The Ultimate German Chocolate Cake Recipe
The Perfect Harmony of Ingredients. Deeply chocolatey, ultra-moist cake layers, a gooey coconut–pecan frosting, and an optional silky ganache drizzle—this celebration classic is built for show-stopping slices.
Equipment
- Three 9-inch round cake pans
- Parchment rounds
- Mixing Bowls
- Electric Mixer
- Saucepan
- Whisk or wooden spoon
- Wire racks
- Heatproof bowl (for ganache)
- Small saucepan (for cream)
- Offset spatula
- Serrated knife (for leveling, optional)
Ingredients
For the Rich Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour leveled
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder use high-quality cocoa
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature for tender crumb
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil for moisture
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water blooms cocoa; batter will be thin
For the Gooey Coconut–Pecan Frosting
- 1 cup evaporated milk rich, caramel-like base
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large egg yolks lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup chopped pecans toasted for best flavor
Optional Chocolate Ganache
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped use a good-quality bar
Instructions
- Prep pans & oven: Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 9-inch round pans and line bottoms with parchment.
- Mix dry: In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Sift if lumpy.
- Mix wet: In a second bowl, whisk buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Add wet to dry and beat on medium until combined.
- Bloom cocoa with water: With mixer on low, slowly pour in boiling water. Batter will be thin—this is correct. Divide evenly among pans.
- Bake: 28–32 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks and cool completely.
- Cook frosting: In a saucepan over medium heat, stir evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, and butter constantly 10–12 minutes until thick and custardy (coats the back of a spoon). Remove from heat; stir in vanilla, coconut, and pecans. Cool completely to thicken.
- Assemble: Place first cake layer on a plate; spread one-third of frosting. Repeat with second layer and another third. Top with final layer and crown with remaining frosting. Sides are traditionally left bare.
- Optional ganache: Heat cream just to a simmer; pour over chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Rest 5 minutes; stir smooth. Cool slightly, then drizzle over the cake to create drips.
- Set & slice: Let cake stand 30 minutes so frosting firms for clean slices.
Notes
Project timeline: Active time is under 1 hour; remaining time is cooling. Measure flour with the spoon-and-level method for a tender crumb. For extra depth, toast pecans and bloom cocoa fully with boiling water.