German Chocolate Cake

When it comes to chocolate cake, it’s double stacked or nothing!  

When it comes to chocolate cake, there are a million different types of cakes you can make! All you need is a never-let-me down cake base that works perfectly for all those cakes you want to try.

This is it!

Such an easy cake recipe that’s super moist and overflowing with chocolate flavor. It’s smell alone will make you forget the original cake idea you had in mind. And make you want to eat it…now…

Of course a chocolate cake is only perfected when stacked with some kind of delicious filling in the middle. Because who doesn’t like a good yummy surprise when they cut into their cake for the first bite. I know I do!

For all you German Chocolate Cake lovers out there, this is a GREAT chocolate cake to pair with that delicious coconut frosting! At least I can vouch for it! And so can my family! We all love that Coconut Frosting!

The BEST German Chocolate Cake 

Ingredients:

1 and 3/4 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder (sifted)
1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 and 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
Chocolate Filling
Coconut Frosting (recipe below)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Prepare two cake pans (round or square) by greasing and lightly flouring them. This helps ensure a clean removal from the pans.

3. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4. Add the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla and stir on medium speed about 2 minutes.

5. Add the boiling water to the batter. It will be very thin at this point. Pour the batter into your prepared baking pans.

6. Bake for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake. Allow 10 minutes for the cakes to cool in the pan. Remove from pans onto wire rack and let them cool completely.

7. When the cakes have cooled, cut each cake evenly in half using a sharp serrated knife. You will end up with four thin cake pieces.

8. Arrange the first cake layer on the serving plate. Cover with chocolate filling. Repeat with the remaining layers adding a generous layer of chocolate filling between each layer.

9. If any extra filling remains reserve for decorating the top of the cake later. Place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

10. Using a spatula or knife spread the coconut frosting evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Make sure the frosting is completely cooled before beginning. Decorate the cake with the remaining chocolate filling by creating dollops with a decorating tip along the top edge of the cake.

Refrigerate until ready to serve!

And now for the greatest coconut frosting! The one that makes your chocolate cake into the famous German Chocolate Cake! Ta-da!

Oh heavens, how I love this stuff! Sticky, sweet, with the perfect crunch!

Coconut Frosting 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 cup Pecans, chopped
2 cups shredded coconut

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, mix together the sugars, butter, vanilla, and evaporated milk. Bring to a low boil over medium heat. Stir constantly for about 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to thicken slightly.

2. Remove from heat and stir in chopped pecans and coconut.

3. Allow to cool completely then refrigerate until ready to use. It is easier to frost the cake after the frosting has been refrigerated then left to thaw for a few minutes.

{Adapted from Tastes Better From Scratch}

Enjoy! This is a great way to celebrate a birthday!

Now you might be wondering where the final picture is, of the cake all frosted and looking beautiful. I’m wondering too! If you read about the crazy quick time we had to make this cake in my Chocolate Filling post then you will realize I really didn’t have time! We frosted the cake when we arrived to our friends house and even then it was a quick-get-it-together type of thing because it was a surprise. So bad lighting, impromptu peanut butter “icing” for letters = bad picture. But it was a delicious cake! Everyone loved it!! And for being impromptu in a foreign country, I’ll have to say it was great!

Ok, ok, I’ll give you a small little peak at what it turned out like. Not pretty but hey. When the crowd’s happy, that’s all that matters! Next time I make this, it’s getting a proper photo sesh. It definitely deserves it!