German Chocolate Cake

Featuring a rich chocolate cake and a delicate custard topping packed with shredded coconut and pecans, this German Chocolate Cake can be served right from the pan! Perfect for a crowd and is so easy to make, you'll never want to make the layered version again! Make this with einkorn flour or any wheat.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword 10x15 cake, 10x15 german chocolate cake, Classic German Chocolate Cake, Dallas texas 1957 German Chocolate Cake Recipe, German Chocolate Cake, German Chocolate Cake Recipe, german chocolate cake without buttermilk, german chocolate sheet cake, german chocolate sheet cake recipe, old fashioned german chocolate sheet cake, original 1957 german chocolate cake

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings Servings

Calories 383kcal

Ingredients

Cake

4 ounces German sweet chocolate chopped
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup butter melted
1/2 cup milk or buttermilk
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/4 cups all-purpose einkorn flour (390g)
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping

3 egg yolks
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 tsp molasses
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 10×15-inch glass baking pan. Set aside.
In a large glass or metal bowl, add chopped chocolate.
Pour the boiling water over the chocolate. Whisk until the chocolate has melted and is fully combined into the water.
Add the butter, milk, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until well-combined.
Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in just until smooth, but don’t overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.
Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool while you make the topping.
Add the egg yolks, milk, sugar, and molasses to a large saucepan. Whisk until combined. Add butter to the saucepan and cook over low heat.
Cook for 5-10 minutes, whisking regularly, until the mixture has thickened.
Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Add coconut and pecans, and stir until everything is well combined.
Dollop the topping evenly over the cake and then spread it with a spatula. Cool to room temperature before serving.

Notes

NOTE: If using a metal pan, preheat the oven to 350°F instead.

Tips for the Best German Chocolate Sheet Cake!

I’ve made this cake countless times over the last 30 years, and here are a few of my favorite tips for the perfect German Chocolate Cake experience!

Don’t overbake – Start checking at 25 minutes! A toothpick should come out with just a few moist crumbs, not completely clean. Overbaking dries out the cake and the custard topping won’t be able to compensate for that.
Let the cake cool before topping – Adding the hot custard to a hot cake works fine, but letting the cake cool for at least 15 minutes first gives you a slightly firmer base that holds the topping beautifully.
Toast your pecans – This is optional but highly recommended if you want a deeper flavor in your topping! A quick 5 minutes in a dry skillet over medium heat brings out a much deeper, nuttier flavor in the pecans that takes the topping to the next level.
Glass pan vs metal pan – A glass pan bakes more evenly and slowly, which is why we recommend 325°F for glass. If you use a metal pan, increase the temperature to 350°F. Either works great, just don’t swap the temperatures!
This cake gets better the next day – The custard topping soaks slightly into the top of the cake overnight and the flavors deepen significantly. If you can make it the day before your event, do it!

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