This German Chocolate Cake Recipe is a total showstopper! Featuring three moist chocolate cake layers, coconut pecan frosting inside the cake, and rich chocolate frosting on the sides of the cake. This is the perfect celebration chocolate cake recipe for special occasions! 

We Love German this Chocolate Cake Recipe

It’s no secret that I love German’s chocolate desserts! German Chocolate brownies… German chocolate cheesecake… and German Chocolate pie all have a home in my heart, and on this website. Now it’s time to share my favorite German Chocolate Cake recipe. It has super moist chocolate cake layers and the best coconut pecan frosting… and looks wise it’s a total stunner!

This German chocolate cake 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 is German Chocolate Cake?

• German chocolate cake is NOT a German dessert! Read more about this in my “where was German chocolate cake invented?” section below. 
• German chocolate cake traditionally uses German’s sweet chocolate, creating a mild and sweet chocolate flavor profile. This cake is an ode to the traditional recipe, but has my own unique spin on it. 
• My version of has coconut pecan frosting inside and on top of the cake. This makes it a sweet cake! If you have a sweet tooth, you’ll love this cake. 
• This cake also features German chocolate frosting on the sides of the cake. Leave it plain or press chopped pecans around the side of the cake.
• For an extra fancy cake, pipe some of the frosting around the top of the cake, then press whole pecans on top. I do this if I’m making the cake for a special celebration like Father’s Day or my husbands birthday. 

Where was German Chocolate Cake Invented?

• Spoiler alert: German chocolate cake was NOT invented in Germany! That’s right. German chocolate cake isn’t a German dessert. 
• German chocolate dates back to the 1850s. A baker named Samuel German created this sweet baking chocolate. They named the chocolate in his honor. 
• Close to a century later, German Chocolate cake was created! In 1957, a Dallas resident, named Mrs. George Clay, submitted her recipe to a newspaper, and the rest they say, is history. The newspaper published her recipe and it’s been growing in popularity ever since! 

German Chocolate Cake Recipe Ingredients 

• Sugar: You’ll need granulated sugar and light brown sugar. This recipe contain a lot of sugar, but makes a huge cake!
• Flour: All-purpose is the only flour I recommend. 1 for 1 GF flour sub may work, but experiment at your own risk. 
• Cocoa Powder: Unsweetened natural cocoa works best for this recipe. I don’t suggest using Dutch-process cocoa powder. Sift the cocoa powder before use! 
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Our leaving agents. You need both for the perfect balance!
• Salt: Balances flavors and sweetness; don’t worry, it won’t make your cake taste salty.
• Eggs: This recipe uses whole eggs and egg yolks. Make sure eggs and yolks are at room temperature before baking.
• Coconut Milk: Use the thick Thai-style coconut milk found in a can. Whisk it well before use.
• Sour Cream: Use full-fat and bring to room temperature. If you can’t find sour cream, full-fat plain Greek yogurt is a good substitute. 
• Coconut Oil: Using unrefined coconut oil adds a delightful coconut flavor to the chocolate cake. 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: Hot coffee adds great flavor, but 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 coconut variety! If you use 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 chopped pecans to make the frosting, and decorate the cake.
• Chocolate: German’s sweet chocolate and unsweetened chocolate give our frosting rich chocolate flavor, without making it overwhelmingly sweet. Make sure you cool the melted chocolate until it’s tepid!
• Butter: Unsalted butter works best, but salted will work in a pinch. Soften it to room temperature before using! But don’t use melted butter.
• 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.

How to Make German Chocolate Cake

• Oven Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 at least 30 minutes before you plan on baking. 
• Prep Cake Pans: Use parchment paper rounds to line your cake pans! Be sure to spray each pan generously with nonstick baking spray.
• Combine Dry Ingredients: Combine the sugars, all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking power, baking soda, and salt. Use an extra large bowl here! 
• Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate large bowl whisk the eggs, egg yolks, milk, sour cream, oil and vanilla extract. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients. Add coffee and chocolate and mix unti combined. 
• Bake Cake Layers: They’ll take about 26 to 30 minutes, depending on your oven. Pull the cake pans when a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake layer comes out clean.
• Cool Cake Layers: Cool in the cake pans for 10 minutes. Then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Don’t attempt to trim the cake layers or frost until the cakes have cooled completely. 

Coconut Pecan Filling and Chocolate Frosting

• Make the filling first. It needs to cool completely, which takes about an hour. 
• You need to stir the coconut pecan frosting constantly! This takes patience and elbow grease, but is 100% worth it. 
• To make the filling, combine the brown sugar, butter, egg yolks, and evaporated milk. Cook until the mixture thickens, then remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, coconut and pecans. COOL COMPLETELY BEFORE USE! 
• I suggest making the frosting while the cake layers cool. But you can make it three hours before use. Do not refrigerate the filling or frosting. 
• You’ll need a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, so have one on hand. 
• If you can’t find German chocolate for the frosting, use semi-sweet chocolate instead.

Assemble the Cake Layers

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. You’ll want to use an angled cake spatula to spread the remaining chocolate frosting around the sides of the cake.
5. 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.