German Chocolate Cake Recipe

The story of the German chocolate cake is thoroughly fascinating. Unlike what the name suggests, the term German chocolate cake is actually derived from an American with the last name German. It was in 1852, that Sam German created the mild dark baking chocolate for Baker’s Chocolate Co. The product was named after him and called Baker’s German’s sweet chocolate.

In 1957, the first published recipe for German’s chocolate cake showed up in a Dallas newspaper. It was after this that the cake became popular and its recipe along with the mouth-watering pictures spread all over the country. German recipes, and in particular German chocolate cakes are a blessing to anyone who has a sweet tooth. Read on for some German chocolate cake recipes.

German Chocolate Cake with Coconut and Pecan Frosting

Required Ingredients
For the cake

2¼ cups of all-purpose flour
1½ cup of granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons of baking soda
¼ teaspoon of salt
1 cup of butter (softened)
1 cup of sour cream
4 large eggs
4 ounces of sweet baking chocolate (melted)
½ a cup of milk
¾ teaspoon of vanilla extract

For the topping

¾ cup of evaporated milk
½ a cup of brown sugar
½ a cup of butter
1 can of coconut (flaked)
1 cup of pecans (chopped)

Instructions

To make the cake

First take a large bowl and combine the flour, sugar, salt, butter, baking soda, sour cream, milk, chocolate and vanilla in it.
Then beat the ingredients with a mixer until blended.
Now increase the mixer to high and beat for about 2 minutes longer.
Once that is done, use a spoon to put the batter into the 8-inch prepared pans.
Bake this in an oven that has been preheated to 350° for about 35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Leave the cake out to become cold.

To make the topping

Take a saucepan with evaporated milk, brown sugar, and butter and place it over a medium flame.
When it comes to a boil, remove it from the heat.
Then put in the pecans and coconut.
Now set this mixture aside to cool at room temperature.

Once the cake is cool, place one layer on a cake platter and spoon half of the coconut mixture onto the layer. Use the remaining topping to top the remaining cake layer.

German Chocolate Upside-Down Cake

Required Ingredients

1 cup of pecans (chopped)
1 cup of coconut
1 package of German chocolate cake mix
1 pound of powdered sugar
8 ounces of cream cheese (softened)
½ a cup of margarine (softened)

Instructions

First grease as well as flour a 9*13 pan.
Next pour the pecans and the coconut in the bottom of the pan.
Then follow the instructions on the box while mixing the cake mix.
Once that is done pour the mixture over the coconut and nuts.
Now mix the butter, cream cheese and sugar and drop spoonfuls of it on top of the cake.
Bake this mixture at 350° for 45 minutes or until it is done.

German Chocolate Cake

Required Ingredients

¼ cup of unsweetened chocolate (chopped)
¼ cup of semisweet chocolate (chopped)
½ a cup of water
1 cup of water
1 cup of unsalted soft butter
1 ½ cup of sugar
4 large egg yolks
4 large egg whites
2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of baking powder
½ teaspoon of salt
1 cup of milk
I teaspoon of vanilla extract

Instructions

First preheat the oven to 200° and melt both the chocolates with ¼ cup of water over simmering water.
Now cream together butter and 1 ¼ cups of sugar until it is light and fluffy.
Then slowly add the melted chocolate and the egg yolks one at a time.
Once that is done mix together the baking soda, flour, baking powder and salt.
Then add the dry ingredients to the chocolate/butter mixture alternatively along with the vanilla and milk extract.
Now beat the egg whites and whip in the ¼ cup of sugar until it is stiff and fold it into the dough.
Then put the dough into a buttered and floured cake pan and bake until a wooden stick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

By Rachna Gupta
Published: 10/31/2007