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Venchi

German Chocolate Cake Recipe

Try Venchi's modern update on a classic with our German Chocolate Cake recipe. The crunch from pecan nuts blends with coconut flakes to create a juicy filling that perfectly pairs with this fluffy chocolate cake. Sure to delight chocolate enthusiasts and sweet tooth lovers alike.
Discover how to make Venchi's German Chocolate Cake below. It's a nuttier twist on the wickedly decadent Chocolate Guinness Cake.  

What is German Chocolate Cake?

You can recognize a German Chocolate Cake by its rich and sticky filling dotted with pecans and coconut flakes. Unlike many other cakes, it features a melted dark chocolate bar rather than cocoa powder in its batter for a more intense flavor. It's named after the American baker Samuel German, who invented the first sweet baking chocolate.  

 

Recipe: How to make German Chocolate Cake

Follow our step-by-step recipe on how to make German Chocolate Cake below.  

Here are our top tips for stunning results. For the chocolate cake batter, make sure to bake with ingredients at room temperature, especially the eggs and buttermilk. It will help guarantee a fluffy, light cake that melts in the mouth.  

For the coconut frosting and chocolate icing, make sure they are cooled before decorating your cake. Otherwise, you'll have a big mess, and the chocolate frosting won't set. 

 

German Chocolate Cake ingredients

Chocolate cake:  

  • 7 ounces dark chocolate 

  • ½ cup unsalted butter  

  • 1 and ¾ cups white flour  

  • 2 cups sugar  

  • 1 teaspoon salt  

  • 2 eggs  

  • 1 cups buttermilk  

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract  

  • ½ cup hot water  

 

Coconut frosting:  

  • 1 cup brown sugar  

  • ½ cup unsalted butter  

  • 3 egg yolks  

  • ½ cup regular milk  

  • ½ cup cream  

  • 1 cup chopped pecans  

  • 1 cup shredded coconut  

 

Chocolate icing: 

  • ½ cup unsalted butter  

  • 2/3 cup Venchi cocoa powder 

  • 3 cups powdered sugar  

  • 1/2 cup regular milk 

 

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease two 9-inch round baking pans. Prepare a round piece of parchment paper for the bottom of the pan to ensure it doesn't stick.  

  1. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Gently stir until melted. Set aside.  

  1. In a bowl, sift in the flour and salt.  

  1. In a different bowl, with an electric mixer, beat eggs, sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla extract until well combined and fluffy. Next, gently stir in the melted chocolate mixture.  

  1. Pour the egg and chocolate mixture into the bowl with the flour. Mix until completely combined.  

  1. Add the boiling water and stir to make a thin batter.  

  1. Pour one-half of the cake batter into the 1st baking pan. Pour the remaining half into the 2nd baking pan.  

  1. Bake at 375°F for 20 to 25 minutes. It's ready if a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool for 5 minutes in the pan. 

  1. Let cakes cool completely on wire racks.  

  1. Make the coconut frosting and chocolate icing per the instructions below.  

  1. It's time to assemble the cake. 

  1. Put one of the cake layers on a serving platter.  

  1. Spread half of the coconut frosting onto the cake. Leave a 1-inch gap around the cake.  

  1. Put the final cake layer on top.  

  1. Carefully frost the entire outer part of the stacked cakes with chocolate icing. Use a wet spatula or flat knife.  

  1. Spoon the remainder of the coconut frosting on the top layer of the cake.  

  1. Serve and enjoy! 

 

Preparation time  

1 hr 30 minutes

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How to make German Chocolate Cake frosting 

The German Chocolate Cake frosting will be the delicious filling between the cake layers. 

To make it, you'll need to put brown sugar, butter, egg yolks, cream, and milk in a saucepan. Gently heat the mixture over medium heat. Make sure to stir continuously. Take off the heat once the mixture is simmering and thickened. Next, mix in the nuts, vanilla, and coconut. Let the frosting cool before spreading it onto the cake.  

 

How to make German Chocolate Cake icing

Chocolate icing is a hit, whoever you ask. For this recipe, you'll use the icing to frost the cake. You can pipe it or spread it over the cake with a spatula.  

How to make German Chocolate Cake icing? You'll need to melt the butter. Then, take off the heat. Whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Add the milk and whisk. Then, whisk in the sugar and vanilla. The result should be a smooth, spreadable consistency. If it's too thin, add more sugar. If too thick, add more milk.