Short answer
German chocolate cake is an American layer cake made with a mild baking chocolate and filled and topped with a cooked coconut and pecan frosting. The name comes from a baker named Samuel German, not from Germany.
German chocolate cake is an American layer cake of tender chocolate layers filled and topped with a cooked coconut and pecan frosting, and the name has nothing to do with Germany. The word comes from Samuel German, a baker who developed a mild sweet baking chocolate that the original recipe called for.
What is German chocolate cake?
German chocolate cake is a multi-layer chocolate cake finished with a golden, chewy frosting made from evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, butter, shredded coconut and chopped pecans. The cake itself is a soft, mildly chocolate layer, and the frosting gives the slice its character.
Unlike many frosted layer cakes, the frosting is not whipped. It is cooked on the stove like a thick custard, cooled and spread between the layers and on top. Names for the same cake include German’s chocolate cake, the older form of the name, and coconut pecan chocolate cake.
Why is it called German chocolate cake?
The cake is named for Samuel German, an English-born American baker who developed a dark baking chocolate for the Baker’s Chocolate Company in 1852. The company named the product Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate, using his surname.
A recipe for a cake using that chocolate was printed in a Dallas newspaper in 1957, submitted by a home baker, and demand for the chocolate rose as readers copied it. Over time the possessive form dropped out, and people started reading the name as if it meant the cake was from Germany. Food historians agree on this general story, though some small details of the early recipe’s author are retold differently in different sources.
What are the parts of a German chocolate cake?
A German chocolate cake has three parts: the chocolate cake layers, the cooked coconut pecan frosting and an optional chocolate frosting on the sides. Each part is made separately.
| Part | What it is made from | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Cake layers | Flour, sugar, butter, eggs, buttermilk, mild chocolate or cocoa | Soft, tender base |
| Coconut pecan frosting | Evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, butter, coconut, pecans | Filling and topping |
| Side frosting (optional) | Chocolate buttercream | Covers bare sides |
Buttermilk is common in the cake batter because it softens the crumb. Toasted pecans and toasted coconut deepen the frosting flavor.
How is German chocolate cake different from regular chocolate cake?
German chocolate cake differs from regular chocolate cake in its milder chocolate flavor and in its cooked coconut pecan frosting. A regular chocolate cake usually carries a darker, more bitter crumb and a buttercream or ganache.
Key differences:
- Chocolate strength. German chocolate uses a sweet baking chocolate, so the layers taste lighter than devil’s food.
- Frosting. The coconut pecan frosting is cooked and chewy, not whipped and smooth.
- Texture. The crumb is soft and the topping is textured with coconut and nut pieces.
- Look. The sides are often left bare, showing the layers.
How do you make German chocolate cake frosting?
Cook evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks and butter over medium heat until thick, then stir in coconut and pecans and cool it before spreading. The mixture needs constant stirring so the egg yolks do not scramble.
- Whisk the evaporated milk, sugar, yolks and butter in a saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring, for about 10 to 12 minutes until it thickens and coats a spoon.
- Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla, shredded coconut and chopped pecans.
- Let it cool to room temperature, stirring now and then.
The frosting thickens as it cools. If it sets too firm, a spoonful of evaporated milk loosens it. A detailed walk-through of the topping, how long it keeps and how to spread it is a separate topic, covered in its own guide on this site.
How do you assemble and serve the cake?
Level the cooled layers, spread a thick layer of frosting between each, and finish with the remaining frosting on top. The cake is usually three layers tall, and a serrated knife gives clean slices.
Serve it at cool room temperature. A cold slice makes the butter in the frosting firm and chewy, while a slightly softer slice tastes richer. Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for a few days because of the egg and milk in the frosting.
What does German chocolate cake taste like?
German chocolate cake tastes mildly of chocolate, butter and caramel, with the toasted flavor of coconut and pecans on top. The cake layers are sweeter and softer than a dark devil’s food, so the frosting leads each bite.
The mix of textures is part of the appeal: a tender crumb under a chewy, slightly crunchy topping. Because the chocolate is mild, the cake suits people who find very dark chocolate cake too bitter. It is a common choice for birthdays in the United States, and many families treat it as a home-baking tradition passed from one cook to the next.
Can you make German chocolate cake ahead of time?
Yes, the layers and the frosting can both be made a day ahead and assembled later. Wrapped layers keep at room temperature overnight, and the cooked frosting keeps in a covered container in the refrigerator.
Assemble the cake on the day you plan to serve it, or the night before at most, then keep it chilled. A cake that has sat in the refrigerator tastes best after 30 minutes at room temperature, when the butter in the crumb and frosting softens again. Freezing a finished cake is possible but changes the texture of the coconut, so freezing the unfrosted layers is the safer choice.
How does German chocolate cake connect to Minos Bakery in Pleasantville?
Minos Bakery in Pleasantville, New Jersey, is recorded as making cakes, pastries, cookies and donuts, with chocolate cake and strawberry shortcake mentioned by Google reviewers and a community listing. German chocolate cake is not named on any listing, so it is not known whether the shop makes it.
A community listing says Minos Bakery cakes are special-ordered, so a customer can ask about a flavor by phone at (609) 641-2942. No menu or prices are published. The menu page lists what the guide could confirm, and the hours and location page has the address and opening hours.
What goes wrong with German chocolate cake?
The common problems are scrambled frosting, a runny topping and dry layers. Each has a simple cause and fix.
- Scrambled frosting. The heat was too high. Keep it at medium, and stir constantly.
- Runny frosting. It was not cooked long enough or not cooled. Cook until it coats a spoon and cool fully.
- Too sweet. Use unsweetened shredded coconut, which balances the sugar.
- Dry layers. Pull the cake when a toothpick shows a few moist crumbs.
- Soggy pecans. Stir them in only after cooking, and toast them first for crunch.
Common questions
Is German chocolate cake really German?
No. The cake is American. The word German comes from Samuel German, who created a sweet baking chocolate in the 1850s. The cake recipe that made the name famous appeared in a Texas newspaper in 1957.
What does German chocolate cake taste like?
It tastes mildly chocolatey, buttery and sweet, with a chewy, caramel-like coconut and pecan topping. The cake layers are less intensely chocolate than devil’s food, so the frosting leads the flavor.
Is the frosting on the sides of the cake?
Traditionally the coconut pecan frosting goes only between the layers and on top, leaving the sides bare. Some bakers add a chocolate frosting on the sides for a neater look.
Can I make German chocolate cake without baking chocolate?
Yes. Many home bakers use cocoa powder with extra sugar, or a mix of cocoa and semisweet chocolate. The flavor is a little more bitter, but the coconut pecan frosting balances it.
Do I need to refrigerate German chocolate cake?
The cooked frosting contains eggs and evaporated milk, so a cake that will sit longer than a few hours is usually kept in the refrigerator, then brought to cool room temperature before serving.
Everything practical is on the home page: Minos Bakery hours, menu and directions.
This article is general information from an independent guide, not from Minos Bakery itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.