German Chocolate Cake with Coconut-Pecan Frosting

  • Prep 30 min
  • Total 2 hr 50 min
  • Ingredients 17
  • Servings 16

Ingredients

Cake

  • 4 oz sweet baking chocolate, cut into pieces
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Frosting

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup evaporated milk
  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
  • 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Steps

  • 1
    Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with shortening; lightly flour. In 1-quart saucepan, melt chocolate with water over low heat, stirring frequently. Cool.
  • 2
    In large bowl, beat 2 cups sugar and 1 cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, scraping bowl occasionally. Add 4 eggs, one at a time, beating and scraping well after each addition. Beat in chocolate mixture. On low speed, beat in remaining cake ingredients until well blended, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour batter evenly into pans.
  • 3
    Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Remove from pans; place on wire racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
  • 4
    In 2-quart saucepan, cook 1 cup sugar, the evaporated milk, 1/2 cup butter and 3 eggs over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to bubble. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in coconut, pecans and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
  • 5
    Place 1 cake layer, top side down, on serving plate. Spread with 1/3 of frosting. Repeat with remaining cake layers and frosting, ending with frosting.

  • To substitute for buttermilk, use 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice plus milk to make 1 cup.
  • The creamy coconut-pecan frosting is the classic flavor used for German chocolate cake frosting. If you're short on time use a coconut pecan ready-to-spread frosting like we do on this recipe for German Chocolate Doughnuts. Easily shareable and gone in moments.
  • Even German Chocolate Cream Pie is taller than your average pie. Create both a chocolate filling and a coconut-pecan filling for this crunchy and creamy delight.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving
Calories
560
Calories from Fat
270
Total Fat
30g
47%
Saturated Fat
14g
69%
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
145mg
48%
Sodium
340mg
14%
Potassium
200mg
6%
Total Carbohydrate
63g
21%
Dietary Fiber
2g
8%
Sugars
46g
Protein
8g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
15%
15%
Vitamin C
0%
0%
Calcium
8%
8%
Iron
10%
10%
Exchanges:
2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 6 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
4
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
© 2024 ®/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved