This recipe is lightly adapted from the original “German’s® Sweet Chocolate Cake” recipe from Baker’s Chocolate Company, originating in 1957. Both the cake recipe and coconut-pecan frosting recipes are true to the original, with my addition of chocolate ganache to frost the sides of the cake. If possible, use German’s Sweet Chocolate bar by Baker’s Chocolate Company to make the cake layers. An acceptable substitute is a semisweet chocolate bar with cacao content of 50% to 56% (this percentage will be somewhere on the label). This recipe requires a cup of buttermilk. If you don’t have any on hand, see the recipe notes for a substitution using whole milk and vinegar. Special thanks to my Aunt Alice Welch Crutchfield for handing down her best recipe to me.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8” cake pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
Place the chocolate pieces in a medium bowl and pour over the boiling water. Add the instant coffee, if using. Let stand 1 minute; whisk together until the chocolate is melted and set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the cooled chocolate mixture and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk (begin and end with the flour mixture).
In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold half of the egg whites into the batter to loosen it using a large rubber spatula. Fold in the remaining egg whites. Divide the batter between the prepared pans.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick tester inserted near the centers of the cakes comes out clean. Immediately run a knife between the cakes and sides of the pans. Let cool 15 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and peel away the parchment paper. Cool completely on wire racks.
Coconut-Pecan Filling and Frosting
In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, butter, egg yolks, and vanilla. Cook on medium heat while stirring occasionally.
When the butter is melted, cook for approximately 12 minutes whisking constantly, or until the mixture thickens and turns golden. Remove from the heat.
Place the coconut and pecans in a large bowl. Pour the cooked mixture over them and stir to combine. Cool to room temperature and of desired spreading consistency.
Chocolate Ganache
Place the chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 100% power for about 1 minute 30 seconds. The cream should be steaming upon removal from the microwave. Let the mixture stand for about 60 seconds, then whisk together to combine. You can leave the ganache at room temperature to thicken. Or refrigerate it - checking and stirring it often- until spreading consistency.
Cake Assembly
Place a cake layer on an 8” cake board, a cake stand, or serving plate. Scoop 1/3 of the coconut-pecan frosting on top; spread as evenly as possible. Use a spoon or an offset spatula to push the thick frosting into place. Top with a second cake layer and repeat frosting. Top with the third cake layer and spread on the remaining coconut-pecan frosting. (At this point, you could serve the cake without the ganache covering.)
Spread a crumb coat of the cooled and thickened ganache on the sides of the cake. Refrigerate 15 minutes; add a second even coat to the sides. Immediately press chopped pecans into the bottom edge of the cake. Transfer any leftover ganache to a piping bag fitted with a small closed star tip, and pipe a shell border around the top edge (this is optional but pretty). Sprinkle any leftover chopped pecans on the shell border.
Line pecan halves within 1/2 inch of each other around the top edge of the cake.
Store the cake at room temperature in an air-tight cake keeper, or tightly under plastic wrap for up to 4 days. Or, to prolong freshness, store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. Bring slices of cake to room temperature before serving.
Notes
Buttermilk Substitute: Place 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice into a 1 cup measure. Fill the cup to the rim with whole milk. Stir. It may curdle a little; this is normal. Use in the recipe as a substitute for buttermilk. (There really is no perfect replacement for thick, rich and tangy buttermilk – but this substitution works well enough in this recipe.)2 Layers Instead of 3: Divide the cake batter between two 9-inch round cake pans; increase bake time by 10 minutes, or until cakes test with a clean toothpick.Toast Those Pecans! For the absolute best flavor, toast the pecans at 350F for 5 minutes. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. Chopped pecans can vary in size, and small pieces may toast quicker than larger pieces.Freezer-Friendly: The assembled cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. Chill the cake in the refrigerator first to firm up the ganache. Wrap well in plastic wrap, then double bag in extra-large zip-top freezer bags. Or, if you don’t have freezer bags large enough, wrap cake in at least four layers of plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil, to prevent freezer burn.
Keyword Baker's chocolate bar, buttermilk, coconut chips, egg whites, German chocolate bar, German Chocolate Cake, German's Chocolate Cake, pecan-coconut frosting, toasted pecans, white chocolate ganache