This variation of German’s chocolate cake has a gooey coconut and toasted pecan filling, a dark and super-moist chocolate cake, and deliciously creamy chocolate buttercream on top!
German’s chocolate cake, traditionally made with sweet baking chocolate and originated back in the 1850s by chocolate maker Samuel German, is known to be unapologetically decadent and indulgent.
Upgraded German Chocolate Cake
My variation of German chocolate cake is a bit different from the traditional. It’s still unapologetically decadent and indulgent, but it starts with my favorite super-moist darker chocolate cake. We’ll use a coconut pecan filling enhanced with toasted pecans and top her off with chocolate buttercream, coconut, and more toasted pecans.
German chocolate cake has been a highly requested cake recipe, so I’m thrilled to finally share this version. I decorated it naked cake style. I love seeing that coconut pecan filling peeking out!
How to Make German Chocolate Cake
There are 3 parts to German chocolate cake. Let’s discuss all 3 so you feel prepared and confident when you try it.
1. CAKE
If you’ve tried my tuxedo cake, black forest cake, chocolate raspberry cake, or regular chocolate cake then you are familiar with the cake itself. It’s simply my favorite chocolate cake recipe. Sour cream, oil, eggs, and buttermilk keep it extremely moist. Cocoa powder supplies all our chocolate flavor, which is enhanced with a little espresso powder. The espresso powder is optional if you don’t keep any. You’ll also need hot liquid to properly dissolve and bloom the cocoa power. You can use hot water or hot coffee. The cake won’t taste like coffee, I promise, but the chocolate flavor will certainly be deep and divine! An upgrade, if you will.
Speaking of cocoa, make sure you’re using natural unsweetened cocoa and not dutch-process. Remember the difference between dutch-process vs. natural cocoa powder?
2. COCONUT PECAN FILLING
While the chocolate cake is fantastic, the coconut pecan filling is the star of the show. It’s thick, crunchy, gooey, chewy, and sweet all in one. It’s made from the best ingredients baking has to offer, so you know you’re in for a treat:
- butter
- brown sugar
- egg yolks
- vanilla
- pecans
- coconut
You also need evaporated milk, not sweetened condensed milk. The two are often mistaken. Evaporated milk is typically sold in a can in the baking aisle. Evaporated milk is unsweetened condensed milk. You need 1 cup or 8 ounces. You can also use half-and-half. Whole milk is too thin and heavy cream is too thick. Stick to evaporated milk or half-and-half.
Here’s how you prepare the coconut pecan filling: the butter, brown sugar, egg yolks, and evaporated milk are cooked together on the stove until thickened. The egg yolks are heated enough to safely consume, but you can always use a thermometer to be certain. To avoid scrambling the eggs, make sure you cook on medium heat and constantly whisk the mixture.
3. CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM
I used my favorite chocolate buttercream recipe to frost the top. The filling is pretty sweet, so I didn’t want to overdo it with frosting. (And naked cakes are pretty!) This chocolate buttercream is thick, creamy, and spreads beautifully. The chocolate buttercream recipe was more than enough for the top, but if you want to frost the top AND sides of the cake, use the ratios from this marble cake. They taste identical.
Will the cake dry out if the sides aren’t frosted? Overtime, yes. But this cake is so moist, especially with the gooey coconut pecan filling, that it’ll take awhile to taste even a smidge dry! If you’re still a little nervous about it drying out, give the sides a light swipe of frosting.
This is not technically “German chocolate cake” since it’s not made with sweet German chocolate. (Don’t be mad at me, cake police!) But it has an ooey gooey coconut + toasted pecan filling, a deep dark chocolate cake, and the perfect amount of creamy chocolate buttercream on top. Definitely an upgrade if you ask me!
Upgraded German Chocolate Cake
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours, 30 minutes
- Yield: serves 10-12; 2.5 cups filling
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This show stopping German chocolate cake has a gooey coconut and toasted pecan filling, a dark and super-moist chocolate cake, and deliciously creamy chocolate buttercream on top!
Ingredients
- 1 and 3/4 cups (219g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
- 3/4 cup (62g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 and 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder (optional)*
- 1/2 cup (120ml) canola or vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (180g) full fat sour cream, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk, at room temperature*
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120ml) hot water or coffee*
Coconut Pecan Filling
- 1/2 cup (1 stick; 115g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 can (8 ounces; 240ml) evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup (125g) chopped pecans
Frosting
- use this chocolate buttercream for a naked-style cake
- use this chocolate buttercream for frosting the top and sides
- optional for garnish: extra toasted pecans and sweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 9×2 inch cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
- Make the cake: Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder (if using) together in a large bowl. Set aside. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or you can use a whisk) mix the oil, eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, and vanilla together until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, add the hot water or coffee, and whisk or beat it all until the batter is completely combined.
- Divide batter evenly between 3 pans. Bake for 21-25 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely in the pan.
- As the cakes cool, prepare the coconut pecan filling so it can cool and be ready at the same time. Combine butter, brown sugar, egg yolks, and evaporated milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk occasionally as the mixture comes to a low boil. Once boiling, whisk constantly until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, toasted pecans, and coconut. Allow to cool completely before layering in cake. It will thicken even more as it cools.
- Assemble and frost: First, level the cakes if needed: using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Discard (or crumble over ice cream!). Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with 1/2 of the coconut pecan filling (half is about 1 and 1/4 cups). Top with 2nd layer and evenly cover the top with remaining coconut pecan filling. Top with the third cake layer. Spread the chocolate buttercream into a thick layer on top. Garnish with extra toasted pecans and coconut, if desired. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before slicing or else the cake may gently fall apart as you cut.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Prepare cake through step 4. Wrap the individual baked cake layers tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature, make the coconut pecan filling and frosting, assemble/frost, and serve. You can also prepare the coconut pecan filling and chocolate buttercream in advance. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Bring both to room temperature before using. Frosted cake freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature or serve cold.
- Why Room Temperature? All refrigerated items should be at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly. Read more about the importance of room temperature ingredients. Instead of sour cream, try using plain yogurt. The cake won’t taste as rich, but it’s a fine substitution.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is required for this recipe. You can make your own DIY version of buttermilk if needed. Add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough whole milk to the same measuring cup until it reaches 1/2 cup. (In a pinch, lower fat or nondairy milks work for this soured milk, but the cake won’t taste as moist or rich.) Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes. The homemade “buttermilk” will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in the recipe.
- Espresso Powder / Coffee: Espresso powder and coffee will not make the chocolate taste like coffee. Rather, they deepen the chocolate flavor. I highly recommend them both. If coffee isn’t your thing, you can leave out the espresso powder and use boiling hot water instead of the hot coffee.
- Pecans: Toasting the pecans is a major upgrade and I highly suggest it! Let them toast in the oven as you whisk together the filling on the stove (step 5). Simply toast for 8 minutes at 300°F (149°C). Then can be warm when stirred into the filling.
- Eggs: If you’re concerned about consuming any raw egg yolks, use a candy/oil thermometer and make sure the mixture is cooked to 160°F (71°C). If you notice any cooked egg bits, you can run it through a strainer.
- 9×13 Cake: You can bake this cake as a 9×13 sheet cake instead. Top with coconut pecan filling, no need for the chocolate buttercream! The cake will take 35-40 minutes at 350°F (177°C).
- Cupcakes: Use this coconut pecan filling to fill a batch of baked and cooled super moist chocolate cupcakes. Half of the filling should be plenty, so you can halve the filling recipe or make the full filling recipe and freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. You can frost with chocolate buttercream. For filling baked cupcakes, we usually cut a hole in the center and add the filling. If needed for a visual, you can watch me do this in the video for these cupcakes.
Keywords: german chocolate cake
I made this scrumptious cake for my 80 year old neighbor’s birthday on February 23, 2022. Her name is Mary Lou and she is the most Southern Belle I have ever met. German chocolate is her favorite.
This is the text I received from Mary Lou’s daughter, Lynn: “That cake is outstanding!! Beautiful yes, but then the moist cake and the filling with the fresh coconut and roasted pecans!!! OMG! The buttercream chocolate icing! You are so talented in the Kitchen! Everything I have tasted that you so lovingly have given to my parents is so delicious. Thank You! My Mom is over the moon with this cake. Her favorite!! You are a treasure. Thank you!!!!!”
Mary Lou told me last night, that was the very best German chocolate cake she’d ever eaten. Wish I could attach photos. It was gorgeous. Thank you, Sally! I also sang your praises by posting the cake on FB and posting the recipe.
★★★★★
Is there anyway I can put kahlua in this recipe? I feel like kahlua would be perfect for bringing out the chocolate flavor but don’t know what to substitute it for or how to incorporate it for that matter
Hi Steven, We have not tested it but you can try replacing some of the buttermilk with it. Let us know if you give it a try!
Thanks for the quick response I’ll definitely be giving this a try today and will let you know how it goes.
I’ve made this twice now. First time I made it as a layer cake, second time as a 13″x9″ cake. Both times it was absolutely delicious! And I’ve never been a fan of coconut or German chocolate cake (my husband’s fav). I think the store bought pecan coconut frosting was ruining it for me all these years. This recipe is super yummy!
★★★★★
Hello Sally. I want to make this cake but I only have walnuts. Would walnuts be okay or are pecans the only nut you would suggest?
Thank you. Diana
Definitely! Same amount of walnuts.
HI Sally, I see your adjustment to the recipe for cupcakes, however do I fill the cup liner a quarter way and then add the filling and place another dollop of batter and then bake it?? How do you fill the pecan filling? Thank so much!
Neha
Hi Neha, so you’ll actually fill the baked and cooled cupcakes instead of baking the filling in the chocolate cupcakes batter. I added some more helpful information to that recipe note. If it helps, here are two posts with filled cupcakes so you can see a visual: Sugar Plum Fairy Cupcakes and Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes.
Hi! Is it possible to make the filling less sweet? I followed the recipe (except for substituting sweetened coconut with unsweetened). I thought it tasted great, but everyone at home thought it was very sweet. lol. I wanna make this again for my sister’s birthday this weekend (chocolate cake is her fave), but I’m worried that everyone else will also think it’s too sweet. Thanks! 🙂
Hi Jarrel, I haven’t tested any variations of this filling including one without as much sugar. Let us know if you give it a try!
This German Chocolate Cake recipe is INCREDIBLE!!!! Followed the recipe exactly (used espresso powder and coffee). The cake was moist and chocolatey—the way I always wanted chocolate cake to taste. Be warned, it is very delicate coming out of the pan (would start to fall apart if I moved it too much), but otherwise perfection. I only made two layers since I had two pans, but was able to split that evenly. Paired this with the milk chocolate frosting. Got rave reviews from my colleagues. Will definitely make this again!!!! Thank you for sharing it!!!
★★★★★
I’m making this cake tonight and really appreciate your informative review! Was back and forth about using the coffee and espresso powder but am confident now. Also thanks for the warning about removing cake fro pan, as well as your using only 2 pans.
Hi Sally, my cake layers came out about 1” high. Seems a bit too flat?? I used brand new baking powder. I made this cake before, it was a rousing success, and cannot recall of the layers turned out this thin!
Hi Karen! These are definitely thinner layers – when stacked with the filling, the cake comes out to a good size (you can see the proportions in the photos above). As long as the texture doesn’t seem too dense, you should be good 🙂 Hope you love it!
This is the absolute best German Chocolate cake recipe! I was intimidated at first but Sally’s easy to follow instructions made this easy to make. I get a request from my dad to make this yearly as this is his favourite cake ever.
★★★★★
Love this recipe. Wondering if you can put the filling ontop or on the side and it still taste good. Have you tried it?
★★★★★
Hi Lynn, You can build your cake however you want to! The filling would be great on top. Let us know how it turns out.
Rave reviews were all I heard from this cake recipe! I made it just as described and it was off the chart delicious! I brought it to a surprise birthday gathering and it was a hit. This recipe is a keeper! Thank you for all your recipes!
★★★★★
was making a last minute birthday cake so I had to used a box cake mix (so can’t comment on that), but the filling was perfect and really dressed up the cake mix cake. for the filling I used half light brown and half dark brown sugar!
★★★★★
Hi Sally,
Are the layers supposed to be thin?
Hi Susan! You can see from the photos above the intended thickness of these layers – when layered with the coconut pecan filling, you should get perfect slices!
Hi Sally.
I added my coconut, pecans and vanilla at the beginning of the coconut pecan process. Will it set up ok or do I have to make another batch? Thanks so much! Susan
Hi Susan, We’re not totally sure how it will turn out but it may be just fine – let us know!
What modifications are needed to make this at high altitude?
Hi Michelle! I wish we could help, but have no experience baking at high altitude. Some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
Hi! Question!
What if I can only find unsweetened shredded coconut? Can I do something to make it sweetened? Or any other suggestions?
Hi Cherie, You can use unsweetened coconut without any modifications. The filling is sweet no matter what since you’re using brown sugar.
I made this cake a few weeks ago and am just now getting around to this much overdue review. The coconut pecan filling was absolutely to-die-for! I added the dark chocolate silk frosting from your Tuxedo Cake instead of the chocolate buttercream, and it was so decadent. This is absolutely a new family favorite!
★★★★★
Can you freeze this cake??
You can freeze the cake layers or the frosted cake. See the recipe notes for “make ahead instructions” for details.
My mom’s favorite is German chocolate cake, but for her it’s more about the icing than the cake, lol. So this was a perfect compromise of super moist dark chocolate cake with that yummy pecan – coconut icing.
I never make cakes anymore, so I didn’t have round pans and ended up with a two-layer square cake. And I kind of just used up everything on the icing, so I ended up with 12 oz of evaporated milk (1 whole can), 12 oz of pecans (1 whole bag), 14 oz of coconut (1 whole bag), etc. You can’t mess up the icing; it was amazing!
So even though I skipped the buttercream, my mom’s Christmas Eve birthday cake got lots and lots of compliments, and the neighbors even called today specifically to tell us how delicious it was. Thumbs up, thank you for a great recipe!
Delicious, fool-proof recipe. I have made it as a layer cake and as a 9×13″ cake and the instructions were spot on. German chocolate cake is my husband’s favorite and this has become my go-to recipe for his birthday cake!
★★★★★
This cake is nice, but it is not a German Chocolate Cake. Sam German’s Chocolate Cake requires a sweet chocolate (not unsweetened). It’s not simply a un/semi-sweet chocolate cake with coconut pecan icing. So great recipe, but it’d be better if it had a more accurate name.
★★★
Thank you, Alexis! This is certainly a variation and I definitely appreciate the feedback!
It looks really tasty, I will make for my husbands birthday. Can coconut oil be used in place of vegetable/canola oil? Or will it throw off the flavor.
Hi Ann, You can use coconut oil. You’ll taste it in the cake but it will still be delicious, especially with the coconut filling!
Hi. Can the same recipe be used for a bundt cake?
Hi Adrienne, You can use this cake batter for a Bundt cake. We’re unsure of the exact bake time, but we would expect it to be a bit longer because of the pan. Keep a close eye on it, and use a toothpick to test for doneness. You can simply use the pecan filling on top. Let us know how it turns out for you!
Is espresso powder simply ground espresso?
Also, is it alright if the buttermilk is low-fat or 1% ? Its the only one I am finding at my grocery store.
Thank you so much.
Hi Tabz! Yes, low fat buttermilk is fine! Espresso powder is not ground espresso. It’s like instant coffee, where it dissolves into liquid to make espresso and adds flavor to baked goods.
Thank you so much Trina, I will try this recipe soon!!
I don’t have room in my refrigerator for this cake; can I store it in a colder room at say 65 deg.?
Hi Ingrid, the cake should be fine in that room for about a day or so, but if possible it would be best to store in a cooler refrigerator. Otherwise, it may fall apart as you try to cut.
The cake was delicious and it baked beautifully however it was very crumbly and hard to eat. It was refrigerated until served. I am at high altitude and I made adjustments for that so maybe that had something to do with it? I reduced the milk and baking soda and added two tbsp flour.
★★★★
Sally, This cake is scrumptious!! I made it for my Mother’s birthday today and it was a hit!! You recipes simply don’t disappoint, they are always on point!! Thank you for sharing all of your baking wisdom!
★★★★★
Can I use unsweetened coconut for the coconut pecan filling?
Hi Marilyn, you can use unsweetened coconut without any modifications. The filling is sweet no matter what since you’re using brown sugar.
I see the recipe states use 9×2 cake pans, but I realized I have 9×1.5, will there be a difference?
Hi Georgie, that should work just fine, just fill your pans half way to ensure they do not overflow. Hope you enjoy the cake!
My granddaughter is allergic to peanuts. I cannot get peanut free pecans in time to make a cake for this Friday. Can I just leave the pecans out of the coconut pecan frosting? Thank you so much!
Hi Tammi, we haven’t tested this filling without pecans but you can try using more coconut to replace the pecans. Let us know how it goes!
Thank you for the so quick reply. I will let you know how it goes! I have used your cake recipes a lot this year and always a success.
Crack the pecans; we only use fresh cracked pecans in our recipes. Living in GA has it advantages.
I made this wonderful cake and it was simply delicious. So good that my niece has asked me to bake it as a wedding cake. I need to make a 3 x 10 inch cakes and 3 x 8 inch cake. (2 tiers) I was hoping you could help my with the volume of ingredients. I tried doubling the recipe but the cakes came out thinner than the original. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
★★★★★
Hi Michelle, We are thrilled that you enjoyed this cake so much! You can use this recipe exactly with no changes in 8 inch pans. Your layers will be slightly thicker so it may take an extra minute or two of bake time but keep your eye on them! For a 10 inch cake you can use our post on Cake Pan Sizes and Conversions to calculate exactly how much batter you would need for different pan sizes. I hope this helps!