German Chocolate Cake Recipe

German Chocolate Cake RecipePhoto by: Taste of Home German Chocolate Cake Recipe Rating 5

Many folks in our area of Ohio are of German descent, so this recipe is especially appropriate for our region. This cake is my husband's favorite!

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German Chocolate Cake Recipe
  • Prep: 30 min. Bake: 30 min. + cooling
  • Yield: 10-12 Servings
30 30 60

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces German sweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs, separated
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2-1/2 cups cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • FROSTING:
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup evaporated milk
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 3 egg yolks, beaten
  • 1-1/3 cups flaked coconut
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ICING:
  • 1/2 teaspoon shortening
  • 1 ounce semisweet chocolate

Directions

  • Line three greased 9-in. round baking pans with waxed paper. Grease waxed paper and set aside. In small saucepan, melt chocolate with water over low heat; cool.
  • In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 4 egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in melted chocolate and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
  • In a small bowl and with clean beaters, beat the 4 egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold a fourth of the egg whites into the creamed mixture; fold in remaining whites.
  • Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 24-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
  • For frosting, in a small saucepan, heat the sugar, milk, butter and egg yolks over medium-low heat until mixture is thickened and golden brown, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Stir in the coconut, pecans and vanilla extract. Cool until thick enough to spread. Spread a third of the frosting over each cake layer and stack the layers.
  • In a microwave, melt chocolate and shortening; stir until smooth; drizzle down sides of cake. Yield: 12 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: 1 slice equals 751 calories, 42 g fat (22 g saturated fat), 193 mg cholesterol, 527 mg sodium, 89 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 9 g protein.

Originally published as German Chocolate Cake in Country December/January 1991, p47

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Reviews for German Chocolate Cake (14)

German Chocolate Cake Recipe

German Chocolate Cake

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Reviewed on Feb. 04, 2012 by demccoy

Just made this cake for my son's birthday and it is oh, so good! The only thing I changed was that I did not make 3 layers but 2 instead I used 10" cake pans. I will definitely make this cake again and will NEVER use boxed mix or canned frosting for a German Chocolate cake again! Thanks for the recipe.


Reviewed on Jan. 15, 2012 by lizeck

The best German Chocolate Cake I've ever eaten. Super moist, even days after I made it! Will Make this again and again!


Reviewed on Dec. 26, 2011 by Floridaysgirl

The best cake ever! Very rich, but oh, so good!


Reviewed on Dec. 03, 2011 by Chef_Slim

Absolutely delightful


Reviewed on Oct. 15, 2011 by MsTigger

made this for my husbands grooms cake and there was non left with 60+ people at the wedding.


Reviewed on Sep. 16, 2011 by cassandrazyss

This is the best German chocolate cake ever! It was a first time for me making this type of cake. I made it for my boss' birthday, and she is still talking about it the next day. She is over the moon for this cake.


Reviewed on Jun. 08, 2011 by charlotte34

Well, I forgot to rate it. DUH!! I remember also, that we did not cool the frosting, while the cake was cooling, we made the frosting. When the frosting was ready to take off the stove, then we put half on top of each layer, and broiled it. Since I have gotten old enough that it is difficult for me to do quite as much, I have been using the cake mix and the coconut pecan frosting you buy. You can use the mix, and you CAn put the canned frosing on top and broil it .

The added touch she put on with the chocolate drizzled down the sides, I think makes it pretty, and with the sides not frosted, it is not the prettiest of cakes. The chocolate drizzled down the sides makes it look SOO pretty.


Reviewed on Jun. 08, 2011 by charlotte34

I have been making this cake since it first came out in the middle 50s. It is NOT a GERMAN cake. The correct name for this cake is, "German's Chocolate Cake". You make it with GERMAN'S baking chocolate.

The reason for the name is because it is made with German's sweet chocolate, the recipe was developed by the company and put on the wrapper of the chocolate. I believe it is still there. When it first came out, the way we frosted it was make the cake and the frosting, and cool them, then you put half the frosting on top of each layer, and popped it in the broiler for a few minutes till the frosting bubbled slightly. Then you put the two layers together.

Try it with the frosting broiled. It adds so much to the cake.


Reviewed on Apr. 03, 2011 by tnbshepperd

just made this cake today, and while I don't like coconut, - my Father In Law's b-day was today, and he LOVED it! i made extra frosting to cover the sides, but other than that, i followed the recipe exactly. Great recipe!


Reviewed on Mar. 23, 2011 by cherishhisgrace

The best German Chocolate Cake recipe I've ever made. Since we love chocolate, I also used a container of Milk Chocolate frosting around the sides of the cake. This one is a keeper!

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