What is in German Chocolate Cake?
German chocolate cake is a light brown chocolate-buttermilk cake sandwiched with a crunchy-chewy coconut-pecan frosting. The frosting is customarily spread only between and on top of the layers and not the sides. Some bakers also began to cover the sides and decorate the rim with whipped chocolate ganache.
Where did German Chocolate Cake originate?
The term “German chocolate cake” was first mentioned in The New Practical Housekeeping by Estelle Wilcox (Minneapolis, 1890), a supplement to her classic 1877 Buckeye Cookery. However, it has no relation to the modern cake. Rather the term referred to an unleavened butter cake flavored with ground almonds and grated white chocolate, the layers filled with preserved cherries, and the cake topped with a chocolate icing. (The earlier Buckeye Cookery contained an almond-lemon cookie recipe called “German Cakes,” made without any chocolate.) Wilcox’s cake and its name were inspired by the baking of Teutonic immigrants in the Midwest.
On the contrary, 20th century treats bearing the name German chocolate cake, which actually contain melted chocolate in the batter, have nothing to do with the country of Germany or, for that matter, the continent of Europe. Rather it refers to Samuel German, an English immigrant and employee of the Walter Baker & Company of Dorchester, Massachusetts. Before German’s arrival, Baker only offered an unsweetened bar chocolate. In 1852, German formulated a dark baking chocolate containing sugar, a larger amount than modern semisweet chocolate, which assumed the name “German’s Sweet chocolate” or simply, with the apostrophe dropped, “German chocolate.”
In the late 19th century, chocolate cakes began to proliferate in America, incorporating various types of chocolate. The “Novel Chocolate Cake” in Estelle Wilcox’s publishing company’s The Housekeeper Cook Book (Minneapolis, 1894) featured grated “sweet German chocolate” in the batter and “put together with plain white frosting.” One recipe in Club Woman’s Cook Book by the Ramblers’ Club (Minneapolis, 1911) was a basic chocolate butter cake using “2 sq. German chocolate dissolved in ½ cup boiling water” with milk and baking powder and enwrapped in a chocolate icing also made with German chocolate. The “Devil’s Food” in The Battle Creek Cook Book (1922) consisted of “one-half cake German sweet chocolate” leavened with “1 teaspoon soda” and “½ cup sour milk.” In this vein, a recipe in Memorial Book and Recipes, 1957 by Marie Baca (Hillje, TX, 1957) contained “1 whole German chocolate bar melted in 2 tablespoons water,” buttermilk, and baking soda; the cake covered with chocolate buttercream.
What Makes German Chocolate Cake different?
Slightly more than a century after German’s creation, the common modern version of chocolate-buttermilk cake enhanced with coconut-pecan frosting appeared. Similar cooked nut mixtures were common in American cakes since the late 19th century, such as the “Nut Filling,” made from walnuts or pecans, milk, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla, in the original The Settlement Cook Book (Milwaukee, 1901). Or it could have been inspired by the Mexican cajeta (caramel sauce). Precisely when this union of cake and coconut-pecan frosting initially occurred and by whom is unknown. The first record of this pairing was “Summer German Chocolate Cake” in the May 10, 1956 issue (p. 17) of The Irving News Record (TX), the recipe nearly identical to the modern version: “Four layers of delicious German chocolate, put together with pecans and coconut in a cream filling and topped with fluffy 1 minute frosting… all add up to the most wonderful and unusual cake.” The writer indicated the concept was recently imported to Texas from Oklahoma: “Impressed when her daughter, Mrs. Milton Tomlinson of Frederick, Oklahoma, served this during a recent visit, Daisy filched the recipe for her Irving friends.”
The cake soon spread throughout Texas, especially promoted by County Home Demonstration Clubs, women’s rural economic groups coordinated by the USDA. The recipe (“bake in 3 or 4 layer pans”) was printed in the Thursday September 13, 1956 issue of The Canadian Record (Canadian, TX), sent by two readers in response to the previous week’s request for a “German Sweet Chocolate Cake,” and on the same date in the Abilene Reporter News (TX), the writer explaining: “Two of the cakes getting rave notices at the fair were such recipes and I want to share them with you. German chocolate cake…” The batter was baked in “3 greased and floured 8-inch layer pans or 2 square 9 or 10 inch pans” and the coconut-pecan frosting spread “between layers and on top only.” In the following year, a version of “German Sweet Chocolate Cake” in the April 6, 1957 issue (p. 13) of the Hutchinson News-Herald (KS) repeated the basics of the chocolate cake and coconut-pecan filling, but added a chocolate icing made from chocolate chips, marshmallows, sugar, cream, and butter.
After “German Sweet Chocolate Cake” showed up in the food section of the June 3, 1957 issue of The Dallas Morning News (TX) — the food editor ran a correction two days later, directing to use half the amount of chocolate (four ounces rather than eight ounces) –- its renown quickly soared, not only in the Lone Star State, but nationwide. Proof to many observers that, due to the modern media and word of mouth, American cuisine was no longer regional. Within a few weeks, grocery stores in several parts of America ran out of German chocolate. When Baker’s (then owned by General Foods) discovered the source of the run on its product, the company began printing the cake recipe on the chocolate’s green wrapper and in advertisements, also plugging the company’s flaked coconut, replete with eye-catching photos of the cake, further increasing its popularity. In 1957, sales of German chocolate jumped 73 percent. The December 17, 1957 issue of The Daily Times News (Burlington, NC) noted: “There is a new cake that is causing considerable comment here this Christmas. It is a German chocolate cake and everywhere we have been recently someone has been talking about the recipe and how it may be obtained.” The cake became a favorite of Lyndon Johnson, who even served it as dessert to German Chancellor Ludwig Erhard during a 1963 visit to his Texas ranch.
Sweet chocolate produces cakes sweeter and with a milder chocolate flavor than unsweetened chocolate. Sour milk contributes a moist, tender crumb and, in conjunction with sweet chocolate, results in a rich and dense cake. The chocolate essence is enhanced by the use of coffee. Due to the folded in egg whites, the cake turns out somewhat fluffy with a delicate crumb. This cake is less intense than a classic devil’s food, so it benefits from the coconut-pecan frosting. Cooking the frosting ingredients together produces a caramelized flavor and gooey texture. Among the cake’s many advantages is the frosting is less perishable. If you prefer a more generous amount, increase the frosting recipe by half.
German chocolate cake’s popularity no longer equals that of the initial decades or so following its emergence, but remains an American classic and comfort food and one of the country’ favorite chocolate cakes. The treat is sold in many bakeries, while numerous home cooks still whip it up for special occasions, including birthdays, barbecues, father’s day, and holidays. June 11 is National German Chocolate Cake Day.
Food Photography and Styling by Kelly Jaggers
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Classic German Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Ingredients
- 4 ounces sweet (German) chocolate, coarsely chopped 115 grams
- 1/2 cup boiling water or brewed coffee 4.15 ounces/120 grams
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Batter Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour or 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted 9 ounces/250 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter or vegetable shortening, softened (65 to 67°F) 2 sticks/8 ounces/225 grams
- 2 cups granulated sugar or 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup packed light brown sugar (14 ounces/400 grams)
- 4 large egg yolks ¼ cup + 2 teaspoons/2.5 ounces/75 grams
- 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk (1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice plus milk to equal 1 cup) 8.25 ounces/240 grams
- 4 large egg whites ½ cup/4.25 ounces/120 grams
Coconut-Pecan Frosting Ingredients
- 1 cup evaporated milk or heavy cream 8.5 ounces/245 grams
- 1 cup granulated sugar 7 ounces/200 grams
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick/4 ounces/115 grams
- 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten 3½ tablespoons/2 ounces/60 grams
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cups grated coconut 3.5 ounces/100 grams
- 1 cup pecans, lightly toasted and finely chopped 4 ounces/115 grams
NOTES
Instructions
To prepare the chocolate
- Place the chocolate in a medium bowl, pour the boiling water over top, and stir until melted. Let cool. Stir in the vanilla.
To make the batter
- Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F (325°F for a convection oven). Grease three 9- by 1½-inch round cake pans, two 8-inch by 2-inch square pans, or one 13- by 9-inch pan, line with parchment paper or waxed paper, and grease again.Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter on low speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Increase the speed to medium, gradually add the sugar, and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
- Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time.
- Stir in the chocolate.
- Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk (4 portions for the flour; 3 portions for the milk) beginning and ending with the flour, until smooth. The batter will be rather thick.
- In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites on low until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and beat until stiff but not dry, 5 to 8 minutes.
- Fold one fourth of the egg whites into the batter, then fold in the remaining whites.
- Divide the batter equally between the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when lightly touched, 30 to 35 minutes for 9-inch rounds; 45 to 50 minutes for the 8-inch squares; and 45 to 50 minutes for a 13- by 9-inch.
- Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove the cakes to wire racks and let cool completely, at least 1½ hours. The cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.
To make the frosting
- In a medium saucepan, cook the milk, sugar, butter, egg yolks, and salt over medium heat, stirring constantly, until bubbly and thickened or 170°F, about 12 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Stir in the coconut and pecans. Let cool, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to spread, about 30 minutes.
To assemble
- Place a cake layer on a serving plate, spread the top with one third of the frosting. Arrange a second cake layer on top, spread with one half of the remaining frosting, top with the remaining cake layer, and spread the remaining frosting on top. Or for a sheet cake, spread the frosting over the top and sides; or cut the cake lengthwise into thirds and layer. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Do not freeze.
Nutrition
tried this recipe?
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Agata says
Tori I love your recipes! Classic chocolate German cake is my favourite.
Thank you!
Jane says
Loved reading the history.
As we are two, I halved the recipe to keep the pandemic weight gain to a respectable level.
I baked it in a 1.5-inch high, 8-inch round pan. Too small a pan, but it rose and did not fall. Some of the crumb stuck to the sides of the pan, but not a big deal.
I like using unflavored dental floss to make the layers … but only 2. Does ruin the visual impact.
The frosting base was not very thick, but did fine after the pecans and coconut were added.
Nice crumb on the cake. Good texture. More a brown cake than a chocolaty cake, but that is what you should expect with a low cacao %.
I think a little ganache or piping of chocolate frosting around the top circumference of the cake might capture the chocolate lovers, but it is already plenty sweet.
By my thinking, 4 of 5 stars does not mean an 80% or a B. I reserve a 5 for recipes that wow me … with multiple flavor profiles and textures.
Thank you for a great recipe,
Ms. Avey.
Tori Avey says
Thank you for the detailed review! Just a quick note that this is my friend Gil Marks’ recipe, as well as his in-depth history. He was a wonderful recipe developer, and a brilliant food historian.
Karen says
Crazy as this question might sound, but can I halve this recipe? I was looking for a smaller cake, as we are only two and have already packed on a few Covid-era pounds.
Tori Avey says
I’m not sure about that one, Karen! Halving baked recipes (or doubling for that matter) can be tricky. I would hesitate to recommend it without first testing.
SHEILA says
Although it takes some time, this recipe is straight forward. Baking is not for the impatient. Precision is key. It’s an amazing cake.
Neva White says
I guess it’s the german in me…i LOVE this cake it’s my favorite
Neva White says
Thank you…in a move 5 years ago I lost this recipe. My grandmother and my Mother used this recipe. My mother always made the German chocolate cake for my birthday until she passed. I have looked and looked for this recipe. Every recipe I came across was different. I knew the. ingredients in my head but could not remember the amount. Thank you
Suraiya Baluch says
This cake is amazing! Very moist and light with a great chocolate flavor that is not overpowering. I made it for someone who loves traditional German Chocolate cake and she couldn’t stop raving about it! I will definitely make again.
Emily says
I’ve been looking for a more authentic German Chocolate cake like this for some time, and this fit the bill! I absolutely love this cake and plan make it many more times in the years to come. Thank you for the history behind these special kind of cakes as well.
Shanice says
Just made this cake for my dad for Father’s Day! He loved it the cake is tasty but not too sweet which we loved !!!
Lisa S says
Made this recipe but used a full 12 oz can of evaporated milk instead of a cup by mistake and it was good I did according to the comments! This was the BEST GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE I EVER MADE! This cake is rich, moist and tastes like a million bucks! Now I will never make another cake but this one! Thanks my wife loved it for a birtjday ?. Thank you soooooo much!!
june says
its in the oven, i always bake scratch cakes but this one has a few extra steps i think will make it even more special! cant wait to taste it!!!
Amanda says
This recipe is a joke! Each layer turned out waaaay too thick which I didn’t realize until all was said and done and frosting was added. This was supposed to be for my boyfriends moms birthday tomorrow and it looks ridiculous. In hind sight, it appears that this woman cut the top of each layer off to eliminate the rounded side, as the picture shows a cake with thin layers and flat surfaces. The author of this recipe failed to add that piece and I am now out $25 and 7 hours. Will not use another recipe from this site, author isn’t thorough.Waste of time, energy, and a cake!
Tori Avey says
Sorry to hear the cake didn’t work out for you Amanda. I have to say that Gil was meticulous in crafting his recipes, and if you read the reviews you will see that others have really enjoyed this recipe (including me when we tested/photographed it). We didn’t encounter the issue of the cake layers being overly thick, they are only very slightly rounded… and no we did not cut them down to size. I am surprised you had this experience, and can’t help wondering if you didn’t make some kind of mistake in the process– perhaps using baking powder instead of soda? It sounds like a leavening issue. At any rate, I am very sorry it didn’t turn out the way you would have liked!
Amy says
I’ve made this cake 3 times in 4 years and it’s difficult but if you do it right it’s amazing.
Sheronda V. says
Made this for my friends birthday. It came out super moist. I used sour cream instead of oil, same measurement. Thank you for the post.
Deborah Pogorzelski-Stogner says
Why can this cake not be frozen? As a personal caterer, I need to make cakes in advance, so this is a critical question for me.
Tori Avey says
Hi Deborah, I cannot give you any insight on that– my guess is it has to do with the frosting/filling. This is a recipe from Gil Marks, who is no longer with us, or I would ask him about it. I will say that Gil made a special point of saying it, and he tested his recipes rigorously, so there must be a good reason for it.
Kathie McDonald-McClure says
I love, love, love this recipe! I had been a box cake maker my entire life until Easter 2017 when I made my first cake from scratch (a six layer, expresso cake recipe posted to the NYT). Encouraged by the overwhelming positive feedback, I made a second cake from scratch for my daughter’s birthday, a basic dark chocolate cake with cream cheese icing. Again, it was a bit hit! I decided that a box cake can never beat a scratch cake and decided to go for the gold with my third scratch cake for my husband’s birthday — German chocolate cake, his favorite. (Last year, I paid a bakery close to $40 for a German chocolate for his birthday.) I reviewed dozens of recipes and decided on Gill’s recipe posted here on Tori Avey’s website due to the step by step picture instructions. This was my best scratch cake yet. My husband said it beat the pants off last year’s bakery cake (from a local, famed bakery), and that it was the best cake he had ever had in his life! The rest of the family was in heaven over it too and going for seconds. We usually have vanilla ice cream with German chocolate cake to offset the dryness from box cakes — even last year’s bakery cake was dry. We all totally forgot about the ice cream, and when I mentioned it, the response was, “no, this cake doesn’t need ice cream!” It so very moist. And, the homemade coconut pecan icing is to die for! The biggest surprise is that this cake was awesome even though I totally forgot to add the vanilla flavoring to the chocolate mix after letting it cool and the grocery was out of buttermilk and I had to use Gill’s substitute (a Tbsp of lemon juice added to milk and all I was skim milk but I converted it to whole milk by adding half and half). Otherwise, I made this cake precisely as instructed (including measuring the yolks and egg whites and having to add a fifth egg to get the volume that Gill’s recipe calls for). I cannot wait to make this cake again with the vanilla and actual buttermilk in the batter. (Perhaps the vanilla extract that I did NOT forget to add to the icing hid my mistake!)
Chris says
My boyfriend had requested a German Chocolate cake for his birthday when my initial plan for cupcakes he wanted fell through. I didn’t want to make a boxed version, but wanted to try my very first cake from scratch. This recipe is AMAZING! I don’t like German chocolate cake, until I tasted this one. I ended up making two layers instead of three because I ran out of frosting (I should have doubled the recipe). His family raved about the cake and he loved it. The cake without the frosting is amazing as well. Thanks for a great recipe.
Pam Holland says
I’ve made a lot of cakes and I come from a family of bakers. Sometimes I stray a little from the instructions and do my own thing, but I made this cake “exactly” by the recipe (I chose the brewed coffee option and had to extend the bake time, but that’s just my oven). It was absolutely delicious! It’s very moist and has an incredibly light, tender crumb. It isn’t overly sweet which helps to balance that decadent frosting. I don’t think I’ve ever tasted a more delicious cake! I certainly will never use another recipe. It’s without a doubt the best cake I’ve ever tasted and I’ve never even been a huge fan of German Chocolate Cake! I think I have a new favorite and my family does too! Plus, I’m a “rockstar”!
Debbie says
I have made many scratch cakes, but never a German choco cake, I made this for a special aunt’s 89 birthday. This cake was absolutely delicious, followed your direction to the “t” it was so moist and flavorful, it was a hit and enjoyed by all. I did use fresh coffee instead of water as you stated . I am unable to have nuts and couldn’t find a substition for the pecans so tried 1 cup of medium unsweetened coconut inplace of the pecans and used the flaked coconut as recommended, I did toast the coconut though. It was enough to do a 3 layer 8 inch cake and it was absolutely delicious. Thankyou for this wonderful recipie, well worth the time it took! I will definitely be making this again!!
doryle says
If you want something less expensive, probably healthier, easier to make, and in my humble opinion, YUMMIER, (sp) try the German Chocolate Pound cake. The recipe used to be on the German Chocolate bar. I hope I can find mine!! If I do, I’ll post it. It’s moist and light. Eat as is or for”looks” sprinkle a dusting of Pwdr sugar. This is baked in a tube pan.
Susan R says
I followed the exact recipe and it was simply delicious!!! I made it for my husband’s birthday and everyone loved it. Thank you so much for sharing this awesome recipe !!