German Chocolate Cake with Coconut Pecan Frosting

Name: German Chocolate Cake with Coconut Pecan Frosting
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 75 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cup All-Purpose Flour (2 cups all purpose flour (260g)); 1 ¼ cup Granulated Sugar (1 1/4 cup granulated sugar (250g)); 2 tsp Baking Powder (2 tsp baking powder); 1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda (1 tsp baking soda); 2 tsp Table Salt (1 tsp salt + 1 tsp salt); 4 pieces Egg (2 large eggs + 2 large eggs); ½ cup Vegetable Oil (1/2 cup vegetable oil (100g)); 1 cup Buttermilk (1 cup buttermilk (240g) - to make your own, mix 1 cup milk (240g) + 1 tablespoon vinegar); ¼ cup Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder (1/4 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder (25g)*); 1 tsp Coffee (1 tsp instant coffee); 4 oz Semisweet Chocolate Chunks (4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (113g) - you can also mix milk and dark, or use all dark based on your preferences + 120g semi-sweet or dark chocolate); ½ cup Water (½ cup boiling water (120g)); 2 cup Pecans (2 cups pecans, roughly chopped (~200g)); 2 cup Coconut (2 cups sweetened shredded coconut (180g)); 10 tbsp Unsalted Butter (10 tbsp unsalted butter (140g)); ¾ cup Light Brown Sugar (3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed (150g)); 1 can Evaporated Milk (1 can evaporated milk (354 ml or 12oz)); 2 tsp Vanilla (2 tsp vanilla extract); ½ cup Heavy Cream (1/2 cup heavy cream (120g))

A classic German Chocolate Cake with layers of chocolate cake, a coconut-pecan filling/frosting, and a chocolate ganache glaze.

75 minAmerican

Servings4

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Vegetarian
Pescatarian
Halal

Ingredients

For 4 servings

All-Purpose Flour2 cup · 2 cups all purpose flour (260g)
Granulated Sugar1 ¼ cup · 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar (250g)
Baking Powder2 tsp · 2 tsp baking powder
Bicarbonate of Soda1 tsp · 1 tsp baking soda
Table Salt2 tsp · 1 tsp salt + 1 tsp salt
Egg4 pieces · 2 large eggs + 2 large eggs
Vegetable Oil½ cup · 1/2 cup vegetable oil (100g)
Buttermilk1 cup · 1 cup buttermilk (240g) - to make your own, mix 1 cup milk (240g) + 1 tablespoon vinegar
Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder¼ cup · 1/4 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder (25g)*
Coffee1 tsp · 1 tsp instant coffee
Semisweet Chocolate Chunks4 oz · 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (113g) - you can also mix milk and dark, or use all dark based on your preferences + 120g semi-sweet or dark chocolate
Water½ cup · ½ cup boiling water (120g)
Pecans2 cup · 2 cups pecans, roughly chopped (~200g)
Coconut2 cup · 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut (180g)
Unsalted Butter10 tbsp · 10 tbsp unsalted butter (140g)
Light Brown Sugar¾ cup · 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed (150g)
Evaporated Milk1 can · 1 can evaporated milk (354 ml or 12oz)
Vanilla2 tsp · 2 tsp vanilla extract
Heavy Cream½ cup · 1/2 cup heavy cream (120g)

Make it mine in the app

Steps

1Ganache. Because the ganache takes the longest to chill and set, I recommend making it first. Add the chocolate and cream to a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 20 second increments, stirring in between, until a smooth ganache forms
2Let the ganache cool down at room temperature for 60-90 minutes (sometimes up to 2 hours depending on the temperature) until it is thick and spreadable
3Chocolate cake. Preheat your oven to 350F (conventional) and line 3 round 8" cake pans with parchment paper and baking spray
4To a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until combined and no lumps of flour or sugar are visible
5Break in the eggs and pour in the vegetable oil and buttermilk. Whisk gently until a smooth cake batter forms and there are no lumps of flour. Avoid overmixing
6In a separate bowl, add the cocoa powder, instant coffee and chocolate. Pour over the boiling water and let sit for 5 minutes. Then gently stir until the chocolate melts and a smooth chocolatey mixture forms
7Add the chocolate mixture to the rest of the cake batter and gently whisk until just combined
8Divide the cake batter evenly between the 3 pans. Bake in the pre-heated oven for ~20-22 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cakes comes out with light, moist crumbs and no wet batter
9Let the cakes cool down in the pans for at least 20 minutes, then carefully remove them and let them cool down fully
10Coconut pecan frosting. Spread the pecans and coconut in a baking sheet, and bake at 350F for ~8-10 minutes, stirring halfway, until the coconut is light golden and the mixture is crunchy and fragrant
11Separately, add the butter, sugar, eggs, evaporated milk, salt and vanilla extract to a saucepan. Cook and stir on low heat until the butter melts and a smooth butterscotch like sauce forms. Let it come to a simmer, then remove from the heat
12Pour the sauce over the coconut pecan mixture and mix to combine. Taste and adjust the salt as needed.
13Let the frosting fully cool down (~1 hour at room temperature or 15-20 minutes in the fridge) until it is spreadable
14Assembly. Assemble the cake once all components are cool.
15Use a large serrated knife to trim off the domes from the cakes. Divide the coconut pecan frosting into 3 portions. Place one cake layer on the serving stand and spread one third of the frosting on it. Repeat with the other 2 cake layers and cover the cake with the last third of the frosting on the top of the cake
16Spread the ganache on the sides of the cake
17To decorate, dip some pecan halves into melted chocolate and let them set. Place on top of the cake to decorate
18Serve & enjoy!