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German chocolate cake recipe is a beloved classic for its irresistible cake, rich coconut pecan filling, and decadent chocolate frosting.

Slice of German Chocolate cake on white plate.

We All Love it!

German chocolate cake is a decadent chocolate cake recipe that has captured the hearts of many. This iconic dessert is the perfect cake recipe for all chocolate and coconut lovers (the entire fam).

We love this cake so much because of the flavors, but especially because of the coconut pecan filling that adds a touch of tropical sweetness.

Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply indulging in a sweet treat, German chocolate cake is sure to satisfy your cravings. It’s right up there with our Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe and Coconut Cake recipe.

WHY WE LOVE IT:

  • The frosting! The ooey-gooey coconut pecan frosting just gets us every time. You can eat it by the spoonful!
  • Crowd pleaser. This recipe is so delicious and so popular, that it’s a hit anytime it’s made.
  • Make ahead of time. This easy cake recipe can be made and stored 2-3 days ahead of time, which makes it great for holidays.
Measuring flour on a kitchen counter.

Ingredients

Cake

  • 2 cups all-purpose flourHow to Measure Flour
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup cocoa powder – natural unsweetened cocoa powder or Dutch-processed
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk – or How to Make Buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs – room temperature eggs incorporate the best
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup boiling water

Frosting

  • 1 cup evaporated milk – NOT sweetened condensed milk
  • 3 egg yolksHow to Separate Egg Whites
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup butter – unsalted butter
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups sweetened flaked coconut
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

Fun Fact

American baker, Samuel German, developed a type of dark-baking chocolate for Baker’s Chocolate Company. The brand name of the product was “Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate”. And that is where the cake’s name originates – not from Germany.

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How to make German Chocolate Cake

  1. PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 9″ round cake pans with non-stick spray. Place a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of each pan and lightly spray the tops of the parchment.
  2. DRY INGREDIENTS. Whisk 2 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, ¾ cup cocoa powder, 1½ teaspoons baking soda, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl.
  3. WET INGREDIENTS. Add 1 cup milk (or buttermilk), 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and ½ cup oil to the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl and use an electric hand mixer). Beat until well combined. Slowly pour in 1 cup boiling water and beat till smooth.
  4. BAKE. Divide batter between two pans. Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  5. COOL. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 8-10 minutes in the pan, then invert onto cooling racks. Cool completely.

German Chocolate Frosting

  1. HEAT. Whisk 1 cup evaporated milk, 3 egg yolks, and 1 cup sugar in a heavy saucepan. Add the ½ cup butter. Cook and stir over medium heat till thickened about 10-12 minutes.
  2. COMBINE. Let cool for about 10 minutes, then stir in the ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1½ cups coconut, and 1 cup chopped pecans. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before adding to the cake.
  3. FROST THE CAKE. Place one layer of cake on a plate stand and spread half of the frosting onto one of the cakes. Add the second layer, then spread the remaining frosting on top.
Slice of German Chocolate cake being dished out.
5 from 106 votes

German Chocolate Cake

German chocolate cake recipe is a beloved classic for its irresistible cake, rich coconut pecan filling, and decadent chocolate frosting.
Servings: 12
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Frosting: 10 minutes
Total: 1 hour

Ingredients 

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • ¾ cup cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup boiling water

Frosting

  • 1 cup evaporated milk
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup butter
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • cups sweetened flaked coconut
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 9" round cake pans with non-stick spray. Place a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of each pan. Spray parchment.
  • Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
  • Add the milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and oil. Beat with a hand mixer till well combined. Slowly pour in the boiling water and beat till smooth.
  • Divide batter between two pans. Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Cool for 8-10 minutes, then invert onto cooling racks. Cool completely.
  • Spread half of the frosting onto one of the cakes. Add the second layer, then spread the remaining frosting on top.

Coconut Pecan Frosting

  • Whisk together milk, egg yolks, and sugar in a heavy saucepan. Add the butter. Cook and stir over medium heat till thickened, about 10-12 minutes.
  • Let cool for about 10 minutes, then stir in the vanilla, coconut, and pecans. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before adding to cake.

Video

Notes

MAKE AHEAD + STORE. Cover tightly and store at room temperature for 2-3 days. A large cake dome works the best. It can also be refrigerated for 4-6 days.
FREEZE. Freeze the cake layers and frost separately. Cool and wrap each layer with plastic wrap, then wrap them together with aluminum foil.

Nutrition

Calories: 611kcal, Carbohydrates: 79g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 31g, Saturated Fat: 18g, Cholesterol: 112mg, Sodium: 499mg, Potassium: 373mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 57g, Vitamin A: 440IU, Vitamin C: 0.5mg, Calcium: 146mg, Iron: 2.5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Recipe FAQ

  • Cupcakes. Mix up the cake batter and make about 24 cupcakes. Fill each liner ¾ full and bake for 16-19 minutes at 350°F. Add frosting.
  • Sheet cake. Spread the batter into a greased 9×13 dish and bake for 25-35 minutes (or until the top springs back to the touch or a toothpick comes out clean). Top with a generous layer of frosting.
  • I prefer to use an Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe made from scratch, but you can use a boxed cake mix preferred. Prepare the cake as directed on the box in two 9-inch round pans (be sure to use room temp ingredients). Cool the layers completely on a wire rack before frosting.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper and spread the chopped pecans in a single layer. Bake for 7-10 minutes or until aromatic and browned. Fold toasted chopped pecans to make a coconut pecan filling.
  • As mentioned above, we actually love it better the second day after the frosting has soaked in a bit. This is a perfect cake to make in advance.
  • While the coconut frosting is the signature topping of German chocolate cake you can apply an extra layer using chocolate ganache. I suggest not using too much or the signature coconut frosting will be overshadowed. 
  • Cover tightly and store at room temperature for 2-3 days. A large cake dome works the best. It can also be refrigerated for 4-6 days.
  • Freeze the cake layers and frost separately. Cool and wrap each layer with plastic wrap, then wrap them together with aluminum foil.
  • Freeze a fully decorated cake. Place the entire cake in the freezer. Once solid, wrap it with plastic wrap and again with foil. Freeze for 2-3 months. Thaw in the fridge before serving. 

About Kristyn

Kristyn Merkley is a published cookbook author, wife, mom of six, and major food enthusiast! For the past 15 years, she has been sharing foolproof, family-friendly recipes—each one tested in her kitchen—that anyone can master. As a seasoned recipe creator, she loves making cooking simple, stress-free, and totally doable for everyone!

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5 from 106 votes (76 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




53 Comments

  1. Susan Doak says:

    5 stars
    Made this a week ago and it will now be my go-to cake forever! It is so good!

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      Oh that makes me so happy to hear! So glad you enjoyed the cake.

  2. Cindy says:

    5 stars
    Made this for a co-worker’s birthday. I tripled the recipe to make a full sized sheet cake. Amazing! Everyone raved and now I have been asked to make a smaller cake for another co-worker’s husband’s birthday. This is my go to recipe for chocolate and German chocolate cake.

  3. Mia R says:

    5 stars
    The best chocolate cake ever! I made it for my son’s birthday and now my other son asked me to make it for his birthday!! Love it!

  4. Sha says:

    5 stars
    This is so rich, fudgy and super decadent! Kids super love this version of German chocolate cake. We are having this again tomorrow and they can’t wait!

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      Yay! So glad to hear it is a hit with your kiddos!

  5. Kristen says:

    5 stars
    I had never heard of a German chocolate cake but I am glad I found this since this is so much better than just a regular chocolate cake.

  6. Lindsey Barbosa says:

    5 stars
    I made these for the first time yesterday and it turned out great! Really appreciated the variations provided and decided to go with cupcakes. For the frosting, I didn’t have evaporated milk so I used a 1:1 ratio of unsweetened coconut milk and it turned out great!

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      Thanks for sharing what you did. I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake!

  7. Elsa Plascencia says:

    Does the cake recipe need to be adjusted for higher elevation areas, as I reside in Colorado?

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      I think it should be fine, but you could look up some high altitude alterations for baking cakes if you want.

  8. SG says:

    5 stars
    This turned out so delicious! Thank you for sharing your excellent recipe!

  9. Dawn says:

    Have you ever made these into cupcakes? If so, would I bake at the same temp, and for how long? This looks amazing, but I am hoping to do cupcakes for a birthday party.

    1. Dawn says:

      So sorry about the cupcake question. I only looked at the recipe and not all the info that you had posted.

      1. Lil'Luna Team says:

        Oh no worries! Glad you were able to see the info. Hope the cupcakes turn out for the party!

    2. Lil'Luna Team says:

      Yes! You can definitely make them into cupcakes. Mix up the cake batter and make about 24 cupcakes. Fill each liner ¾ full and bake for 16-19 minutes at 350°F. Then pipe or spread the frosting on top. You can also scoop out some of the insides and fill with frosting.

  10. Marcia says:

    Can’t wait to try out your recipes!

  11. PamelaOB says:

    This looks like a good recipe, however, why cocoa powder instead of actual German Chocolate squares that you mentioned in the beginning. The taste is not as chocolatey nor as sweet as regular chocolate. If you did use it how would it change the recipe since that is how I would like to make it.

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      I haven’t actually made this recipe using chocolate baking squares, so I’m not sure. But I imagine you can search on google for a substitute/conversion ratios to know how to swap cocoa powder for baking chocolate in a recipe.

  12. Shakeel says:

    5 stars
    Amazing

  13. Lauren says:

    5 stars
    Yum. Everything about it was amazing! Made it for a friend and thoroughly enjoyed it.

  14. Sue says:

    5 stars
    Thanks for a complete recipe from scratch. I will often short cut and use a box mix, but when I can I love making things all the way from scratch.

  15. Jessica says:

    5 stars
    Yum. I love German Chocolate Cake – especially the frosting. This recipe is easy and delicious!!

  16. Katrina says:

    5 stars
    Oooh this cake is so decadent! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!

  17. Karen says:

    5 stars
    My husband doesn’t even like chocolate, but he loved this cake. Such a great recipe!

  18. Ali says:

    5 stars
    The coconut pecan frosting is what makes this cake so delicious!

  19. Dwaine Kimmick says:

    In order to make a Real German Chocolate Cake you must use a cup of coffee not just plain water.

  20. Deb says:

    Does this make enough frosting to cover the entire two layer cake? Or should I double it just to be certain. OR- is the icing sweet enough that doubling it would be overkill? Thanks so much, I can’t wait to make this on Friday!!!!

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      I personally think it that is, but that’s if you are putting it on the top of each cake and layering. If you want to spread it all around the sides too (or if you really love lots of frosting), you can certainly double the recipe. You may not use the full doubled amount, but that way you can spread it as thick as you like! Sounds like you may have made the cake already… hope it turned out well and you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂

  21. Marty Taylor says:

    5 stars
    My Dad’s all time favorite before he moved to Heaven. I made him a German Chocolate Birthday cake every year
    for over 50 years. This is exactly the same recipe! Thank you.

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      Oh I love this so much!! I’m so happy you found the recipe, for nostalgic purposes too! Thanks for sharing!

  22. Sally says:

    5 stars
    I love this cake! It’s easy to make and so delicious!

    1. Lil'Luna Team says:

      So glad you enjoy the cake!!

  23. Susan R says:

    5 stars
    My gosh this cake is delicious! Definitely a must-try. Is it bad that I had it for breakfast? (it’s just THAT good)

  24. Izzy says:

    5 stars
    Yummy!!

    1. LilLunaTeam says:

      Thank you so much for trying it out!

  25. Shameela says:

    Hi! I just wanted to clarify something before I tried this recipe. It says to add boiling hot water to the batter after mixing it together. Won’t the eggs start forming semi chunks in the batter as the hot water gets added?

    1. LilLunaTeam says:

      The eggs shouldn’t form chunks in the batter if the boiling hot water is added slowly to the cake batter mixture. The reason the water is hot is because hot water helps to create a deeper, more rich chocolate flavor. Hope this helps!

  26. Valerie Henderson says:

    5 stars
    OMG I’ve been waiting for this receipe.
    Thank you!

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      You are welcome! Enjoy!!

  27. Marcy says:

    5 stars
    Is a 1/2 butter, 1 stick, a cube?
    I did use your cake recipe for my husband’s cake last wknd but not the frosting. The cake was delicious!

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      It is 1/2 cup, which is 1 stick 🙂 Glad you liked the cake! Thank you!

  28. KAY says:

    5 stars
    I had my doubts about this cake because the batter was straight liquid, but WOW this is good cake! ? This is now my go-to recipe for chocolate cake.

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      Oh, that makes me so happy to hear! I appreciate you saying that 🙂 Thank you!

  29. Amber says:

    5 stars
    My husband WHOm I made the cake for finished off the kids plates and had another piece after doing the dishes. So I guess he kinda liked it.

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      LOL..sounds like he did!! Thank you for letting me know!

  30. Misty says:

    5 stars
    My all time favorite cake is German Chocolate! This was so moist and the frosting was AMAZING! i could of eaten the whole cake by myself!

  31. Julie says:

    5 stars
    This cake is heavenly! I love the classic flavors.

  32. stephanie says:

    5 stars
    This cake turned out perfectly! Such a great recipe!

  33. Beth Pierce says:

    5 stars
    This is an excellent recipe for German cake! Made this last week and got rave reviews!

  34. Joy says:

    5 stars
    Why is German chocolate cake so good?! I love the frosting & love it in the middle! It’s so soft & always gone so fast!

  35. Kristi says:

    5 stars
    I despIsed cocOnut as a child but fell in lOVe with it as a teen. Since then i gravitate towards coconut recipes. This german Chocolate cake dOes not disappoint. Thanks for sharing.

  36. Olivia says:

    5 stars
    You will love this classic cAke. Made with perfection and a frOsting that puts it over the top.