I’ve been dreaming about making this German Chocolate Cake recipe for years, but I never thought I’d get around to it at the right time… it’s one of those recipes you really want to make, and then when you remember you’ve made something else and you regret it…
Coincidentally, last week a group of Instagram friends were doing a German recipe challenge, and this recipe—even though it’s not German—just popped into my head! It was its moment!
The German Chocolate Cake isn’t called that because it’s a classic German pastry… not at all… it’s simply a classic American cake created by a housewife for a local newspaper using chocolate bars created by Samuel German… so the cake isn’t actually German, it’s just for this man… who could have had the last name González… hehehe.
German Chocolate Cake is a cake with a cream of cooked egg yolks with coconut and pecan nuts, although since I have been unable to find them… and God is my witness that I have searched high and low for them, I have used classic walnuts, the kind we always have.
I hope I can rise to the challenge for my boys… although… I’ve slipped up this time, hehehehe… that’s what I get for being ignorant about life! hehehehe
Ingredients for the Chocolate Cake
For two 18cm diameter molds, divide the dough into four layers between the two.
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Butter at room temperature | 130 g |
| Sugar | 215 g |
| Sour cream or Greek yogurt | 45 g |
| Vanilla paste or vanilla extract | 1 teaspoon |
| Callebaut 54% dark chocolate (my favorite) | 170 g |
| Large eggs, yolks separated from whites | 3 |
| Flour | 245 g |
| Baking soda | ¾ teaspoon |
| Salt | ¼ teaspoon |
| Buttermilk* | 135 ml |
| Water at room temperature | 45 ml |
Buttermilk: It’s easy to make your own buttermilk, just put 130g of whole milk at room temperature and add 5ml of white vinegar or lemon juice, let it sit for about 10 minutes and it will curdle… the buttermilk is ready.
Ingredients for the Coconut and Walnut Filling
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Egg yolks | 6 |
| Evaporated milk | 340 g |
| Vanilla paste or vanilla extract | 1 ½ teaspoons |
| Panela sugar | 150 g |
| Butter, cubed | 140 g |
| Grated coconut | 150 g |
| Nuts (original are pecans; I used California walnuts) | 1 ¼ cups |
Preparation
Step 1: Preparing the filling
- Put all the ingredients except the coconut and nuts in a saucepan over medium heat, and without stopping, stir the cream without letting it boil, it’s like a custard, until it starts to thicken.
- Once at this point, remove from the heat and add the roughly chopped walnuts and coconut, mix and set aside, covered with cling film until cool.
Step 2: Preparing the cake
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC and grease two 18cm diameter molds with non‑stick spray and a base of baking paper.
- Separate the eggs and set aside the whites that we will whip later.
- Sift the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.
- Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave, being careful not to overheat it, or if you’re not confident in using a double boiler. Set aside and let cool.
- We mix the buttermilk with the water in a jug and set it aside.
- We beat the sugar and butter in our KitchenAid mixer or with a double‑whisk mixer at medium‑high speed for about 3 minutes until the mixture doubles in volume and becomes fluffy.
- Add the yogurt or sour cream and vanilla and mix.
- Now add the egg yolks one by one until fully incorporated.
- Add the chocolate, which is now at room temperature, and mix.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, and salt) with the remaining liquids (buttermilk, water), starting and ending with the dry ingredients. At this point, it’s important not to overmix; simply incorporate the remaining ingredients.
- Divide the batter between the two molds and bake for about 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack in the pan for about 15 minutes. Then unmold and let cool.
- If you’re not going to bake your cake, wrap the sponges well in cling film and keep them at room temperature to prevent them from drying out.
Step 3: Assembly and finishing of the German Chocolate Cake
- To assemble the cake, we will first cut each cake, discarding the domed top part from baking and dividing each cake into two layers, resulting in 4 layers.
- We choose our suitable plate or tray, and alternate layers of sponge cake with the coconut and walnut filling, decorating our cake in a rustic way and finishing with some grated coconut and some walnuts on top.
- Since it’s a naked cake, it’s best to wrap it well when putting it in the fridge, as it will dry out faster than a cake covered in buttercream. So I recommend storing it in a cake carrier and, if possible, with cling film.
Nutritional Facts for Homemade German Chocolate Cake
| Nutrient | Amount per Serving | % Daily Value* |
|---|---|---|
| Serving Size | 1 slice | — |
| Calories | 485 kcal | 24% |
| Carbohydrates | 58 g | 21% |
| Protein | 6 g | 12% |
| Total Fat | 26 g | 33% |
| Saturated Fat | 14 g | 70% |
| Cholesterol | 75 mg | 25% |
| Sodium | 320 mg | 14% |
| Potassium | 260 mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 3 g | 11% |
| Sugars | 42 g | — |
| Vitamin A | 520 IU | 10% |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 85 mg | 7% |
| Iron | 2.5 mg | 14% |
Note: Nutritional values are approximate and may vary depending on the chocolate, coconut-pecan frosting, and portion size used. Homemade German chocolate cake is a rich and indulgent dessert known for its moist chocolate layers and sweet nutty frosting.
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
Conclusion
Cutting this cake is a real spectacle. The German Chocolate Cake is an absolute delight!
As always, I’m sharing the compilation of my Stories so you can see it more easily. It’s a delicious, simple cake, perfect for lovers of nuts, coconut, and of course chocolate, although this sponge cake is soft… spectacular.