German Chocolate Sheet Cake

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German Chocolate Sheet Cake

This easy German Chocolate Sheet Cake is rich, moist, and topped with a buttery coconut-pecan frosting that tastes just like the classic, without the fuss of layers!

Prep Time25

Cook Time50

Total Time1 15

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: slices

Calories: 718kcal

Author: Jessica Burgess

Ingredients

For the Cake:

1 cup purified water
4 ounces German sweet baking chocolate roughly chopped
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk room temperature

For the Coconut Pecan frosting:

1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large egg yolks
½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, cubed
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans toasted

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9x13-inch baking pan with a light coating of nonstick cooking spray, then line it with parchment paper.
In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup purified water to a simmer. Add 4 ounces of chopped German sweet baking chocolate and stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Remove from heat, pour into a clean bowl, and let it cool slightly while you prepare the rest of the steps.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, ½ teaspoon of baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Set aside.
Add 1 cup (2 sticks) of softened unsalted butter and 2 cups of granulated sugar to a large mixing bowl. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes or 1 ½ to 2 minutes with a stand mixer until the mixture is pale, creamy, and fluffy.
It should look lighter in color and spread like soft frosting, with the sugar no longer appearing gritty. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl once while creaming the butter and sugar to ensure everything is evenly incorporated.
Add 4 large eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract.
Add the melted chocolate mixture and beat until the batter looks smooth and no streaks remain.
With the mixer on low speed, add half of the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Pour in 1 cup of buttermilk and blend gently. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix on low until the batter is smooth and no streaks of flour remain. Be careful not to overmix.
Pour the batter evenly into your prepared pan. Bake for 40–45 minutes. Begin checking the cake for doneness at 35 minutes, as oven temperatures can vary. The cake is ready when the edges pull slightly away from the baking pan, the center springs back when gently touched, and a cake tester or toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. If the edges look done but the center needs more time, loosely tent the cake with foil for the last 5 minutes. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack.
To make the frosting, place a saucepan over medium heat and whisk together 1 cup of evaporated milk, 1 cup of granulated sugar, 3 large egg yolks, and ½ cup (1 stick) of cubed unsalted butter. Whisk constantly as the mixture cooks over medium heat until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and a path holds when you run your finger through it, about 8 to 10 minutes. If it still appears thin at that point, continue whisking and cooking for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. The mixture often thickens suddenly near the end. As soon as it thickens, remove the pan from the heat immediately to prevent the mixture from curdling.
Remove from the heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, 1 ½ cups of coconut, and 1 cup of toasted pecans. Transfer the mixture to a clean bowl and let it sit for 20-25 minutes to thicken, then spread it. It may seem a little loose when hot, but it sets up as it cools.
Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Slice into squares. ENJOY!

Video

Notes

If your frosting turns grainy, whisk in a tablespoon of evaporated milk off the heat to smooth it out.
Always let the cake cool completely before frosting — otherwise, it’ll slide right off!

Nutrition