German chocolate cake recipe

6 Method Steps

Step 1

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan forced. Grease two 18cm (base size) round cake pans. Line the bases and sides with baking paper.

Step 2

Whisk together the caster sugar, flour, cocoa, bicarb, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil, boiling water and vanilla. Whisk until well combined and smooth. Divide half of the mixture evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centres comes out clean. Set aside in the pans for 10 minutes to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Grease and reline pans. Repeat the process, using the remaining cake mixture to bake 2 more cakes.

Step 3

Meanwhile, to make the coconut pecan filling, place the caster sugar, evaporated milk and egg yolk in a large saucepan. Whisk until combined. Add the butter. Place over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 4-5 minutes or until the butter melts. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for another 10 minutes or until the mixture starts to boil and thicken. Remove from heat and stir through the coconut, pecans and vanilla until combined. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool completely.

Step 4

To make the chocolate buttercream, use a stand mixer with paddle attachment on medium-high speed to beat the butter for 6-8 minutes or until pale and creamy. Reduce speed to low. Add the icing sugar, cocoa and milk. Beat until well combined. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 3-4 minutes or until fluffy. Spoon 1 cupful of the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle. Spoon another 1 cupful into a piping bag fitted with a large fluted nozzle.

Step 5

Use a large serrated knife to trim and level the top of each cake. Pipe a little buttercream in the centre of a serving plate. Place 1 cake, cut-side up, on the plate. Use the plain nozzle piping bag to pipe a ring of buttercream around the top edge of cake. Fill with one-third of the coconut pecan filling. Repeat layering with the remaining cakes, buttercream and coconut pecan filling, finishing with the final cake, base-side up. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.

Step 6

Spread the remaining buttercream over top and side of cake. Use an offset palette knife or cake scraper to smooth the top and side. Reserve a few whole pecans then roughly chop the remainder. Gently press the chopped pecans around the base of cake. Use the fluted nozzle piping bag to pipe swirls of buttercream around the top edge of the cake. Decorate the swirls with reserved whole pecans and coconut flakes. Drizzle caramel spread over top and side of cake to serve.