture.
• Don’t over-mix. When adding the dry ingredients to the cake batter, mix just until everything is incorporated. Over-mixing can cause the glutens in the flour to overdevelop, which can give you a tough, overly dense cake.
• Consistency matters. You want to make sure that the frosting isn’t too stiff or too runny. Stiff frosting won’t spread properly and frosting that is too soft won’t hold things in place. 
• Study up. Hungry for more tips and tricks? Check out my post on How to Fill and Stack a Layer Cake, How to Get the Right Frosting Consistency, and How to Frost a Cake with Buttercream.

Proper Storage

• Refrigerator. Seal the cake in an airtight cake carrier or wrap it in a double layer of plastic wrap. I suggest using toothpicks to prop the plastic away from the cake. Alternatively, slice the cake and store the slices in a single layer in an airtight container. You can keep the cake in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freezer. Pop the cake in the freezer for a couple of hours to firm up before wrapping it in a double layer of plastic wrap. You can also arrange slices in a single layer in a freezer-safe airtight container. Store the cake in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow it to thaw in the fridge before serving.

More Chocolate Cake Recipes

If chocolate cake is your thing, you came to the right place. Once you get this German chocolate cake down, have a look at these other equally delicious recipes.

• Orange Chocolate Cake
• The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe
• Chocolate Mousse Cake
• Chocolate Oreo Cake
• Hot Chocolate Cake
• Devil’s Food Cake
• Chocolate Cheesecake Cake
• Flourless Chocolate Cake
• Chocolate Raspberry Layer Cake
• Nutella Chocolate Cake
• S’mores Chocolate Cake

Watch How to Make German Chocolate Cake

Read Transcript

Recipe updated 1/2/24 to be even more moist and tender and use a different buttercream. The method is also slightly different. For the original recipe, download the PDF here.

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