This German chocolate cake is like a snack cake version of the classic recipe. A dense chocolate cake is topped with a rich, creamy vanilla-scented sauce full of coconut and pecans – yum!
This German chocolate cake is a little denser than most other recipes, and it features a warm, coconut-infused sauce that soaks in and softens the cake a bit. Needless to say, it is absolutely divine. And, if you want an option for guests who aren’t coconut fans, you can get the same effect with warm dulce de leche or salted caramel sauce.
Why You’ll Love This Cake Recipe
- Perfect texture. Soft, tender chocolate cake is topped with a smooth vanilla-coconut sauce, and sprinkled with crunchy pecan bits.
- Sweet, but not overwhelming. The rich chocolate frosting and coconut filling that usually accompany a homemade German chocolate cake can be a little overpowering at times. If you’re looking for a similar dessert that’s a bit lighter, this is it!
- Super easy. This German chocolate cake recipe is more like a snack cake or sheet cake. It allows you to skip all of the frosting and layering work that a classic version requires, while still delivering on the traditional flavors.
What You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make this simplified version of German chocolate cake. Scroll down to the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and the full set of directions.
For the Cake:
- All-purpose flour – Measure by weight or use the spoon and sweep method.
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Unsalted butter
- Sweet baking chocolate – Either German’s or semi-sweet chocolate will work.
- Granulated sugar
- Water
- Vanilla extract
- Egg & egg whites – A chilled egg will separate more easily into yolks and whites.
For the Sauce:
- Granulated sugar
- Cornstarch – To thicken the sauce up a little.
- Evaporated milk – This isn’t the same as condensed milk! Be sure to buy evaporated.
- Unsalted butter
- Chopped pecans – Since you’ll be chopping the pecans anyway, buy pecan pieces instead of whole pecans, which are more expensive.
- Flaked sweetened coconut
- Vanilla extract
Why Is It Called German Chocolate?
I often get questions about the names of desserts that include “German chocolate.” It can be confusing, as most people assume it’s related to the country of Germany. However, the name is a nod to Samuel German, a chocolate maker who developed a way to make sweetened chocolate.
It is actually called German’s Chocolate, but that apostrophe is rarely used anymore in recipe names, although it is on the packaging from Baker’s Chocolate.
What’s the Difference Between Regular Chocolate Cake and German Chocolate Cake?
As mentioned above, German chocolate cake is made with German’s chocolate, which is sweeter than most baking chocolates. A regular chocolate cake, however, is usually made with cocoa powder, leading to a richer and relatively less sweet taste. In this recipe, though, you can use either semi-sweet or German’s chocolate for your cake; they both work.
How to Make German Chocolate Cake With Coconut-Pecan Sauce
If you want to get a head start on this recipe, the cake can be made a day in advance; make the sauce just before serving so it’s warm off the stove.
Make the Cake:
- Mix the dry ingredients. First, preheat the oven and grease a 9″x 13″ baking pan. Then, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Melt the butter and chocolate. Place the butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments until the butter has melted and the chocolate melts when you stir it. Stir until smooth, then let the mixture cool.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Combine the sugar, water, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl, then stir in the chocolate mixture. Whisk in the egg whites and egg as well.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. To the bowl with the chocolate mixture, stir in the dry ingredients. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
- Bake. Place the pan in the oven and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack.
Make the Sauce:
- Make the base. Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and milk in a medium sauce pan, then add the butter. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, then continue to cook for about a minute before removing the pan from the heat.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Stir in the pecans, coconut, and vanilla extract.
- Serve. Cut the cake into pieces, then serve with the warm sauce. Garnish with additional pecans and coconut, if desired.
Tips for Success
- Measure accurately. Use a scale to measure your dry ingredients by weight if you can. Otherwise, use the spoon and sweep method to make sure you don’t over-measure. This is especially important for the flour, which you can read more about here: How to measure flour.
- Use a light-colored metal pan. Dark pans tend to bake the outside edges and the bottom too quickly, leaving the center under-baked; glass pans usually require time or temperature adjustments as they conduct heat differently than metal. Learn more by reading up on how to choose baking pans.
- Use German’s chocolate. It has a cacao percentage somewhere in the mid-40s, making it sweeter than most darker chocolates. You can use semisweet chocolate, but be mindful of its cacao percentage. It can range from 60% up to and sometimes past 70%. Aim for the lower end of that range for comparable flavor.
Proper Storage
- Fridge/room temperature. The sauce should be refrigerated, while the rest of the cake can be covered and stored at room temperature for about 3 days.
- To reheat the sauce. Warm it in the microwave or in a saucepan set over low heat.
- Freezer. While you can freeze the German chocolate cake wrapped well for up to 3 months and let it thaw at room temperature, the sauce isn’t ideal for freezing. It can be frozen, but the nuts won’t have quite the same texture after freezing and defrosting.
More German Chocolate Recipes
German Chocolate Cake with Coconut-Pecan Sauce
This simple version of German chocolate cake is made with a warm, gooey coconut-pecan sauce. It's an instant favorite!
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup (75g) unsalted butter
- 4 ounces (113g) sweet baking chocolate, chopped (either German's or semisweet)
- 1 & 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (118ml) water
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 large egg
For the sauce:
- 1 & 1/2 cups (250g) granulated sugar
- 2 & 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 12 ounces (340g) evaporated milk
- 3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup (40g) chopped pecans (plus more for garnish)
- 1/4 cup (21g) flaked sweetened coconut (plus more for garnish)
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
To make the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9"x 13" baking pan.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Place the butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave at half-power in 30-second increments until the butter has melted and the chocolate melts when stirred. Stir until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Combine the sugar, water, and vanilla. Stir in the chocolate mixture. Whisk in the egg whites and the egg.
- Add the flour mixture, stirring just until combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
- Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.
To make the sauce:
- Place the sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the milk. Add the butter.
- Cook over medium heat until the mixture boils. Continue cooking for 1 minute.
- Remove from the heat. Stir in the pecans, coconut, and vanilla. Serve warm over slices of cake. If you like, garnish with more pecans and coconut.
Notes
- Recipe adapted from Southern Living and MyRecipes.
- To store. The sauce should be refrigerated, while the rest of the cake can be covered and stored at room temperature for about 3 days.
- To reheat the sauce. Warm it in the microwave or in a saucepan set over low heat.
- To freeze. While you can freeze the German chocolate cake wrapped well for up to 3 months and let it thaw at room temperature, the sauce isn’t ideal for freezing. It can be frozen, but the nuts won’t have quite the same texture after freezing and defrosting.
Recommended Products
Bake or Break is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
18 Comments on “German Chocolate Cake with Coconut-Pecan Sauce”
I love this idea! German Chocolate cake is one of my favorites, but my husband doesn’t like the coconut-pecan sauce. now we can both have our cake and eat it too!
I can’t wait to see the concoctions that you and T dream up when you guys finally make the MS to RTP transition!
Can I claim my kaluha topping now?
Mmmm, german chocolate cake is sooo good…yours looks fantastic.
I taste this cake when I was in Berlin two months ago, it’s so delicious!
Pingback: Coconut Pecan Shortbread Squares
Pingback: German Chocolate Cheesecake | Bake or Break
Pingback: German Chocolate Cheesecake | That's Cooking!
Pingback: German Chocolate Cheesecake | fixcookies.com
Pingback: Butter Pecan Cake | Baking Secrets
Pingback: Black-Bottom Coconut Bars | Pet Secrets | Cats
Pingback: Double Nut Drenched Chocolate Cake | fixcookies.com
Pingback: German Chocolate Cake Cookies | Bake or Break | Chocolate
Hi, Linda. Welcome! There is a link to the original recipe in the post. I have also added it to this page now.
Pingback: "he has a good point"
How could I make this recipe vegan?
Hi, Tina. I don’t have any experience with vegan baking, so I’m afraid I can’t help with that.
This is perfect – I was mentally debating the same situation you described – that is some non coconut and non pecan lovers. This is an amazing solution!! Thank you so much. Do you think this cak could be made in a bundt pan or is that not enough batter?
Hi, Adele. It’s not enough batter to fill a standard 10- or 12-cup Bundt pan. You can still bake it in one of those pans, but it just won’t fill it all the way.