| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 4 hr 45 min |
| Prep: | 40 min |
| Inactive: | 2 hr 15 min |
| Cook: | 1 hr 50 min |
| Yield: | Tow 9-inch layer cakes or 24 cupcakes |
| Level: | Intermediate |
| Total: | 4 hr 45 min |
| Prep: | 40 min |
| Inactive: | 2 hr 15 min |
| Cook: | 1 hr 50 min |
| Yield: | Tow 9-inch layer cakes or 24 cupcakes |
Ingredients
- 4 ounces baker’s chocolate (recommend: Baker’s German Sweet Chocolate)
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 4 eggs, separated
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Coconut Pecan Filling, recipe follows, or whatever you prefer
- Favorite chocolate frosting, for the sides
- 1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
- 5 egg yolks, slightly beaten
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup butter
- 2 1/2 cups flaked coconut
- 2 cups toasted pecans
Instructions
- In a microwave safe bowl, add the chocolate and water and heat in a microwave or over a double boiler until melted. Stir until smooth and set aside. In a separate bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, vanilla extract, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add egg yolks 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in the melted chocolate. Add the flour mixture and buttermilk, alternating, until just combined.
- Add the egg whites to a small bowl and beat with an egg beater until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whites into the batter until well incorporated.
- Pour the batter evenly into two 9-inch cake pans or two 12-capacity cupcake tins. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes for the larger cakes and 15 to 20 for the cupcakes. Remove from the oven to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before filling and frosting.
- To Assemble the German Chocolate Cake:
- Put a cake layer on top of a serving plate and top with a generous layer of the caramel/pecan filling. Cover the frosting with another cake layer of and spread with the frosting. Top with the final layer and frost.
- Spread dark chocolate frosting (secret recipe), or your favorite chocolate frosting around the outside of the entire cake. Cut into wedges and serve.
- Combine the evaporated milk, slightly beaten egg yolks, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla and butter in a large saucepan or heavy pot over low heat. When the butter melts raise the heat to medium, stirring constantly. The mixture will thicken after 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the coconut and pecans and cool before frosting the cakes.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 24 servings |
| Calories | 447 |
| Total Fat | 28 g |
| Saturated Fat | 15 g |
| Carbohydrates | 46 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 35 g |
| Protein | 5 g |
| Cholesterol | 103 mg |
| Sodium | 156 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 24 servings |
| Calories | 447 |
| Total Fat | 28 g |
| Saturated Fat | 15 g |
| Carbohydrates | 46 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 35 g |
| Protein | 5 g |
| Cholesterol | 103 mg |
| Sodium | 156 mg |
Reviews
great recipe I use it to make Grrman Chocolate cupcakes sometimes and my family lives them. If people are having problems with with the number pans needed then adjust or maybe your measurements are off. I have never this issue and I have been using this recipe since the episode aired. Again great recipes…it is my husband’s favorite.
I gave this recipe 1 star because you should not have to read the reviews to get a successful cake from a published recipe. In this case, you needed to because the recipe is incomplete.
It does not say to prepare the pans. It does not say to use three pans. It has spelling errors. It calls for a “secret recipe”. That is not an edited, tried and true recipe.
FN should pull this or correct it.
Delicious! I just don’t understand where some bakers are getting 3 pans?? I only got 2. I will definitely keep this recipe in my “favorites”. Thank you for sharing.
This is a fabulous recipe. I make a two-layer cake with no problems; I just bake them a little longer. I use unsalted butter and sea salt. I spray the pans liberally with Bakers Joy. Toasting the pecans is a must-do!
Do you use unsalted butter throughout the whole recipe? Or do you use regular butter for the frosting?
Love this recipe! It is definitely 3 pans, not 2, and spraying the pans and covering with parchment is very helpful. Delicious!
I am a very experienced baker, but haven’t baked a cake in years. I should have known when the batter was so high in the pans that I needed 3 pans, not 2. I ended up getting an oven full of burnt cake and unevenly baked cakes. I managed to assemble a beat-up cake that tasted delicious but looked like my 7 year old granddaughter made it. JUST REMEMBER YOU NEED 3 PANS.
. Hands down, amazing recipe…use 3 cake pans and don’t stress about the secret dark chocolate recipe…melt bakers chocolate with water..cool a bit…pour over cake…yummy
This recipe was terrible it did not work I am experiecned baker and it did not taste good.
I grew up making German Chocolate cake from a box, not knowing one can bake a cake from scratch. Now I never resort to a box cake mix. This recipe is so incredible. I made it for my father-in-law’s birthday (his request), and everyone raved about it. It is well worth the time it takes to make. At first I was concerned about the brown sugar, but that makes it perfect!