Traditional German Chocolate Cake
This Traditional German Chocolate Cake recipe is made with a rich and moist chocolate cake layered with a homemade coconut pecan frosting that is buttery, gooey, and bursting with amazing texture from the coconut and pecans. This cake has been officially dubbed a “family favorite.”
If you are looking for a smaller cake, then I’d recommend my 6-Inch German Chocolate Cake rather than adapted this recipe to fit smaller pans. If you are looking for an even smaller option, then German Chocolate cupcakes are for you!
![A four layer A traditional German Chocolate Cake recipe with a slice cut from the main cake.](https://saltandbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/German-Chocolate-Cake-15.jpg)
Why This Recipe Works
- Made with homemade German chocolate cake frosting. The classic German chocolate cake recipe is served with a frosting made with toasted pecans and sweetened coconut. They are the stars of the show in this highly addictive frosting.
- Incredibly moist chocolate cake layers. This German Chocolate cake recipe is made with ultra moist cake layers. Creaming the butter and sugars + using sour cream are key elements to getting a deliciously moist texture.
- Deep chocolate flavor. We use Dutch process cocoa powder and a semi-sweet chocolate bar to receive an ultra rich chocolate cake flavor for the best German chocolate cake ever!
Ingredient Notes
![Traditional Traditional German Chocolate Cake ingredients portioned into glass bowls on a silver baking sheet.](https://saltandbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/German-Chocolate-Cake-ingredients.jpg)
- Chocolate: Use good chocolate! You’ll be able taste a difference. I would use bar chocolate over chocolate chips. You can use Baker’s German Chocolate if you’d prefer. I used semi-sweet.
- Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder: Yes, it has to be dutch process!For more information on the different types of cocoa powders, when to use them and why, read my post on the Best Cocoa Powder for Baking
- Boiling Water: The hot water will not only help to melt the chocolate, but it will bloom it as well. Blooming cocoa powder will enhance and deepen the flavor.
- Flour: Use regular, all-purpose flour.
- Unsalted Butter: The butter will provide a delicious buttery flavor while also providing the necessary fat for the cake.
- Sugars: Using a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar will give us a moister texture.
- Eggs: The eggs will beat up nice and light to provide a rich and light texture.
- Sour Cream: Adding full fat sour cream will make this an extra moist German chocolate cake recipe!
- 1 Batch Homemade Coconut Pecan Frosting: I highly recommend making my homemade coconut pecan frosting recipe! It’s a million times better than the store-bought frosting. Trust me.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the cake pans. Move your oven rack to the center position. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with nonstick cookie spray (that contains flour). Line the bottoms with a circular piece of parchment paper. Then spray the parchment paper. Set aside.
- Combine part of the dry ingredients. To a small bowl add 2 cups flour, 3/4 tsp baking soda, and 3/4 tsp salt. Whisk to combine.
- Bloom the chocolate. In another small bowl, add 1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder and 4 oz chopped chocolate. Boil water then measure 1/2 cup and pour into the chocolate bowl. Cover the bowl and let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth then let cool to room temperature.
- Cream the wet ingredients. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment add 12 T unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, and 3/4 cup brown sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl so everything is combined.
![Top left photo is glass bowl with hot water, chopped chocolate and cocoa. Top right photo is a whisk stirring a melted chocolate mixture. Bottom left photo is creamed sugar and butter with an egg. Bottom right photo is a light yellow mixture in glass bowl.](https://saltandbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/german-chocolate-cake-recipe-1.jpg)
- Add the chocolate mixture. Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is combined.
- Alternate flour mixture and sour cream. Starting and ending with the flour mixture, alternate adding it and the sour cream to the bowl (flour, sour cream, flour, sour cream, flour) while mixing on low. Mix until just combined.
- Bake. Divide the cake batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Remove the cake pans from the oven and let the cake cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
![Top left image is yellow mixture in a glass bowl with melted chocolate overtop. Top right image is a brown wet ingredients to make Traditional German Chocolate Cake in a glass bowl. Bottom left image is Traditional German Chocolate Cake batter in a glass bowl. Bottom right image is Traditional German Chocolate Cake batter in a circle pan.](https://saltandbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/how-to-make-german-chocolate-cake-2.jpg)
- Make the coconut pecan frosting. While the cakes are baking, make the frosting! Follow along in my coconut pecan frosting recipe for instructions.
- Frost the cake. Slice each cake in half horizontally so you have 4 cakes. Generously slather the frosting between all the German chocolate cake layers. Add the coconut frosting to the top of the cake too. Keep the sides of the cake bare or frost with my Chocolate Buttercream Frosting if desired. Slice and serve. Enjoy!
![Top left image is of two baked Traditional German Chocolate Cakes in a cake pan. Top right image is coconut pecan frosting on top of a chocolate cake round. Bottom image is four layer traditional Traditional German Chocolate Cake on a brown cake plate.](https://saltandbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/german-chocolate-cake-recipe-3.jpg)
Recipe Tips
The difference between semi-sweet and German chocolate is their sweetness. German chocolate is a sweet baking chocolate with a milder flavor than semi-sweet chocolate. I opted for semi-sweet chocolate out of preference.
For the boiling water, fill a small saucepan with water, bring to a boil and then measure the 1/2 cup of boiling water.
By creaming the butter and sugar together, the sugar is aerating the butter – these air bubbles expand when in the oven and contribute to leavening the cake (helping it rise).
Be sure to use room temperature eggs and room temperature sour cream.
If you want to add a chocolate frosting to the German Chocolate layer cake, I recommend my Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. It’s the same frosting I use on my German chocolate cupcakes.
If you still want a naked cake looks, you can layer a small layer of the chocolate buttercream, then add the coconut pecan frosting, and still keep the edges bare.
If I had it my way, there would be equal frosting to cake ratios on this cake. Unfortunately, that may have been a tad overboard for most of you! I just love the frosting so much!
Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing
Store the German Chocolate cake in the fridge (because of the frosting) in an airtight container or covered for 2-3 days. After that, I would recommend slicing the cake and freezing any leftovers.
To freeze cake slices, wrap in two layers plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 2 months. Remove and let thaw in the fridge overnight.
To freeze the whole German chocolate cake with the frosting, flash freeze until the frosting has set. Then wrap the entire cake in two layers of plastic wrap. Then, if freezing for longer than 7 days, add an extra layer of aluminum foil.
Freeze for up to 2 months. Remove and let thaw in the fridge overnight. Remove the wrappings and store covered at room temperature until the traditional German Chocolate cake reaches room temperature. Then slice and serve.
For information on storing and freezing cakes, check out my How to Store and Freeze Cakes guide!
![A slice of a four layer Traditional German Chocolate Cake balancing on a spatula.](https://saltandbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/German-Chocolate-Cake-16.jpg)
Recipe FAQs
German Chocolate cake is cake made with melted chocolate. It comes from the name Samuel German who developed a baking chocolate for Baker’s chocolate company.
The traditional frosting for German Chocolate cake is a gooey, caramel-like frosting packed with toasted coconut flakes and pecan pieces.
If you want to make a smaller German chocolate cake, I would follow my Small German Chocolate Cake Recipe which uses 6-inch cake pans.
If you’ve already frosted the cake, then you’ll need to store it in the fridge. If the cake is unfrosted, you can store it (covered) at room temperature.
![A slice of Traditional German Chocolate Cake made with sour cream, on a gray plate with a fork cutting into the cake.](https://saltandbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/German-Chocolate-Cake-17.jpg)
More Chocolate Recipes
- German Chocolate Brownies
- Texas Sheet Cake with Buttermilk
- Chocolate Buttermilk Bundt Cake
- Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Traditional German Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake Layers
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate - finely chopped
- 1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter - softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar - packed
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup sour cream
Coconut Pecan Frosting
- 2 cups heavy cream - or evaporated milk
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups pecans - toasted and finely chopped
- 4 cups sweetened shredded coconut - toasted
Instructions
Chocolate Cake
- Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 2- 9 inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, and then grease and flour the parchment paper and sides of the pans. Set aside.
- In a small bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a second small bowl combine the cocoa powder and chopped chocolate. Add the boiling water to the bowl, cover the bowl and let sit for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, whisk the chocolate mixture until smooth. Let the chocolate mixture cool to room temperature.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add the vanilla and beat on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the chocolate mixture, and beat again (about 30-45 seconds). Scraping down the sides of the bowl so that everything is evenly combined.
- With the mixer on low alternate adding the flour mixture and sour cream, starting and ending with the flour. (Flour, sour cream, flour, sour cream, flour).
- Divide the batter evenly amongst the two pans.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. While the cakes are baking, make the coconut pecan frosting (instructions below underneath "coconut pecan frosting."
- Remove cake pans from the oven and place on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- Remove the cakes from the pans (discard the parchment) and let cool completely on wire rack.
- Once cake is cool, slice the two cakes horizontally to create 4 layers.
- Place a cake layer on a cake stand, add about 1 1/2 cups of the frosting to the top of the cake layer and spread to the edge of the cake. Add another cake layer to the top of the frosting, and continue adding 1 cup of the frosting until you’ve used all of the cake layers and the frosting is gone. Keep the sides of the cake bare. Slice, and enjoy!
Coconut Pecan Frosting Directions
- In a medium saucepan whisk the heavy cream, sugar, egg yolks, and salt. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally.
- Bring to a low simmer and cook until slightly thickened.
- Remove from the heat and add the butter, vanilla, toasted coconut and pecans. Mix to combine. Set aside to cool to room temperature. The frosting will thicken even more as it cools.
80 Comments on “Traditional German Chocolate Cake”
Hi! Can I make the coconut pecan frosting a day in advance?? Like make it and either store at room temperature or refrigerate until I use it the next day?
Micaela, you can definitely make the frosting in advance! Store it in the fridge and let it come to room temperature so it becomes spreadable.
Thank you!!
I made this for my husband’s birthday. Holy smokes. i don’t even like cake but this was really good. I only had a bundt pan so i had to cook it a iittle longere. but so so so good! His comment was, “Keep that recipe!” It wasn’t hard to do at all. A+! Thanks!
Deidre, so happy you and your husband loved this cake! Especially as a non-cake lover 😉 thanks for coming back and leaving a review!
This is absolutely the best German chocolate cake, ever. It’s time-consuming, and expensive to make but well worth every penny👍
So glad you made this recipe and loved it, Rhonda!
Thanks for clearing that confusion! I’m making the cake today. Here’s hoping!
I haven’t made this recipe yet, it sounds amazing. I had trouble finding the actual recipe, that was frustrating. The coconut frosting recipe at the end of the cake recipe card says I need 2 C of heavy cream, the recipe card at the end of the frosting recipe says 1 C. I’m using 1 C, hoping it’s right. My son requested this for his birthday, I’m hoping it’s as good as it sounds.
Hi Denise, the recipe card attached to the cake is DOUBLE the amount of frosting in the frosting recipe card. That’s why it’s 2 cup versus 1 cup. You’ll notice all of the other frosting ingredients are doubled as well. Sorry that was confusing!
Let me start by saying my family LOVES German chocolate cake and over the years we have all had many. I made this cake for my dad’s 87th birthday after looking at many recipes and reviews. I chose this one because of the sour cream which is a great addition to cakes to be moist and flavorful. I also used Belgian semi-sweet chocolate.
Not only was it a hit but now it has been requested to be made for him again next year AND for my sisters birthday next month!
My brother said it was as if I purchased it from a high end bougie bakery! And my brother in law who once owned a high end French restaurant also had rave reviews.
I will be making this over and over again!!!! Love 💯❤️
Wow, thank you and your family for the stellar reviews! I’m so happy this was a hit and will become a tradition <3
Turned out totally delicious! Recipe was easy to follow! Thanks for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed the recipe Deb!
This recipe by FAR is the best I’ve ever had. WOW! It was absolutely delicious!! My husband, who hates coconut, said I could make this anytime! He loved it! Thank you for this recipe! ❤️
So happy to hear you and your husband loved this cake. Thanks for your review Lori!
Lovely 😍
Glad you loved it, Susan! Thanks for your rating and review!
You never specified how many eggs or how much sour cream to use. Found following your recipe not easy. I ended up using 4 eggs and 1/2 cup sour cream and cake was fine.
Hi Kare, all of the recipe measurements are in the recipe card. The recipe does call for four eggs! Sorry for the confusion. I’m glad the cake turned out okay.
I realize this is probably a silly question but are the calories shown for 1/12th the cake (a slice) or something different? Thanks!
Not at all silly! The calculated calories are for 1/12th of the cake.
Can this be made in a bundt cake tin? ALso, do you have suggestions for making it at 8000 feet altitude?
Robin, this would be too much for a bundt pan – the recipe makes about 16 cups of batter, whereas bundt pans can fit 9-12 cups of batter depending on the size. However, you could try using the 6-inch German Chocolate Cake recipe instead, which makes about 8 cups of batter: https://saltandbaker.com/small-german-chocolate-cake-recipe/.
As for cooking at a higher altitude, there are many things you can do. Liquids typically evaporate faster, so you might want to increase the buttermilk by 3-4 tablespoons, and add another egg to help with cake structure. Please note we have NOT tested this. You will also need to adjust bake time for the bundt pan – start checking for doneness around 20 minutes.
If you do end up testing this recipe out at your elevation and with these adjustments, please share how it went! Good luck!
I thought it had evaporated milk?
Connie, there is an option to use evaporated milk instead of heavy cream for the Coconut Pecan Frosting. The cake itself does not contain evaporated milk.
If you’re thinking about making this cake, let me save you the trouble and tell you that you need to! I made this for my father’s birthday this past week and it is one of the most delicious things I have baked in a long time. I loved the frosting to cake ratio you end up with since the cake layers are smaller. I read another comment about struggling to cut the layers — if you have enough time, it helps to wrap in plastic wrap and freeze the cakes overnight before cutting the layers. This is sure to be a repeat recipe for years to come.
Wow, Ellie, thank you for your amazing review. I’m glad it was a hit at your father’s birthday. And thanks for sharing that great tip! I’m happy you’ll be enjoying this cake for years to come. 🙂
This was a great tasting recipe. My only complaint is that the 4 layers were way to skinny after cutting in half. My top layer broke and the icing being heavy made it quite an ugly cake. Lol. Also I made the icing but then in your directions for putting it together you have to add pecans. Step 12. But I already added pecans based on just the icing recipe.
Kellie, I appreciate your feedback on the recipe. I see how that is confusing! Sorry you had so much trouble with your layers as well. Cutting the cake in half can be tricky. As for the frosting – well, German Chocolate Cake won’t ever win a beauty contest I’m afraid, but it sure is delicious. I’m glad the cake tasted great!
This was delicious! I loved making it and it taste very good, not too sweet, and a perfect recipe for a German chocolate cake.
Happy you loved the recipe, Denae!
Can thus recipe be made in a 13″x9″ pan instead of the (2) 9″ pans? If so, how long should it be baked for?
That should work out. I’m not sure the time, so I would just keep an eye on it.
I made the Toasted Coconut Pecan Frosting, it was yummy. I had a cake already made and saw your frosting and had to make it. I didn’t have cream but I had half and half, my family doesn’t like real sweet items so I cut some of the sugar out. They all loved it, next time I will make the cake. Thank you so very much
So happy to hear that, Valeria! Thanks for sharing some of your adjustments. Glad it worked out!
It smells yummy right now. I’m wondering if I can freeze the extra frosting? 🤔
Yes the extra frosting will freeze fine.
Just made for my dads birthday and it’s delicious!
Are the nutrition facts per serving based on 12 slices?
Yes, that’s correct!