German Chocolate Cake has been a favorite dessert in my family for as long as I can remember. My dad requests it for every birthday and my grandmother’s famous recipe is safely stowed in every family member’s recipe box. Because my dad’s side of the family does in fact hail from Germany, I never questioned the assumption that German Chocolate Cake was, well… German. So you can imagine my surprise when I learned that was not the case!
Turns out the cake was created right here in the United States by Sam German in 1852. That news did change our perception of this treat, but it in no way did it change our undying love. I’m sure you understand if you’ve ever tasted a slice!
Most German Chocolate Cake ingredient lists stick pretty close to the original and you’ll find that true with this version as well. A moist cake made with German baking chocolate, topped with coconut pecan frosting- a heavenly combination. The one thing we have changed is the form of the cake. Instead of fussy layers, we’ve opted for an easy sheet cake that bumps up the ratio of frosting to cake and ensures that every bite is perfectly moist and delicious! When the frosting is this good, you want as much of it per bite as you can get.
Since this version is a bit easier to make than the original, you can whip it up for any occasion. Birthdays, holidays, church potlucks, there’s no wrong time for a sweet treat like this one. Sheet cakes are perfect for feeding a big group since you can easily get 16 large servings (or many more smaller servings) out of the one cake. Though, with a cake this tasty, folks are bound to go back for seconds!
Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 cup water
½ cup butter (1 stick)
½ cup shortening
4 oz German baking chocolate
½ cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Frosting
12 oz can evaporated milk
3 egg yolks
¾ cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 ½ cups shredded coconut
1 ½ cups pecans, roughly chopped
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
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