Classic German Chocolate Cake
For the Cake:
Ingredients:
1 bar (4 oz) German’s sweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (120ml) boiling water
1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temp
2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
4 large eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups (312g) cake flour (or sifted all-purpose)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, room temp
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line three 9-inch cake pans.
Melt chocolate with boiling water, stir until smooth. Let cool slightly.
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time, then vanilla.
Stir in the melted chocolate.
Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.
Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour.
In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into batter.
Divide among pans and bake 25–30 min. Cool completely.
Coconut-Pecan Frosting (Filling & Topping):
Ingredients:
1 cup (240ml) evaporated milk
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
3 egg yolks, beaten
1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups (100g) sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup (120g) chopped pecans
Instructions:
In a saucepan, combine evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 10–12 minutes, until thickened.
Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, coconut, and pecans.
Let cool to room temp. It thickens more as it sits.
To Assemble:
Place first cake layer on a plate. Spread 1/3 of the coconut-pecan frosting on top.
Repeat with remaining layers, spreading more frosting between and over the top.
Optionally, frost the sides with a rich chocolate buttercream or leave them bare like in the photo.
Garnish edges with toasted pecans for that finishing touch ✨