German Chocolate Cake (Printable Version)

Moist chocolate cake combined with creamy coconut-pecan frosting for a classic indulgence.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 g)
02 - 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar (350 g)
03 - ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (65 g)
04 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
05 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
06 - 1 teaspoon salt
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature (240 ml)
09 - ½ cup vegetable oil (120 ml)
10 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
11 - 1 cup boiling water (240 ml)

→ Coconut-Pecan Frosting

12 - 1 cup evaporated milk (240 ml)
13 - 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
14 - 3 large egg yolks
15 - ½ cup unsalted butter, cubed (115 g)
16 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
17 - 1 ⅓ cups sweetened shredded coconut (110 g)
18 - 1 cup chopped pecans (110 g)

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.
02 - Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
03 - Add eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract to dry ingredients. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
04 - Stir in boiling water until batter becomes thin and smooth.
05 - Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans.
06 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
08 - In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, and butter until combined.
09 - Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, approximately 12 minutes.
10 - Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract, shredded coconut, and chopped pecans. Let cool until spreadable, about 30 minutes.
11 - Place one cake layer on serving plate and spread one-third of the frosting evenly. Repeat with remaining layers and frosting, finishing with frosting on top. Optionally frost the sides.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The cake stays impossibly moist thanks to that trick with boiling water stirred right into the batter.
  • That frosting tastes like you spent hours on it, but it comes together in about 15 minutes of actual cooking.
  • You get to bake three layers and actually feel like a real baker when you stack them.
02 -
  • Room temperature eggs and milk aren't just a suggestion—cold ingredients won't blend properly and you'll end up with a grainy batter.
  • That thin batter before baking looks wrong, but it's exactly right. Don't add more flour thinking you're fixing something.
  • The frosting needs to cool to the right temperature or it'll slide right off the warm cake. Those 30 minutes of patience matter more than you'd expect.
03 -
  • Toast your pecans yourself if you have 10 minutes—it deepens their flavor in a way that makes people ask for your recipe immediately.
  • If you only have one or two cake pans, you can bake the layers in batches. Just keep the batter covered while you wait, and add a minute or two to the baking time for the second batch.
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