The most amazing traditional German Chocolate Cake that's moist, rich, and layered with gooey, sweet coconut pecan frosting. This homemade classic version is the best you'll ever have!
Grease three 8-inch cake pans (or two 9-inch) with butter. Line with parchment paper. Set aside.
Sift or mix flour, salt, and baking soda together in a bowl. Set aside.
Melt chocolate in a small bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring between each interval, until chocolate is fully melted. When chocolate is fully melted, set aside to cool a bit.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Mix in cooled chocolate and vanilla.
Add ⅓ of the flour mixture. Beat until combined. Add in ⅓ of the buttermilk, beating again to combine. Continue adding flour alternately with buttermilk, until all ingredients are mixed in.
In a separate large clean mixing bowl, beat egg whites with a hand or stand mixer until stiff peaks form.
Fold stiff egg whites into cake batter mixture.
Pour into cake pans (three 8-inch or two 9-inch).
Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes, until cooked through.
Allow to cool for 15 minutes before turning out of pan onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.
Directions for Coconut Pecan Frosting:
Mix all ingredients, except coconut and pecans, together in a medium to large saucepan.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 12 minutes. Frosting will thicken a tiny bit more after cooling. Remove from heat when frosting has thickened.
Fold in coconut and pecans. Allow frosting and cake to fully cool before assembling.
To assemble, spread ⅓ of the filling mixture between each of the 3 layers. Top with the remaining third.
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Notes
Buttermilk - If you don't have any buttermilk on hand, use this easy buttermilk substitute with ingredients you probably already have at home!
Cake Flour: If you don't have any cake flour on hand, simply add 2 ½ tablespoons cornstarch to the bottom of your measuring cup. Then fill the rest of your measuring cup(s) normally to measure the full amount of flour. (Only 2.5 tablespoons total) Check out this cake flour substitute guide for more info.
Chocolate Buttercream can be used to frost the outside of the cake and pipe along the edges for a more finished look, if desired.
Melt the chocolate in short intervals, stirring after each increment, to avoid seizing and burning. It will take a few times to get it all the way melted, but it's really important to keep the chocolate from burning.
9x13" Cake: Bake in a buttered 9x13" baking dish at 350°F for about 40 minutes. Top with coconut pecan frosting.
Make Ahead Instructions: Prepare and bake cake. Wrap individual layers tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Make coconut pecan frosting to fill. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before assembling.
Storage: Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.
Freezer Instructions: Frosted cake freezes well, up to 3 months. Freeze, then cover tightly and return to freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature or serve cold.