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!
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
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!
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.
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.
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86 Comments on “Traditional German Chocolate Cake”
Hi. I’m getting ready to make this cake, but am confused about the type of chocolate. In the photo, you show 60% bittersweet Ghrirardelli and the recipe states semi-sweet (64%). Which should I use? (I couldn’t find the German Chocolate I used many years ago) Thank you!
Anything around that type is fine. Doesn’t need to be precise!
I made it just as the recipe called for but my 9” rounds look like the ones in the completed cake pic that have already been cut in half. There is no way I can cut these without them falling apart. I am wondering if I should make another batch.
Hi Mary! I wonder if you forgot an ingredient. That would be cause for them to not rise as well. Try another batch and see how it goes! Also, if the two cakes you made turned out OK, you can always make another batch and NOT cut them in half.
Thanks, I decided to stay with those and was going to frost them the next day. I wrapped them in Saran Wrap and refrigerated them, however, when I removed them from fridge they seemed heavy and dense. I will just buy a cake today but won’t throw these away. I cut them in pieces and will freeze them. They actually taste like brownies so all is not lost😋. Will be a great snack if I get a sweet tooth. I definitely want to try making this again. Will make sure my soda is fresh and won’t mix batter as much. Thanks for your quick reply!
Excellent!
Great recipe. Although, I substituted the boiling water for freshly brewed strong coffee.
A common substitute many readers love! Thanks for sharing, Danielle!
Hello and thank you for this yummy sounding recipe. A GC cake has to be my favorite. I’d like to make the cupcakes for my birthday. Are they based on this recipe? It sounds so delicious!
I have German Chocolate cupcakes here: https://saltandbaker.com/best-ever-german-chocolate-cupcakes/
The recipe is a bit different. (Same coconut pecan frosting). It’s so so yummy!!!!!
This might quite possibly be the best cake I’ve ever eaten. I did replace the boiling water with coffee, but otherwise I followed the recipe completely. I bake often for people in my community who are sick or for deaths. This might be my new go-to. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
So excited to hear that, Dana! Thanks for the amazing comment.
Dutch chocolate or regular cocoa powder is not traditionally used to make a German chocolate cake.
Sweet German chocolate which is 44% cacao is used for traditional German chocolate cake ; the Pecan coconut frosting is traditionally used however;
This cake is probably delicious as stated, but it should be renamed.
Maybe “The other German chocolate cake.”
Chill out Margaret.
It says to cool frosting at room temperature, but then says to take it out of the fridge to frost cake. I’m confused
That’s just if you aren’t frosting the cake right away. The frosting needs to be stored in the fridge. You just need the frosting to be cool enough that it won’t fall off or seep off the cake. Let it cool to room temperature first before putting it in the fridge. If the temperature of the frosting goes from hot to fridge, you could have consistency issues. Does that help?
I am German and have never seen this cake. specifically, we don’t really use frosting in our cakes (or rarely), that’s mostly an american thing. Pecan’s are not a typical ingredient in German cuisine (also American). Also “german baking chocolate” is not sweet, but has hardly any sugar in it. As a general rule, German cakes are not nearly as sugary and sweet as american ones.
So true! It’s not named German because of the origins. Samuel German invented the cake. This is definitely a traditional, sweet American cake recipe.
Made this for a birthday upon request. Not only was it stunningly beautiful but it was unbelievably delicious.
I used to make German chocolate cake for my in-laws as it was their favourite treat when they visited but it’s been many years since I made it. I always used to put the coconut frosting on the sides of the cake and it was a pain in the butt. Leaving the sides naked was brilliant and I think the cake is prettier that way. I wish I’d thought of it!
Thank you so much for the recipe. It was a hit.!!❤️❤️
Glad you loved it, Nancy! Thanks for the great review!
This recipe helped me achieve the beautiful, multi-tiered German(‘s) Chocolate Cake that I’ve been looking for. It was a beautiful centerpiece and scrumptious dessert for my husband’s birthday gathering! I apologize, but I did use regular cocoa, as I shopped in my small town where there was none, so went on to our son’s, hoping to find some along the way, but ended up having to use what they had on hand. It worked, but I will be keeping an eye out for the Dutch-processed. I also used C&H dark brown sugar, as for some reason, that’s my preference. I’m glad that someone else mentioned the instructions to take the frosting out of the refrigerator, as that was confusing to me, also.
If anyone else is concerned that the recipe only calls for 2 cups of flour, I can assure you that the ingredients & proportions for the cake, were ample amounts for a generous, 9” layered cake.
The frosting was delicious, but due to some confusion over ingredient amounts, I ended up making the chocolate buttercream, also, using it for alternate layers, with an over-the-too result!
Hi Elizabeth! I’m so happy you enjoyed the cake. I hope you find some dutch-process cocoa powder. It can be hard to find in stores. You can buy it online as well if you’d like. Thanks for the 5-star rating!
Which tastes better in the frosting? The heavy cream or evaporated milk? I want cake to taste perfect. I only make it once a year.
Either works! I’ve made it with heavy cream before and with evaporated milk before, and there really isn’t a big difference. Hope that helps!
My husband and mother-in-law both said this was the best cake they ever ate! And I have to say, it was a really fun cake to bake as well!
So happy it was a hit, Kristina! Thanks for the 5-star review!
This was excellent! It got rave reviews from everyone at my dad’s birthday party! Delicious cake and a perfect not-too-sweet frosting.
I had a strangely hard time finding Dutch process cocoa powder but ended up with Hersheys “Special Dark” which is hard to see on the label but it is Dutched Cocoa.
One recipe clarification note: step 12 says to remove the frosting from the fridge but in the separate directions for the frosting it only says to cool it to room temp. I definitely would not refrigerate this frosting (unless made far in advance) as it needs to be room temp to smoothly and easily frost the cake.
Thanks for the comment Rebecca! Yes, you’re right the frosting needs to be at room temperature in order to spread it.
Glad you enjoyed the cake!!
I made this recipe for my husband’s birthday and it turned out amazing! So moist and incredibly delicious. I’m gonna be saving this to make again!
Thanks for the star rating and review! I’m so glad you loved the cake, Hillary!
This is a great recipe and it turned out wonderfully !!!
I’m so glad you liked it, Bill! Thanks for leaving a 5-star rating!
Could you give us High altitude changes?
Thank you
This cake was actually baked at high altitude (Salt Lake City, Utah to be exact).
Can I substitute regular cocoa powder in place of Dutch chocolate?
No, you should use Dutch process cocoa.
The best German Chocolate cake! A definite recipe go-to.
Thanks Cami! It’s so good, huh!
This chocolate cake looks so delicious and perfect for special occasions! Can’t wait to try this recipe soon!
Thanks Natalie. My uncle actually loves German Chocolate cake too, he makes a huge cake every year for his birthday, and I’m carrying on the tradition 🙂