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The Best Homemade German Chocolate Layer Cake with Classic Coconut Pecan Frosting

A tall, moist slice of german chocolate cake recipe with rich chocolate layers and coconut-pecan filling.
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A recipe for a moist, rich German Chocolate Layer Cake topped with the traditional gooey coconut-pecan frosting.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 4 ounces German’s sweet baking chocolate, melted
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (for frosting)
  • 1/2 cup evaporated milk
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups flaked coconut, unsweetened
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
  3. Add the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for two minutes.
  4. Stir the melted chocolate into the hot water until combined. Slowly add the chocolate mixture to the cake batter, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  6. Prepare the frosting: In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, 1 cup sugar, evaporated milk, and 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.
  7. Remove the frosting from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract, coconut, and pecans. Let the frosting cool slightly until it is thick enough to spread but still soft.
  8. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread about half of the coconut-pecan frosting evenly over the top. Place the second cake layer on top. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.

Notes

  • For the most authentic flavor, use German’s Sweet Chocolate bars, not standard unsweetened baking chocolate.
  • If you prefer a flatter layer cake, you can bake the batter in three 8-inch pans instead of two 9-inch pans; reduce baking time slightly.
  • You can toast the pecans lightly before adding them to the frosting for deeper flavor.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://spoonfulsnap.com/german-chocolate-cake-recipe/