German Chocolate Cake

Guide Note

German chocolate cake is a layered chocolate cake filled and topped with a coconut, pecan frosting.

Despite its name, German chocolate cake was not developed in Germany. British chef Sam German first concocted German's chocolate for Baker's Chocolate in 1852. Over a century later, his chocolate was used in the first German chocolate cake created by a Texan housewife.¹

Fast Facts¹

1. Recipe first published in 1957 in a Dallas newspaper
2. Recipe submitted by a Texas housewife
3. Originally made from Baker's German's chocolate
4. German's chocolate was developed in 1852 by Sam German²
5. Baker's is now owned by Kraft Foods³

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cream together 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup softened, unsalted butter, 1 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1/2 cup buttermilk. Heat 1/4 cup water and melt 4 ounces of sweet baking chocolate and stir until melted. Add the melted chocolate to the butter mixture and mix until uniform. Add in the dry ingredient mixture and scrape out the batter into a greased 9" by 13" baking pan. Bake for one hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.^{4 5}

Simmer together 2 cups heavy cream and 1 cup unsalted butter. Add in 2 cups sugar, 6 egg yolks, 2 2/3 cups flaked coconut and 2 2/3 cups chopped pecans. Fill and frost the top of the cake cake but leave the sides.

Simmer together another 1 cup heavy cream and 1/3 cup unsalted butter. Stir in 1/2 pound of chopped bittersweet chocolate until it melts and becomes uniform. Allow it to cool, frost the sides of the cake and garnish with whole or chopped pecans.⁶