9 to 12 servings.
YouTube instructional video is at the bottom
If you need any assistance decorating the cake, please watch the decoration portion of the video starting at the 15.10 mark.
What you’ll need
All-Purpose flour
Sugar
Brown sugar
Baking powder
Baking soda
Cornstarch
2 Pounds Unsalted butter (Room temp)
Eggs (Room temp)
Sour Cream (Room temp)
8 ounces Sweet German’s Chocolate
Unsweetened Cocoa powder
Instant Coffee (Optional)
Vanilla extract
24 Fl oz’s Evaporated milk (2 cans total)
16 Ounces Chopped Pecans
14 Ounces of Sweetened flaked coconut
Confectioners’ Sugar
Baker’s Joy non-stick baking spray
Tools you’ll need
Two 9-inch round cake pans
Decorating comb
Coupler with screw and a Wilton #21 tip
Cake sifter
Hand or Stand mixer
Preparation of the cake
Step 1- Sift 2 1/4 Cups All-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/3 cup of Cocoa powder into a medium sized bowl. Stir all ingredients together.
Step 2- Add 2 Sticks unsalted butter, 1 cup sugar and 1 1/4 Cup brown sugar into stand mixer bowl. Mix on high speed for 4 minutes. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl during the 4 minutes.
Step 3-Add 3 eggs (Room temp) one at a time while mixing on medium speed. Once the eggs are incorporated add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and mix until combined. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl. Careful not to over mix.
Step 4- Melt 4 ounces of Sweet baking chocolate chopped into chunks in microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir until chocolate is smooth. Let come to room temp.
Step 5-Add 1/3 Cup hot boiling water into a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of instant coffee and stir. Let come to room temperature. If you don’t want to add the coffee add 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa and stir.
Alternating the All-purpose flour mixture and the sour cream mixture
Step 6- Add 1 cup of All-purpose flour mixture and 1/3 Cup sour cream (Room temp). Mix on medium speed until combined.
Step 7- Add 1 1/4 Cup All Purpose flour mixture, 1/3 Cup Sour cream (Room temp) and 4 ounces of melted sweet baking chocolate (Room temp). Mix on medium speed until combined.
Step 8- Add 1/3 Cup of Coffee mixture. Mix on medium speed until combined.
Baking the Cake
Step 9-Spray 9 inch round cake pans with non stick baking spray.
***Preheat oven to 325 degrees***
Step 10- Add German chocolate cake batter into 9 inch round baking pans. Spread batter around pans as evenly as possible. Shake and tap pans slightly to make batter more even in the pans.
Step 11- Place into a preheated 325-degree oven. Bake for 35 minutes. Once done remove cakes out of oven. Toothpick test inserted should come out clean. Let cool completely. Once cooled completely place in fridge for 30 minutes.
Making the Chocolate buttercream
Step 12-Add 2 sticks unsalted butter (Room temp) and 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar. Mix on medium low speed until combined.
Step 13- Add 1 cup confectioners’ sugar 1/3 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder. Mix on a medium-low speed until combined.
Step 14- Melt 4 ounces of sweet baking chocolate chopped in a microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir chocolate until smooth. Let come to room temperature. Once the melted chocolate has cooled, add it into the batter. Mix on medium low speed until combined.
Step 15- Add 2 tablespoons evaporated milk and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Mix on medium low speed until combined.
Making the coconut pecan frosting
Step 16-Add 2 1/2 Cups evaporated milk and 1/4 cup cornstarch into a medium sized bowl. Mix all ingredients together using a whisk.
Step 17- Chop 2 1/2 Cups Chopped pecans. This will break down some of the chunky pieces of pecans.
***Preheat fire to medium high heat***
Step 18- Add evaporated milk cornstarch mixture, 1 3/4 Cup brown sugar and 6 tablespoons unsalted butter into a medium sized pot. Stir all ingredients together. Continue to stir for 7 minutes or until mixture has thickened.
Step 19- Add 2 1/2 Cups Sweetened flaked coconut and 2 1/2 Cups chopped pecans. Stir all ingredients together. Let simmer for 4 minutes stirring occasionally.
Step 20- Turn fire off and add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Stir all ingredients together. Let cool completely. You can make the coconut pecan frosting a few days ahead of time. Store at room temperature.
Decorating your German Chocolate cake
Step 21- Trim the top portion of both cake layers using a sharp knife. Remove the top portion of cake and set aside.
Step 22- Take a small amount of chocolate butter cream and spread it onto your cake serving dish (Cake pad etc.). Add the first layer of cake on top of the cake serving dish. Press down slightly. This will prevent the cake from moving around.
Step 23- Add a coupler into your piping bag. Make sure that the piping bag fits part of the narrow portion of the coupler. Place the piping bag into a cup and fill with chocolate butter cream. You won’t need to add the decorating tip until you add the borders on your cake.
Step 24- Pipe a medium sized amount of chocolate buttercream around the top edge of the bottom layer of cake. Add a generous amount of coconut pecan frosting and spread the frosting until it reaches the chocolate buttercream border. Careful not to add too much coconut pecan frosting.
Step 25- Add the second layer of German chocolate cake on top of the first layer. Press down on the layer slightly. Using a spatula apply a crumb coat (small amount) of chocolate buttercream onto the sides of the cake while going all around the entire cake. Place cake in fridge for 30 minutes. Make sure you are smoothing out the frosting on the cake as well. If you are running into problems smoothing out the frosting warm your spatula first, then try again. Make sure your spatula is warm not hot.
Step 26- Apply the final coating of chocolate buttercream around the sides of the German chocolate cake. Make sure you are smoothing out the frosting on the cake as well. Take a decorating comb and go around the sides of the cake to give the sides of the cake a nice decoration.
Step 27- Add a generous amount of coconut pecan frosting on top of your German Chocolate cake. Spread the frosting around the top of the cake as evenly as possible. Careful not to let the frosting go over the edge of the cake.
Step 28- Add the Wilton # 21 tip on to the coupler with piping bag already in place. Pipe a border around the bottom edge of the cake.
Step 29- Pipe circular swirls on to the top edge of the German Chocolate cake. You can also pipe a regular border on to the top edge as well.
Store at room temp or in fridge. Enjoy!
YouTube instructional video
