Description
Indulge in the rich and decadent flavors of a Classic German Chocolate Cake. Layers of moist chocolate cake filled and frosted with a luscious coconut-pecan filling, topped with a smooth chocolate ganache and toasted pecans.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
German’s Sweet Chocolate Cake Layers
- 4 oz. German’s chocolate bar broken into pieces (1 bar)
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1/4 teaspoon instant coffee or espresso powder (optional)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine grain salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk (see recipe notes)
- 4 egg whites
Coconut-Pecan Filling and Frosting
- 12 oz. evaporated milk (1 can)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 2/3 cups sweetened flake coconut (7 oz. or 1 package)
- 1 1/2 cups toasted chopped pecans (see recipe notes)
Chocolate Ganache
- 2 cups chocolate chips or chopped semisweet chocolate
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans
- 16-18 toasted pecan halves
Toppings
Instructions
- Cake Layers Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8” cake pans. Melt chocolate in boiling water with coffee. Mix dry ingredients. Cream butter and sugar, add yolks, chocolate, and vanilla. Alternate adding flour and buttermilk. Fold in whipped egg whites. Bake and cool cakes.
- Coconut-Pecan Filling and Frosting Cook milk, sugar, butter, yolks, and vanilla until thickened. Stir in coconut and pecans. Cool.
- Chocolate Ganache Combine chocolate and cream, melt, and cool to spreading consistency.
- Cake Assembly Layer cake with filling. Frost with ganache. Decorate with pecans.
Notes
- Buttermilk Substitute: 1 tbsp vinegar/lemon juice + fill cup with whole milk, stir.
- 2 Layers Instead of 3: Divide batter between two 9-inch pans; increase bake time.
- Toast Those Pecans! Toast pecans at 350F for 5 minutes. Watch closely.
- Freezer-Friendly: Assembled cake can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cake)
- Calories: 590
- Sugar: 44g
- Sodium: 290mg
- Fat: 37g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 62g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 130mg