Quick Summary: A rich, layered German chocolate cake with coconut-pecan filling and chocolate icing, adapted from David Lebovitz. This is a project cake that requires attention, but the results are spectacular. Perfect for birthdays and celebrations.
Jump to: RECIPE | Tips for Beginners | 4 Key Components | Key Techniques | FAQ
One of our family’s traditions is surrounding birthdays is the “honoree” gets to dream up whatever their heart desires for their birthday dinner, and one of the other family members gets to make it. One year my son wanted a German Chocolate Cake and as I don’t bake that much it was a bit intimidating to say the least.
I adapted this version of German Chocolate Cake via David Lebovitz (the master) and was surprised and delighted with the results. Follow the directions carefully and you will be a proud cake-baker…guaranteed!
Tips for First-Time Success
When my (picky) son decided He wanted cioppino and German Chocolate Cake for his birthday dinner I was a little taken aback. I rarely bake and didn’t want to disappoint. The ciopinno was easy because I had a go-to recipe that was great and worked every time (see Cioppino recipe here), but the cake was truly intimidating. As I recalled, German Chocolate Cake was a bit on the fussy side.
But…a birthday dinner is not to be messed with, so I went to one of the tried and true masters of elegant pastries…David Lebovitz. The recipe required some steps I was not that familiar with (like cutting two cakes in half evenly for stacking) and the recipe definitely required close attention to detail, but I was baking with love.
And I gave myself the whole day so as not to be rushed. It was miraculous! It was a visual delight and the taste was out of this world.
I was so relieved and proud as a peacock (yes I basked in the oohs and ahs). Here are my “secrets” for a first time success on an elegant cake:
- take your time;
- read the directions a couple of times and pay attention to detail;
- if it doesn’t look perfect, do not despair as you can be guaranteed it is going to taste great
- if there is any left, if freezes really well (my son had to go back to college, so I froze it and I’ve been portioning out a bit at a time for my cheat days, which is a great thing to look forward to!)
The Components
This cake has four elements that come together:
- The cake layers: Rich chocolate cake made with both bittersweet and unsweetened chocolate
- The coconut-pecan filling: A cooked custard with toasted coconut and pecans
- The rum syrup: Brushed on each layer to keep the cake moist
- The chocolate icing: A glossy ganache for the sides and decorative border
Key Techniques
- Separating eggs: The yolks go into the cake batter; the whites get beaten separately and folded in for lightness.
- Toasting coconut and pecans: Toast both before adding to the filling. It deepens the flavor significantly.
- Cutting cake layers in half: Use a long serrated knife and turn the cake as you cut, keeping your eye on it for even layers. Some bakers use taut string, but a knife works fine.
- Making the custard filling: Cook until it coats the back of a spoon (170°F on an instant-read thermometer). Don’t rush this step.
FAQ
Yes. Bake the cake layers day one, wrap well, and refrigerate. Make the filling, syrup, and icing day two before assembling.
You can level them with a serrated knife before slicing in half. A slight dome is normal and won’t ruin the final result.
You can, but it adds moisture and flavor. Substitute vanilla extract in simple syrup if you prefer no alcohol.
It wasn’t cooked long enough or didn’t cool completely. It should be thick enough to spread without running off the edges.
Room temperature for a day, refrigerated for up to a week, frozen for longer. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Yes, though unsweetened gives you more control over sweetness. Either works.
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Classic German Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 oz bittersweet chocolate (or semisweet chocolate) shredded with a cheese grater
- 2 oz unsweetened chocolate chopped
- 6 Tbsp water
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) at room temp
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar divided into 1 cup and 1/4 cup
- 4 lg egg yolks yolks and whites separated and reserved in separate bowls
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 egg whites reserved from above
For the Filling
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter cut into small pieces
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ⅓ cups coconut (unsweetened or sweetened) toasted
- 1 cup pecans toasted and finely chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large egg yolks
For Rum Syrup
- 1 cup water
- ¾ cups sugar
- 2 Tbsp dark rum i.e., Meyers Rum
For the Chocolate Icing
- 8 oz bittersweet chocolate grated with cheese grater or chopped
- 2 Tbsp light corn syrup
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter two 9-inch cake pans, then line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper.
- Melt both chocolates together with the 6 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Use either a double-boiler or a microwave. I used a microwave on 50% for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir until smooth, then set aside to cool to room temperature.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the butter and 1 cup of the sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the melted chocolate and beat on medium speed until combined. Then beat in the egg yolks (yolks only), one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Over low speed, beat half of the dry ingredients (the flour mixture) into the creamed butter mixture until just combined. Add the buttermilk and the vanilla extract until combined and then beat in the rest of the flour mixture.
- In a separate bowl, beat the reserved egg whites on medium-high speed until they hold soft, droopy peaks. Beat in the ¼ cup of reserved sugar (slowly) and beat until they hold stiff, glossy peaks.
- With a spoon, fold about one-third of the egg white mix into the cake batter to lighten it, then fold in the remaining egg whites just until there’s no trace of egg white visible.
- Divide the batter into the 2 prepared cake pans, smooth the tops, and bake for about 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cake layers completely. While the cakes are baking and cooling, make the filling, syrup, and icing.
To make the Filling
- Put the butter, salt, toasted coconut, and toasted pecan pieces in a large bowl and set aside.
- Mix together the cream, sugar, and egg yolks in a medium saucepan.Heat the cream mixture and cook, stirring constantly (scraping the bottom as you stir) until the mixture begins to thicken and coats the back of a spoon (an instant-read thermometer will read 170°.)
- Pour the hot custard immediately into the bowl with pecan-coconut mixture and stir until the butter is melted. Cool completely to room temperature. (It will thicken.)
To Make the Rum Syrup
- In a small saucepan, heat the sugar and water until the sugar has melted and dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the dark rum. Set aside.
To Make the Chocolate Icing
- Place the 8 ounces of chopped chocolate in a bowl with the corn syrup and the 3 tablespoons of butter.
- Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it just begins to boil. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate. Let stand one minute, then stir until smooth.
- Let sit until room temperature. Once the filling and icing are both cooled to room temperature, refrigerate for 1 hour.
To Assemble the Cake
- Remove the cake layers from the pans and cut both cake layers in half horizontally, using a serrated bread knife (some bakers cut cakes in half with a string pulled taut, but the knife worked well for me. Just keep your eye on it so you are cutting it evenly). You will now have 4 cake layers. .
- Set the first cake layer on a cake plate. Brush the top of this layer well with the rum syrup. Spread ¾ cup of the coconut filling over the cake layer, making sure to reach to the edges
- Set another cake layer on top. Repeat, using the syrup to brush each cake layer, then spreading ¾ cup of the coconut filling over each layer, including the top layer.
- Ice the sides with the chocolate icing, then pipe a decorative border of chocolate icing around the top, encircling the coconut topping (I used a plastic ziplock bag with a hole cut out and just squirted dabs around the edges. While not as professional, it worked fine for a non-baker).
- (It may seem like a lot of chocolate icing, but use it all. It is very, very good).
Dorothy Stainbrook says: 
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