German Chocolate Cake (w/o Bratwursts) Recipe

Prepare and preheat

Position oven rack in the middle and preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper; lightly flour or spray with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and fine salt until evenly combined.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs until combined. Add the buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon just until combined and no large streaks of flour remain. The batter will be thick.

Slowly whisk in the hot brewed coffee a little at a time until incorporated. The batter will thin; this ensures a moist crumb and deep chocolate flavor.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (use a scale or estimate). Smooth the top with an offset spatula.

Bake on the center rack for 25–30 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). Baking times vary with oven and pan material.

Remove cakes from the oven and let them cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10–15 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges, invert cakes onto the rack, peel off parchment, then invert again so they rest right-side up. Cool completely before frosting (at least 1 hour).

In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the unsalted butter, light brown sugar and whole milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves.

Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. In a small bowl whisk the large egg yolks lightly. Temper the yolks by adding about 1/4 cup of the hot butter-sugar-milk mixture to the yolks in a slow, steady stream while whisking constantly, then pour the tempered yolks back into the saucepan.

Continue cooking the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 6–8 minutes. Do not boil vigorously; keep it at a gentle simmer to avoid scrambling the yolks.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and fine salt. Let the mixture cool for about 5 minutes (it will continue to set as it cools).

Stir in the shredded coconut and chopped pecans until evenly distributed. Allow the frosting to cool to warm or room temperature before assembly—this keeps the layers from sliding and ensures a spreadable but chunky topping. If it becomes too thick, warm it briefly over very low heat and stir to loosen.

If cake layers have domed tops, level them with a serrated knife so they stack evenly.

Place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Spoon about half of the coconut-pecan frosting onto the top of the first layer and spread it evenly with an offset spatula, leaving a small edge so the filling stays put.

Set the second cake layer on top and press gently to adhere. Use remaining frosting to cover the top of the cake and allow some of the coconut-pecan mixture to spill over the edges for a rustic look. German chocolate cake traditionally has frosting between layers and on top, not on the sides.

Sprinkle optional extra chopped pecans and additional shredded coconut on top if desired.

Let the cake sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to set the frosting before slicing, or refrigerate for up to 1 hour to firm it further. If refrigerated, bring to room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving for best texture and flavor.