How To Make German Chocolate Cake

Make Ahead And Freezing Instructions:

To Make Ahead: Both frostings can be made ahead and placed in a covered container in the fridge. The coconut frosting will keep for 1-2 weeks, depending on the freshness of the ingredients used. The chocolate frosting will keep for 2-3 weeks. Remove frostings from the fridge an hour before youre ready to frost the cake, to give them time to come to room temperature.

To Freeze: After baking the cake layers, allow them to cool completely, then wrap them well in plastic wrap and stick each layer in a ziplock freezer bag. Freeze for up to three months. Frost the cakes when they are frozenthey are much easier to frost this way! The assembled German Chocolate Cake can also be frozen, covered well, for 2-3 months . Allow to come to room temperature before serving.

How To Make German Chocolate Bundt Cake:

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a 12 cup bundt cake pan with shortening, then dust with all purpose flour. .
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry cake mix and pudding mix.
• Add the eggs, buttermilk and oil. Mix. Then add in the melted chocolate. Mix well on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Fold in the coconut and mini chocolate chips.
• Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes
• Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a cake plate to cool completely.
• While the cake is cooling, prepare the chocolate glaze.
• Melt the chocolate, water and butter in a small pan over low heat. Stir constantly until smooth.
• Add the sugar and stir constantly until the sugar dissolves.
• Take the pan off the heat and add vanilla. Whisk until smooth.

• Drizzle the chocolate glaze over the warm glaze. Sprinkle with more coconut if desired.

German Chocolate Cake Origin

Let me introduce you to Samuel German.Sammy was a good guy.Id like to think he was a native-born American.Samuel German , on the other hand, was born in Biddeford, Devonshire, England.It is believed that he arrived in Dorchester, Massachusetts sometime around the 1830s or before.German met Walter Baker and became his coachman, subsequently working at Bakers chocolate factory, Walter Baker & Co., in New York City.

In 1852, German developed a recipe for a sweet and mild dark baking chocolate that was both sweet and mild.Sugar was promoted as a health food during those days.Despite the fact that Germans chocolate had more sugar than /Bakers Premium No.

1, the product was marketed as appealing, nutritious, and healthy, and is a big favorite with youngsters. 1 Sammarco, Anthony Mitchell, and others History of the Baker Chocolate Company, in a nutshell.History Press published a book in 2009 titled Germans formula was purchased by Walter Baker for $1000.Bakers Germans Sweet Chocolate was the name under which he sold it.Long before the late 1800s, the general people had already began referring to the product as German Sweet Chocolate, omitting the apostrophe and the letter S altogether.

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German chocolate cake is known for its rich custardy coconut pecan filling. Its delicious and has been a highly popular type of cake for decades.

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Why Did My Cake Collapse

This can happen for a few reasons. If too much baking powder or baking soda is added, it can cause a build-up of gas. This causes the center of the cake to rise too quickly before the rest of the cake finishes baking, then the center deflates. Another reason this happens is if you open the oven door halfway during baking. That causes the hot air to release, leading to a dramatic drop in oven temperature, which can also lead to collapsing.

How Do You Make German Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Cake

• Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease 3-8 or 9 inch round cake pans and lightly dust with cocoa powder. I like to make a 2 layer cake and set the 3rd aside for kids that dont like the frosting and my sisters with nut allergies.
• In mixing bowl , add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until well combined.
• Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well mixed. Reduce the speed to low and add boiling water to the cake batter a little bit at a time. Once the water is all mixed in, beat on high for about 1 minute.
• Evenly distribute cake batter between the prepared cake pans.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely.
• Make frosting while cake is baking, as it needs an hour to cool.

Coconut Pecan Frosting

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Tips On Making The Perfect German Chocolate Cake:

Make sure your eggs and butter are stored at room temperature.

Make sure your cake is completely cool before you frost it.

Prepare the frosting a day ahead of time and store in the refrigerator. Then remove from fridge and let it sit out for an hour at room temperature before you frost the cake, this will make it for easy spreading.

It is best to store this cake in the fridge.

How To Make German Chocolate Cake In A 9 X 13 Pan

If you prefer, you can make the cake in 13 x 9 baking dish. Bake the cake 3842 minutes until the cake springs back when lightly pressed. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

You can also make German Chocolate Cupcakes, which makes the cake easier to serve.

Ive added a video that shows just how easy this cake is to make.

• 17 oz. package sweetened flaked coconut
• 1cupsliced almonds

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German Chocolate Cake Simple Ingredients:

4 ounces or 1/4 pound package Germans Sweet Chocolate

White Granulated Sugar

Buttermilk

Vanilla extract

The German Chocolate can be found in most grocery stores in the baking section. It is usually a 4 ounce bar. Also if you do not have buttermilk you can easily make this simple substitution. I know some people dont like to buy a container of buttermilk so this is great to use!

Now for the delicious frosting you will need:

White Granulated Sugar

Pecans, chopped

Vanilla extract

As you can see the frosting and the cake both take eggs, which someone asked if that included the egg whites. Yes.. you use the entire egg, I would specify if it was different.

I recently remade this cake so we could update the photos and it is wonderful! My entire family agrees this cake is a definite keeper.

Full printable recipe in recipe card below.

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How To Make Coconut Pecan Frosting For German Chocolate Cake

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German Chocolate Cake Fun Facts

German Chocolate Cake Fun Facts Did you know that German chocolate cake is not actually from Germany? Its named after Sam German, an Englishman who created a type of dark baking chocolate in 1852.

The first known recipe for German chocolate cake appeared in a Dallas newspaper in 1957. This rich, moist cake is typically made with layers of devils food or black forest cake, filled and frosted with a coconut-pecan icing. Some recipes also include chocolate chips in the batter.

If youre looking for a showstopper dessert to make for your next party or potluck, give this classic cake a try!

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Tips From The Pillsbury Kitchens

• tip 1 To substitute for buttermilk, use 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice plus milk to make 1 cup.
• tip 2 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.
• tip 3 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.

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Add Instant Coffee To The Batter

Every coffee lover will love the idea of adding coffee to the chocolate cake. It is not a piece of news that coffee and chocolate go great together. So, why not add it to German chocolate cake, too?

Mix two teaspoons of instant coffee with half of the cup of warm water and include it in the unbaked batter. Make sure you add less water in the other step because if you add too much moisture, the batter will fall apart.

Who Created German Chocolate Cake

105 years after the creation of Germans Sweet Chocolate, The Dallas Morning News published a cake recipe by a Texas homemaker, Mrs. George Clay. She called her recipe Germans Chocolate Cake because it used that brands sweeter variety of chocolate.

General Foods, the owner of Bakers Chocolate Company at the time, noticed the recipe and distributed it throughout the country. Many publications decided to switch Germans to German making the widely recognized title German Chocolate Cake.

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Use Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

Although using unsweetened cocoa powder might not seem close to the actual chocolate used in German chocolate cake mix, it is a good and efficient substitute. Namely, if you do not have chocolate at your disposal, you can still obtain chocolate flavors using unsweetened chocolate powder. When cocoa powder is combined with butter and sugar, you will achieve the features by which German chocolate cake is characterized.

What Was In The Package

As soon as their van pulled away I opened the door, grabbed the package and discovered a store-bought cupcake inside: German chocolate with coconut pecan frosting. One of my all-time favorites! I ate every bite. No regrets!

Im so grateful that most grocery stores carry ready-made cakes and cupcakes like this, !

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Add The Milk And Eggs

Once you have finished all of your dry ingredients, we can move onto the wet ones, as is common in most baking recipes. At this time, toss in the milk, oil, and eggs. For a little bit of sweetness, you can also drizzle in the vanilla extract. You will only need a bit of vanilla extract, but trust us when we tell you that a little bit goes a long way. Keeping along with the same theme, grab your whisk and mix everything one more time until it’s just combined. Then, add the boiling water slowly. Whisk as you go until it’s all combined and just like that, you have your bake batter!

Start Preparing The Cake Batter

Now that you have all of your ingredients in front of you, we can get started with the prep work. For starters, go to the oven and preheat it to 350 F. Take out two round cake pans and both grease them and line them with parchment paper. This helps so that the cake doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan and you have a nice, smooth layer.

While you wait for your oven to preheat, there is more to do, so let’s get right into it. Take out a mixing bowl and start to add your dry ingredients. Start with the flour and cocoa powder. Be sure to use a sifter when you pour each one into the bowl. “Sifting ensures there are no lumps which helps everything to combine more smoothly,” Brookes shares. Continue adding dry ingredients to the mixing bowl, including the baking powder and the salt. Whisk all of the dry ingredients together to combine. Then, add the sugar and whisk again.

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Serving Suggestions And Leftover Tips

Another one of our favorite parts about this cake in particular is that there is plenty to go around, making it great for a crowd. Each cake yields 12 generous-sized slices. Brookes provides a few great suggestions on what to serve this decadent cake with. This is wonderful on its own, but Brookes also recommends serving “with ice cream, cream or some fresh berries.” If you have anything left , “leftovers should keep for up to 3 days at room temp .” There’s nothing better than a big slice of old-fashioned German chocolate cake, and with this recipe, it’s never been easier to whip it up in your kitchen!

Can I Freeze German Chocolate Cake And Coconut Pecan Frosting

Yes!

You have several options.

1- Bake cake layers and cool. Wrap in parchment paper, then foil, and freeze cake layers. Thaw at room temperature.

2- Bake cake and cool. Frost as directed. Freeze cake whole . Thaw at room temperature.

3- Bake cake and cool. Enjoy for several days. Wrap leftover SLICES in parchment paper then slide in ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

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What Is The Difference Between German Chocolate Cake Mix And Chocolate Cake Mix

The two most common cake mixes are German chocolate cake mix and chocolate cake mix. There are many other variations, too, so its important to get the right one for your recipe. Chocolate cake mix is the traditional recipe for German chocolate cakes.

It is a combination of sugar, eggs, butter, and baking powder that is cooked until thick and glossy. German chocolate cake mix can be substituted for any recipe that calls for chocolate cake mix. However, it is important to make sure the recipe you choose has at least 3/4 cup of cocoa powder.

Its Kind Of A Sad Story Actually

Last year, after several days of battling Covid, I was left completely alone on my birthday. Then a storm blew in. It was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Late that evening a van pulled up in my driveway. My grandchildren got out and stood in the rainstorm and sang Happy Birthday to me. I watched it all from inside my house, safety tucked away from them, tears streaming. They left a little package on the patio table.

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What Is German Chocolate Is There A Substitute

German chocolate is sweeter than traditional milk or dark chocolate and has milder chocolate flavors. In my opinion, the German chocolate really makes this recipe stand out and is easily why it tastes so delicious.

But, if you cant find German chocolate, and I have had this happen, there is a substitute. You can use either semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate and add one-half Tablespoon of sugar for each ounce needed.

Why Is It Called A Gateau

English borrowed gâteau from French in the mid-nineteenth century, and at first used it fairly indiscriminately for any sort of cake, pudding, or cake-like pieSince the Second World War, however, usage of the term has honed in on an elaborate cream cake: the cake element, generally a fairly unremarkable sponge, is

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Is There A Substitute For Bakers German Chocolate

There is no substitute for the delicious German chocolate. Whether you love brownies, hot cocoa, or a classic Milka, there is no doubt that German chocolate is the benchmark for all others. And if youre looking to add a little something extra to your chocolate experience, look no further than Bakers German Chocolate!

Why Is It Called German Chocolate Cake

Believe it or not, German Chocolate Cake was not brought to America by German immigrants.

American baker, Samuel German, developed a type of dark baking chocolate for the Bakers Chocolate Company. The brand name of the product, Bakers Germans Sweet Chocolate, was named in honor of him. And that is where the cakes name originates!

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How To Make The Original Bakers German Chocolate Cake Recipe

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line with parchment paper and grease 3 round cake pans or 2 . Set aside.

In a glass measuring cup microwave the water until boiling. Stir in the chocolate until completely melted and smooth. Set aside.

In a medium-size bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. About 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Stir in the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla extract.

Beat in the flour mixture in thirds alternating with the buttermilk, beating after each addition until smooth.

Divide the cake batter evenly into all three prepared cake pansabout 2 1/2 cups of batter for each pan.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly pressed in the center.

Transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pan back to the wire rack to cool completely before frosting.