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This Triple Layer German Chocolate Cake is a total showstopper! Featuring super moist cake layers stuffed with coconut pecan frosting and slathered in chocolate frosting… this recipe redefines decadence.
German Chocolate Cake Recipe
It’s no secret I love German’s Chocolate! German Chocolate brownies… German chocolate cheesecake… and German Chocolate pie all have a home in my heart, and on this website. So it’s about time I shared my go-to German Chocolate Cake recipe with you guys!
But that changes NOW! Because today’s new Christmas in July recipe is for my triple layer EPIC German Chocolate Cake! This recipe is perfect for birthday parties or holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Or for any day you’re craving chocolate, coconut, and pecans and want to bake a giant cake!
What You’ll Need (and subs):
- Sugar: You’ll need granulated sugar and light brown sugar for this recipe. Break any large clumps of brown sugar up with your hands before adding it to the recipe.
- Flour: All-purpose is the only flour I recommend.
- Cocoa Powder: Unsweetened and sifted. I don’t suggest using Dutch-process cocoa powder for this recipe.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Our leaving agents. You need to use both for the perfect balance!
- Salt: Balances flavors and sweetness; don’t worry, it won’t make your cake taste salty.
- Eggs: You’ll use whole eggs and egg yolks in this recipe. You may save the egg whites for another recipe or discard them. Make sure your eggs and yolks are at room temperature before baking.
- Coconut Milk: Use the thick Thai-style coconut milk found in a can. Be sure to whisk it well before use.
- Sour Cream: Use full-fat and be sure to bring it to room temperature.
- Coconut Oil: I love using unrefined coconut oil, which adds a delightful coconut flavor to the chocolate cake. But in a pinch, an equal amount of canola oil or vegetable oil will work.
- Vanilla: As always, pure vanilla extract will give you the best flavor. Avoid artificial or imitation vanilla extract.
- Coffee: Freshly boiled and hot! If you’re not a coffee lover, an equal amount of freshly boiled water will work.
- Evaporated Milk: I do not suggest using regular milk as a substitute! In a pinch, half and half will work. But for best results, stick to the recipe.
- Coconut: You’ll want the sweetened shredded variety! If you use large flaked coconut or finely shredded, it’ll dramatically change the texture of the coconut pecan frosting.
- Pecans: Nuts easily go stale or worse… rancid! So make sure your nuts are fresh before use. You’ll want to have enough to make the frosting, and decorate the cake.
- Chocolate: A combination of German’s sweet chocolate and unsweetened chocolate give our frosting a wonderfully rich chocolate flavor, without being overwhelming sweet. Make sure you cool the melted chocolate until it’s tepid!
- Butter: Unsalted butter works best here, but salted will work in a pinch. Be sure it’s softened before use!
- Confectioners’ sugar: Aka powdered sugar. Use the amount called for, but don’t be scared to add a bit more if needed to reach the desired frosting consistency.
Baking Tips:
- Use parchment paper rounds to line your cake pans! And be sure to spray each pan generously with nonstick baking spray. Consider these steps your insurance policy that your cakes come out of the pans in one piece.
- Be sure to use a VERY large bowl to combine the dry ingredients! You’ll add the wet ingredients to this bowl to make the cake batter, so you’ll need ample room to work with.
- Don’t over bake your cakes! They’re ready in about 30 minutes, but can be ready as soon as 26 minutes deepening on your oven and pans.
- You’ll know your cakes are ready to remove from heat when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cakes from the cake pans after 10 minutes! Otherwise they’ll continue cooking (which will dry them out) and could actually stick to the pans.
- When it comes to the coconut pecan frosting, my number one tip is to STIR CONSTANTLY! It’s a pain but necessary and worth the elbow grease. I promise!
Assemble Like a Pro:
- Use a long serrated knife to level each cake layer. Flat cakes are not only easier to stack, but easier to decorate. If you don’t level, your cake will be lopsided and may collapse.
- You’ll be stuffing the cake layers with the coconut pecan frosting ONLY. The chocolate frosting goes on the outside. So you’ll place one cake layer on a serving plate, spread some of the coconut pecan frosting on top, then top it with another cake layer. Then repeat.
- For the frosting, you’ll need a large piping bag with an open star tip. You’ll scrape about 1 cup of the chocolate fudge frosting into the bag, which you’ll use for piping.
- You’ll want to use an angled cake spatula to spread the remaining chocolate frosting around the sides of the cake.
- Finally, you’ll pipe stars of the reserved frosting around the edge of the top of cake. Have about a 1/2 cup of pecans handy here, so you can use them to decorate the piped stars.
More Chocolate Cake Recipes:
- Super Decadent Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting
- Death by Chocolate Cake
- Red Wine Chocolate Cake
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake
Triple Layer German Chocolate Cake
This Triple Layer German Chocolate Cake is a total showstopper! Featuring super moist cake layers stuffed with coconut pecan frosting and slathered in chocolate frosting... this recipe redefines decadence.
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake:
- 1 and 1/2 cups (298 g) granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/2 cups (319 g) light brown sugar packed
- 2 and 1/2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 and 3/4 cups (149 g) unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 cups (340 ml) Thai-style coconut milk well combined
- 1/3 cup (76 g) full-fat sour cream room temperature
- 3/4 cup (170 ml) unrefined coconut oil melted and slightly cooled
- 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups (340 ml) freshly made hot coffee
- 2 ounces (57 g) German's sweet chocolate finely chopped
For the Coconut Pecan Filling:
- 1 and 1/2 cups (340 ml) evaporated milk well shaken
- 1 and 1/2 cups (319 g) light brown sugar packed
- 6 large egg yolks room temperature
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter cut into tablespoons
- 2 and 1/2 cups (215 g) sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 and 1/2 cups (171 g) pecans toasted and roughly chopped
For the Chocolate Frosting:
- 6 ounces (171 g) German's sweet chocolate roughly chopped
- 4 ounces (113 g) unsweetened chocolate roughly chopped
- 1 and 1/2 cups (340 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 and 3/4 cups (426 g) confectioners' sugar sifted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- pecans for decorating
Instructions
For the Chocolate Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°(F). Cut out three 9-inch round segments of parchment paper to line your cake pans with. Spray each pan generously - sides and bottom - with nonstick baking spray, then place the parchment paper cut out in the bottom of the pans and spray again. It's important to make sure every bit of pan and paper are sprayed so your cakes don't get stuck. Set pans aside.
- In a large bowl, combine both sugars, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt; mix until ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- In a separate large bowl combine the eggs, egg yolks, milk, sour cream, oil and vanilla extract; mix until completely combined. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold together with a rubber spatula until just combined.
- In a large spouted measuring cup, combine the hot coffee and German chocolate. Whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Pour the hot water mixture into the batter and mix until completely combined; about 1 minute. The batter will be quite thin.
- Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 28 to 30 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool cakes for 10 minutes in the pan before removing from pans and transferring to a cooling rack. Cool cakes completely before frosting.
For the Coconut Pecan Filling:
- In a medium saucepan, combine the evaporated milk, brown sugar, egg yolks, and butter.
- Cook over medium-heat, stirring constantly, for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until mixture is bubbling and very thick. Reduce to heat and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Remove the pan from heat and stir in the coconut and pecans. Cool completely before use.
For the Chocolate Frosting:
- Place both chocolates in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave, on low power, in 30 second increments, stirring between each increment, until the chocolate is completely smooth and melted. You may also do this in a double-boiler. Set aside and cool until tepid.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter until completely smooth.
- On low speed, add in the confectioners' sugar, a little bit at a time, beating until each addition has been completely incorporated into the butter before adding more. Once all of the sugar has been added, increase speed to medium-high and beat for 3 minutes.
- Decrease the speed back to low and beat in the vanilla extract. Then slowly pour in the cooled melted chocolate and continue mixing until well combined, tuning the mixer off and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Once all of the chocolate has been added, increase the speed back to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes. Set aside for 30 minutes to firm up, or up to 3 hours. Do not refrigerate (the chocolate will seize and render the frosting impossible to spread).
Assembly:
- Using a long serrated knife, slice off the domed top on each cake layer, so that the cakes are flat.
- Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate. Spread 1/3 of the coconut pecan filling on top, spreading it into a thin layer. Top with the second cake layer. Top with another 1/3 of the coconut pecan filling, spreading it into a thin layer. Top with the final layer, repeating with the final 1/3 of coconut pecan filling.
- Fit a large piping bag with an open star tip. Scrape 1 cup of the chocolate fudge frosting into the bag.
- Spread the remaining frosting around the sides of the cake. Pipe stars of the fudge frosting around the edge of the cake. Top each piped star with a toasted pecan.
Tried it and loved it?Snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram @Bakerbynature and by using the hashtag #BakerByNature
Amazing cake!! Everyone raved!! It is a BIG cake…and extremely moist and delicious!! Thanks for a great recipe!
I love your recipes! I always print the ones I want to keep. Your instructions such as, room temperature, sifted, finely chopped etc. seem to be in a different type and do not show up when I print so I have to go back and check every recipe to add what did not print. Is it possible to change that so that all instructions print out? That would be so helpful. Thanks for your consideration of this request.
What is the topping on the decorated cake in the middle of the swirls with pecans
The filling seems to be quite sweet… can I reduce the light brown sugar
This cake is incredibly delicious. It’s a bit more work than I’m used to putting into a dessert but I’m making it for my Dad’s 60th birthday. I tested it out about a week ago and made a “mini” version and wow was it incredible! Totally worth it.
Awww I’m so happy it was worth the hard work! And happy belated birthday to your dad 🙂
I am confused about step 4. You say previously to use hot coffee or hot water. Then in step 4 you say to pour the hot coffee, after that is mixed to then pour in the hot water. I thought it was one of the other?
You pour the hot coffee and chocolate mix into the batter, that’s what they mean. It’s not additional water
Made this for my friends and they LOVED it! It’s decadent and delicious.
What an awesome friend you are! I’m so happy this was a hit 🙂
Made this for my dad’s birthday and it was a hit. Thanks!
So happy to heat that, Allison! Happy birthday to your dad!
Wow over 3lb sugar in one cake. That seems an awfully huge amount!
Does it need that much or could it be drastically reduced?
Hi Penny. It’s a HUGE cake, and only requires a small slice to be satisfied, so while it’s a large amount overall, it’s divided up among the three layers and multiple components. I don’t recommend reducing, as this is the way I tested and perfected the recipe. Reducing it will change both taste and texture. But should you decided to reduce it, let us know how it goes!