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German Chocolate Cake

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8
Author Margaret Bose Johnson

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • ½ cup (120mls) boiling water
  • ⅓ cup (60gms) chocolate chips
  • 1 cup (140gms) gluten free flour mix (or regular all-purpose flour for non gluten-free)
  • 2 tablespoons (20gms) cornstarch
  • ¼ cup (25gms) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup (200gms) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (120mls) oil
  • ½ cup (120mls) buttermilk* (see notes below)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the Coconut Pecan Topping:

  • 2 large egg yolks
  • ½ cup (120mls) light cream, milk, or canned evaporated milk use canned coconut milk for dairy-free
  • ½ cup (100gms) sugar
  • ¼ cup (57gms) butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup (85gms) toasted, flaked coconut, unsweetened
  • ¾ cup (75gms) toasted pecans, chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9 inch (24cm) springform pan and line the bottom of it with a circle of parchment paper cut to fit. While the oven is preheating, you can toast the coconut and nuts for the topping (see notes above).
  • Stir together the boiling water and chocolate chips. (I like to pour the boiling water into a one-cup glass measuring cup and add the chocolate chips.) Stir with a fork until the chocolate chips are melted. Allow to cool to lukewarm.
  • In a separate bowl, sieve the flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. (The cocoa powder can have lumps, so it's best to put all the dry ingredients through a sieve - no need to use a flour sifter.) Whisk the dry ingredients together and set aside.
  • In the mixing bowl of an electric beater, combine the eggs and sugar and beat them until they are light coloured and fluffy. Gradually add the oil, then the buttermilk and vanilla, then the lukewarm chocolate water, scraping the glass to get all the bits of chocolate out.
  • Add the flour mixture, one heaped tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat the batter for a further minute until it is smooth. It will be quite a thin batter, but thickens a bit as the flour gets absorbed.
  • Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake it for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top springs back when touched. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the pan.
  • While the cake is baking, make the topping: In a small saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks and cream or milk until they are well beaten. Add the sugar and butter and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until bubbles start to form. Continue cooking for 1 more minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla, coconut, and pecans. (See how to toast coconut and nuts in the notes above the recipe.)
  • Allow to cool completely, then spread over the cooled cake.
  • If this cake is not eaten on the first day (unlikely), it is best to store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days.
  • Makes one 9-inch (24cm) single layer cake.
  • TO MAKE A 3-LAYER GERMAN CHOCOLATE CAKE:
    triple layer German chocolate cake on a white stand
  • Double the cake recipe above and double the topping recipe, too.
  • Divide the batter among three round layer cake pans, greased and lined as above.
  • If using 9-inch (23cm) cake pans, bake them for 25 - 30 minutes and if using 8-inch (20cm pans), bake them for 30 to 35 minutes. (I used 9-inch/23cm pans in my photos.)
  • Let the cakes cool, then divide the cooled topping into roughly thirds. This will be enough to spread between the layers and on top of the cake, leaving the sides bare so you can see the layers.
  • If desired, you can also fill the three layers with the coconut-pecan topping, then frost just the sides of the cake with regular chocolate icing, leaving the coconut/nut layer on top.

Notes

To make a classic 3 layer cake; double the recipe above and bake it in three layer cake pans (I used 9-inch in the photos). Bake them for a shorter time (see recipe adaptation below).
Don't skip toasting the nuts and coconut - it really does make a difference in this recipe, where they are the star of the show.
How to toast nuts: Spread the nuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast them for 10-15 minutes in a 350°F (180°C) oven. How long it takes will depend on the size of the nuts. They should have darkened slightly in colour and be smelling nutty and toasty. Start checking them at 10 minutes and check every 2 minutes after, so they don't get too dark.
To toast coconut: spread the coconut out in a thin layer on a cookie sheet. Toast it for 5 to 8 minutes in a 350°F (180°C) oven. After 5 minutes, check the coconut and stir it, turning the browner flakes at the outside of the pan toward the middle. Check and stir it every minute after that until it has reached the shade of golden toastiness you like.
*To make a buttermilk substitute: Stir 1 teaspoon white vinegar into ½ cup (120mls) milk (dairy or non-dairy) and let it sit to curdle for 5 minutes, then use it in the recipe.
Canned evaporated milk is traditional in the original recipes. I've used light cream (also called cereal cream or half-and-half), and have also used 2% milk in a pinch (still tasted fantastic). To make the recipe non-dairy - use canned coconut milk.