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+ servings

German Chocolate Birthday Cake

Felesha Bell
Decadent layers of dark chocolate cake combined with traditional coconut pecan frosting and drenched in dark chocolate ganache makes this one birthday cake to remember!
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • Cake
  • 2 and ¼ cups all purpose flour
  • 3 tsp. baking powder
  • ¾ tsp. baking soda
  • ¾ tsp. fine sea salt
  • 12 T. unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup plus 2 T. Dutch process cocoa powder
  • 1 and ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 1 and ½ cups muscavado light brown sugar
  • 1 and ½ cups dark roast brewed coffee room temperature
  • 1 and ½ cups buttermilk room temperature
  • 3 eggs room temperature
  • 2 inch vanilla bean seeds scraped
  • Coconut Pecan Frosting
  • 3 egg yolks room temperature
  • 1 c. brown sugar packed
  • 1 and ½ sticks butter unsalted
  • 1 can evaporated milk
  • 2 inch vanilla bean seeds scraped
  • 1 pinch kosher salt
  • 2 c. pecans toasted,, chopped
  • 2 c. sweetened coconut
  • Chocolate Ganache
  • 1 c. heavy cream
  • 1 c. 60% cacoa chocolate chips
  • 2 T. light corn syrup
  • Coconut toasted optional garnish
  • Whipped cream optional

Instructions
 

  • Cake - Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and butter and line the bottom of 3 9-inch cake pans with parchment.
  • In a large bowl, toss flour, baking powder, baking soda, and fine sea salt. Set aside.
  • Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and whisk in Dutch process cocoa powder and cook for about a minute.
  • Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in both sugars.
  • Add in coffee, buttermilk , eggs and vanilla beans and whisk until smooth.
  • Pour the chocolate mixture into the flour mixture and stir until combined.
  • Divide the batter between the pans evenly.
  • Bake for about 30 minutes (check at 25) or until there are just a few moist crumbs picked up with a toothpick.
  • Let the cakes cool on a baking rack for 15 minutes to set. Invert onto the baking rack and allow to cool completely.
  • German Chocolate Frosting - Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
  • Whisk in milk, sugar, egg yolks and salt for about 15 minutes, stirring constantly.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla beans, coconut and toasted pecans.
  • Chocolate Ganache - Bring heavy cream to a simmer over low heat.
  • Place chocolate into a small bowl adding the heavy cream and corn syrup.
  • Allow the hot cream to melt the chocolate for about a minute.
  • Stir until completely combined and smooth. Allow ganache to sit for about 10 minutes.
  • Assembly - Place one cake onto a serving platter spread half of the frosting on the top only. Repeat with the 2nd cake layer and frosting. Top with final cake layer. Pour ganache over the entire cake. Decorate with toasted coconut. Serve slices with whipped cream. Say Grace and enjoy!
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