This past weekend I had a cake tasting for an upcoming wedding and one of the requested flavors was German Chocolate Cake. Well, I've never made a German Chocolate Cake, but I'm always up for a new chocolate recipe, so I went for it.
Since most of the cakes I do start with a cake mix, that's where I started for this cake too. I read through a recipe in the Cake Mix Doctor book and adapted it to my liking!
It turned out soooo yummy! I'm huge chocolate fan so in my opinion, you can't really go wrong with any chocolate cake, but this cake was just scrumptious!!
For the frosting, I made my usual chocolate buttercream recipe (cut in half) with a few modifications and the addition of cream cheese, of course! The addition of cream cheese might have made this my new favorite frosting... it was just SO creamy and perfect and wonderful!
I might have eaten a few spoonfuls straight out of the bowl.
I could have eaten it straight of the bowl with a spoon, but I didn't 😉 ! Next time, I might even try it with a little more cream cheese to see what happens... it was fantastic!
Now, before you yell at me, I didn't do the typical German Chocolate Cake frosting - where there is coconut and pecans actually mixed into the frosting, but that's just a technicality, right?
There are pecans. There is coconut. There is chocolate. All is good. However, if you don't like the coconut and/or pecans, you could easily omit them from this cake and it would still be delectable!!
Any questions or comments about this recipe? Please leave me a comment!
And here's my recipe:
PrintRecipe
German Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting {Recipe}
- Total Time: 0 hours
Description
This beautifully layered german chocolate cake with buttercream frosting is sweet and moist.
Ingredients
- CAKE:
- 1 box (18.75 ounces) German Chocolate cake mix (I used Betty Crocker)
- 4 ounces of milk chocolate (chips or bar)
- 1 box (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
- ½ cup water
- 4 ounces sour cream
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- FROSTING:
- ½ cup solid vegetable shortening*
- ½ cup salted butter, at room temperature (1 stick)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cups cocoa powder
- 1 - 1.5 pounds confectioners' sugar
- ½ cup of flaked coconut (optional)
- ¾ cup chopped pecans (optional)
- 3-4 tablespoons warm water (or milk, but water allows the chocolate flavor to be stronger)
- *You can omit the shortening and double the butter to 1 cup if you prefer. The frosting will be softer, but still perfectly delicious!
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°. Lightly spray (2) 8" pans with Baker's Joy (or spray with non-stick spray then dust them with cocoa powder).
- Chop the chocolate (if necessary), then place into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high power for 60-90 seconds, stirring with a fork every 30 seconds until completely melted.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted chocolate, cake mix, pudding mix, water, sour cream, oil and eggs. Mix for 2-3 minutes until completely smooth (the batter will be thick). Scrape down the bowl periodically as needed.
- Bake for 28-32 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly pressed with your finger.
- While the cake is baking, we'll make the frosting. In a mixing bowl, add the butter, shortening, cream cheese and vanilla. Cream until smooth, but do not over-beat. Add in the cocoa powder and 1 pound of the confectioner's sugar. Then add in 1-2 tablespoons of milk until the frosting easily mixes.
- Now this next step is not going to be terribly specific. Continue adding confectioner's sugar and/or milk until the desired consistency is desired. If you like a softer frosting, you may want to add more milk and less powdered sugar. If you want a stiffer frosting for piping or decorating, you may need more powdered sugar and less milk. You'll have to play with it until you get the desired texture.
- When you're done, stick the frosting in the refrigerator to chill.
- After the cakes are done, take them out of the oven and allow them to cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Then flip them out onto cooling racks and allow them to completely cool - at least 30 minutes.
- When cooled, place one layer on a cake plate with the bottom side up. Frost with a generous layer of frosting, and if you're going all out, then sprinkle the coconut over the frosting and gently press it into the frosting with your hand. Then sprinkle about ¼ cup of the chopped nuts over the coconut.
- Stack the second layer of cake on top of that and then frost the entire out side of the cake. Sprinkle the remaining pecans over the top of the cake. You can pipe a border if you like or leave it as is.
- Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 28-32
- Category: desserts
Kristen Miller
That sounds fantastic! Especially the frosting!!! 🙂 However, I don't know that the mixing it in the frosting thing is a technicality. Haha! Well I guess it's more to do with the type of frosting it is. Because usually it's a caramelly thing cooked on the stove top. I'm sure I'd prefer the chocolate personally! But it would be cool to do the usual frosting as the filling and then the chocolate frosting to cover it. I think that would make for a nice surprise on the inside. 🙂 Mmmmm may have to try that!!
Rose
Oh, come on Kristen... you can play along with my "technicality" claim, cant you? hehe. I really don't like the frosting that goes on a classic German Chocolate cake... it's gooey and gross to me (but I'm not a huge coconut fan either). However, the small amount on this cake was really good. It added texture and wasn't overwhelming.
Tara @ Crock-Pot Ladies
I saw your cake over at the Tuesday Talent Show and I was afraid to even click on it because yup, now I'm craving chocolate cake. Looks delicious!
Rose
Thanks.. so glad you stopped by! I don't think you'll be disappointed with this cake! It was SO good!! In fact, to keep from eating the whole thing, I cut up slices, and handed them out to family and friends on Saturday 😉
Emilie Cuisine
This cake is really magnificent. That really tempts me to test the recipe. Kiss of France !
Rose
Thank you Emilie!
Sarah
This cake looks beautiful and delicious. German Chocolate is my husband's favorite so I'll give this recipe a try. Thanks. We are linky neighbors at Foodie Friday.
Rose
Thank you - it turned out really great and I'm not a fan of coconut! I don't think you'll be disappointed! 🙂
Sarah
Back again. I'm curious how you set up your widget for Categories so that you have a dropdown menu. I'd like to add this to my sidebar. Thanks, Sarah
Rose
I wish I could tell you. My designer did that!! I'm brand new to WordPress and don't know how to change much of anything... but I'll look at it over the weekend and if I can figure it out, I'll gladly share!
Rose
I thought I'd try to figure this out today when I had a little time... are you talking about the Categories on my sidebar or the dropdown menu at the top on my tabs?
Sarah
Yes. I like the way the index is contained in the dropdown menu so it doesn't make a lengthy list along the sidebar as mine currently does.
Thanks, Sarah
Sarah
Thanks, Rose.
Winnie
This is a very beautiful and impressive cake
It looks delicious and I would loooooooooove a slice or two 🙂
Rose
Thank you Winnie!
Audrey
My husband has been begging for a German Chocolate Cake and this looks DELICIOUS! Can't wait to try it!
Rose
I hope you enjoy!
Becky
This cake is too pretty to eat! Wow! I want to lick the icing off of it! 🙂 Thank you for linking to Foodie Friday! Not Your Ordinary Recipes
Not Your Ordinary Agent
Lisa
Oh this looks scrumptious! I'd love for you to share this at Mix it up Monday:
http://flourmewithlove.blogspot.com/2012/03/mix-it-up-monday_11.html
I hope to see you soon 🙂
Rose
Done Lisa! Thanks for stopping by! I also linked up my newest recipe: Easy Caramel Cake!
Lisa
Thanks so much for sharing at Mix it up Monday! I hope you'll stop back soon 🙂
Linda G
I am looking for a frosting recipe for a German chocolate cake that doesn't have nuts or coconut. Yours sounds good but I have a question: In the frosting recipe, there is an asterisk after the solid shortening ingredient and another asterisk after the 3-4 tablespoons of warm water. However, I don't see the corresponding asterisks for either of those items anywhere in the instructions. Can you explain what the asterisks are for? Also, is there any way to substitute something else for the solid shortening?
Thank you!
Rose
Thank you for pointing that out - I didn't even realize the errors :-/ I made the corrections, so hopefully that will answer all of your questions!
Julie
Hi Rose,
Apparently I'm a little late to this party, but I wanted to know if you think the chocolate coconut buttercream could be made into a vanilla version? Have you ever tried this? Would you just eliminate the cocoa, or do you have to substitute something for it?
Thanks in advance for your reply! :o)
Julie
Rose
I think it would work great! You may have to add a little more powdered sugar or a little less water to get the correct consistency, but I imagine it would be fantastic!
Julie
Ok, so last night I had some of the leftover coconut cream cheese frosting on top of a chocolate cupcake...oh. My. Goodness! In Canada we have a chocolate bar called Bounty. In the US, you have one called Mounds. Well, that is what this combo tasted like. So thank you, Rose! Your German cake was my inspiration!! Yummmmm!!
Julie
Wow!! You were quick to reply!! Impressive! Thanks for the answer. When I give it a whirl in a couple of days, I'll let you know how it turned out. I am doing filling for a wedding cake, and wanted to make sure to have a good coconut filling! 🙂
Julie
Me again!! 😛
Just wondered if you think I could mix the coconut right into the frosting? And what would you think of putting toasted coconut in? Too much crunch in a cake?
Rose
Eeeh... that's just a matter of personal taste. Some people HATE texture in their frosting - others don't mind. I will say that piping it (like on the borders) is a nightmare if you have coconut or nuts in the frosting, so if you're planning on embellishing it that way, at least keep some of the frosting "plain".
Julie
Hi again! No, it's just filling, and it was requested to be a coconut filling. So, I used your German cake frosting minus the cocoa, and I tried both toasted coconut as well as plain. Plain won, so I added unsweetened dessicated coconut. Yummy!! Hope the bride and groom like it! 🙂
Thanks for your help, Rose!
Rose
Sure!
Friederike
Hi Rose
Can the butter in the frosting be replaced by shortening to make the cake ready for fondant and not need cooling? Looking for Most stunning filling/frosting for chocolate cake which cannot to into a fridge 🙂
PS being German i have never heard about German Choclate cake - will try and taste to find
PPS Thanks so much for this awesome webpage!,,
Friederike
Rose
Yes, you can use shortening in place of fondant. And I have no idea why it's called German Chocolate cake 😀
Alicia
I made this for a german chocolate cake I made, and let me tell you it is delicious! I will definitely be saving this recipe!
Rose Atwater
Thank you!
Sarah Estephan
Hi Rose!
I was wondering how many servings this recipe gives.
I would love to make it for about 25 people.
Rose
That would be about right!
Judy
What is the depth of your 8'' pans? The layers look like they're deeper than a 2'' pan so am wondering if you use a 3'' deep pan. ??
Rose
They're only 2". 🙂
Stacia
I just wanted to say that I decided to try the chocolate cream cheese frosting tonight and it was amazing! Such a good recipe. I hadn't made frosting in close to a decade so I was worried about it not turning out, but this is totally a fool-proof recipe. Thanks!
Rose
Thanks Stacia!!
May
Hello. I see that your german chocolate cake is fairly tall. Are your 8" pans 2" or 3" in depth?
Thanks
Susan
Hi May, thanks for stopping by the blog. We use 2" deep pans.
May
Thank you Susan
Kat (The Baking Explorer)
Such a beautifully decorated cake!
Rose
Thank you!
Dorothy
Can this be made into a 9x13 cake? I’m needing that size to send to my husbands work. Thanks.
Susan
Hi Dorothy, it sure can! Thanks for stopping by the blog.
GIna
I know this is an older post from 8 years ago so not sure if you will see comment but wanted to make one anyway. I hate coconut but love German Chocolate Cake. I always had to scrape the frosting off but it really needs one. I kept searching for a frosting without coconut & couldn't find much. Today, I came across your recipe for both the cake & frosting. I cannot wait to make both! Thanks for recognizing the need for this.