German Chocolate Cake
…Or, as I originally wanted to call it, “Not Your Mama’s German Chocolate Cake”. I’m taking some liberties with the traditional German Chocolate Recipe today. After lots of testing, I wasn’t satisfied with many of the classic versions of this cake. Maybe you’ve tried them before: Chocolate cakes made with melted bars of German chocolate and whipped egg whites. They yield a lighter but more dry and not terribly chocolatey cake. While I tried to love it, I kept going back to my classic chocolate cake instead. Maybe its my recent intense chocolate cravings (thank you, pregnancy), but I wanted a dense, fudgy cake that actually tasted like chocolate. While our caramel/coconut layer stays (fairly) true to tradition, this German Chocolate Cake is honestly the most decadent, best version I’ve ever tried. Which, of course it is or I wouldn’t be sharing it with you here today 😉. Let’s get to it.
German Chocolate Cake Frosting
When most people think of German Chocolate Cake, they usually think about the frosting. Traditional frosting is something of a cross between a frosting, a custard, and a caramel. The base is made primarily with egg yolks, evaporated milk, and brown sugar and cooked on the stovetop until thickened. Once cooked, we’ll stir in shredded (sweetened) coconut and toasted pecans. When making this frosting, it’s so important that you don’t turn up your heat too high or you’ll end up cooking bits of your egg. Also, make sure you let your frosting cool completely before trying to decorate your cake or you’ll likely end up with a runny mess.
This caramel-esque frosting is the only frosting that some German Chocolate Cake recipes use, and if that’s how you want to make yours then go for it. Personally I wanted a little bit more chocolate (shocking), so I made a simple chocolate frosting to frost the outside of the cake and decorate the top. I also used it as a dam on the first layer of the cake to help hold the coconut frosting inside, making it easier to frost the outside (see below).
Why is it Called German Chocolate Cake?
This cake actually does not come from Germany, it’s considered an American cake. The recipe was named because of the creator of German chocolate, a man named Samual German. However, these days German Chocolate Cake is now generally used to describe any chocolate layer cake frosted with this coconut/caramel frosting. And while I do feel a little guilty about cutting Mr. German’s chocolate out of our recipe today, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with the results. You can read here to find out more about the origins of this not-so-German cake.
Does German Chocolate Cake Need to be Refrigerated?
If you plan to enjoy your German Chocolate Cake within a day or two it will keep just fine at room temperature in an airtight container (so long as you aren’t in a particularly humid climate). You may refrigerate this cake, just be sure to keep in an airtight container (to help keep it from drying out, as refrigerators are notorious for drying out cake!). This cake will keep for a week in the refrigerator.
Can You Freeze German Chocolate Cake?
Yes! this cake can be frozen. It will keep for several months in the freezer, granted it is properly sealed and stored (I would wrap it well with plastic wrap and foil).
Enjoy!
More Recipes You Might Like:
Coconut Cake Hummingbird Cake Carrot Cake Marble Cake Or check out more of my Cake Recipes
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