German Chocolate Cake Recipe
This decadent gâteau au chocolat is rich, gooey, and deeply satisfying. Made with melted chocolate, whipped egg whites, and just a touch of flour, it’s the perfect balance of light and fudgy. A French classic best enjoyed with cream or fruit.
Equipment
- Ovenproof dish
- Mixing bowls (at least 2)
- Electric whisk or hand whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Fine sieve
- Measuring scale or cups
- 20 cm cake tin
Ingredients
Cake
- ½ cup hot water
- 4 oz Baker’s German sweet chocolate chopped
- 1¼ cups unsalted butter softened
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 4 large eggs separated and at room temperature
- 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups granulated white sugar divided
Frost
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 large egg yolks lightly beaten
- 1 can evaporated milk
- ¾ cup unsalted butter cubed
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups sweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 °C and place the chocolate and butter in an ovenproof dish to melt gently in the warming oven.
- Once melted, remove and set aside to cool slightly.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with sugar and a pinch of salt until the mixture becomes pale and frothy.
- In another clean bowl, beat the egg whites into firm peaks.
- Combine the cooled chocolate-butter mixture with the yolk-sugar mixture, then sift in the flour and mix gently.
- Add a small amount of the whipped egg whites to loosen the batter, then carefully fold in the rest, ensuring no streaks of white remain.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and smooth the surface with a spatula.
- Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 25 minutes.
- Though some prefer 35 minutes, a slightly gooey centre is ideal—check with a knife; it should come out with a smudge of batter.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- For best results, use high-quality dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa.
- Be sure the bowl for whipping egg whites is completely clean and grease-free—any residue can prevent stiff peaks.
- Gently folding in the egg whites preserves the cake’s airy texture; don’t overmix.