This Easy German Chocolate Cake Recipe is a simple, yummy, and easy-to-make cake—just FIVE ingredients—but the results are spectacular! It is among one of my favorite cake recipes, and it just might become yours, too!
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Enter your email below and we’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Update: This Easy German Chocolate Cake recipe has been a family favorite for a long time, so I’ve updated it with a video and new photos and am sharing it again for new readers who may have missed it the first time around or haven’t made it yet.
So confession time—I’m a little bit picky about my chocolate cake. I love a good chocolate cake, as you can see by looking at all the cake recipes I have! It’s gotten to the point where each of my kids has a different favorite chocolate cake—my daughter prefers an old Hershey’s Chocolate Cake recipe that’s a little milder, while the boys prefer a rich Old-Fashioned Dark Chocolate Cake that really features the dark cocoa flavor.
And then there’s my husband who is crazy about this German Chocolate Cake. He always wants this cake for his birthday and he wants it to taste just like Mom used to make. My mother-in-law gave me her recipe for Coconut-Almond Frosting for German Chocolate Cake when we were first married, and I’ve been making it ever since!
We’ve tried several German Chocolate Cake recipes over the years. By far, the best and easiest we’ve found is Anne Byrn’s Chocolate from the Cake Mix Doctor, which has a recipe for German Chocolate Cake from a mix that is moist and delicious, even though it starts from a box. When combined with my mother-in-law’s Coconut-Almond Frosting, it is irresistible!
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Minimal ingredients: This recipe only calls for 5 ingredients! You might already have a few of them in your pantry.
- Rich and decadent: This cake includes layers of moist chocolate cake topped with a gooey coconut-pecan frosting!
- Customizable: This recipe is easy to adapt with different nuts or chocolate types.
Recipe Ingredients
Cake:
- German chocolate cake mix
- Buttermilk
- Vegetable oil
- Large eggs
- Pure vanilla extract
Coconut-Almond Frosting
- Butter
- Sugar
- Evaporated milk
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Sweetened flaked coconut
- Sliced almonds
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How To Make German Chocolate Cake
Recipe FAQs
I know some people prefer pecans in their German Chocolate frosting, and you can substitute pecans for the almonds in this recipe. However, if you’ve never tried German Chocolate Cake with an almond frosting, I strongly encourage you to give it a try!
If you prefer, you can make the cake in 13 x 9 baking dish. Bake the cake 38–42 minutes until the cake springs back when lightly pressed. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Add Chocolate drizzle on top! I just melt about ¼ cup of chocolate chips, put it in a Ziploc storage bag, snipped the corner, and drizzled a bit on top.
Expert Tips
- Baking layered cakes: If you’re making this cake for a special occasion, head on over to my Tips for Baking Layer Cakes post. It’s a handy guide I wrote up with all the tips and tricks I’ve picked over the years.
- For parties: You can also make German Chocolate Cupcakes, which makes the cake easier to serve.
- For easier mixing: You can also warm up the butter, sugar, and evaporated milk and temper the eggs before adding them to the saucepan.
- Don’t overmix: Don’t overmix the batter as it keeps the cake tender and prevents toughness.
More Cake Recipes To Consider
Did you try this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ rating below and share it on Instagram.
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Enter your email below and we will send it straight to your inbox. Plus you will get great new recipes from us every week!
Easy German Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 15.25 ounce package German chocolate cake mix
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Coconut-Almond Frosting
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 7 oz. package sweetened flaked coconut
- 1 cup sliced almonds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Mix the cake mix, buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl on low speed for one minute until combined. Beat at medium speed for two minutes more.
- Pour into two greased and floured 9 inch round pans. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes and remove from pans. I like to line my round cake pans with parchment paper before adding batter for easy removal from the pan
- You can also baked the cake in a greased and floured 13 x 9 baking dish. Bake 38–42 minutes until the cake springs back when lightly pressed. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Coconut-Almond Frosting
- Combine butter, sugar, evaporated milk and eggs* in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 12 minutes or until thickened. Add vanilla, coconut and almonds. Cool to room temperature before frosting cake.
Video
Notes
- You can also warm up the butter, sugar, and evaporated milk and temper the eggs before adding them to the saucepan.
- Chocolate drizzle, optional – I just melted about ¼ cup of chocolate chips, put it in a Ziploc storage bag, snipped the corner, and drizzled a bit on top.
- Chill before serving: Firms up the frosting for neater slices.
- Use a serrated knife for clean, even cuts when serving.
Jennifer
How far in advance can you make this cake?
Barbara Schieving
Hi Jennifer – if you wanted to make the cake part, you could make it a few weeks ahead of time and just put it in the freezer. Then add the frosting the day you want to serve it. The frosting starts to seep into the cake after a day or two.
Dardanella Jones
In regards to the Frosting on the German Chocolate Cake….why can’t 3-4 egg yolks be used in lieu of whole eggs? The eggs/yolks could be blended with the sugar, evaporated milk and vanilla….then add the butter and cook on medium heat for approximately 12 minutes. It thickens even more after adding the nuts and coconut, and given a chance to cool thoroughly.
Barbara Schieving
Thanks for the suggestion Dardanella. Definitely a great option.
Maryh
What did you use for the chocolate drizzle? And how much?
Barbara Schieving
Just a little melted chocolate – just a handful.
Barbara Schieving
Hi Mary – I just melted about 1/4 cup of chocolate chips, put it in a Ziploc storage bag, snipped the corner and drizzled a bit on top.
Katie
I have scrambled eggs in my icing.
Barbara Schieving
Hi Katie – if your eggs are not incorporated well into the milk, then you can get little bits of scrambled egg white. Next time try warming up the butter, sugar and evaporated milk and tempering the eggs (add a little of the warmed liquid to the eggs) before adding them to the saucepan. See the note at the bottom of the recipe for a link to more information about tempering eggs.
Holly Kirkland
Do I make the cake mix per the box instructions?? Then add the buttermilk and stuff on top of it???
Barbara Schieving
Hi Holly – no you don’t make the cake mix per the box instructions. Just add the buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla instead of the ingredients listed on the box.
Lisa
The frosting looks very blonde in color ?
Barbara Schieving
If you use a darker colored nut, such as pecans, the frosting does get a little darker.
Angela Morris
I tried the Easy German chocolate cake recipe with a few changes. I added a stick of butter, 2 tsp. of chocolate extract and 1 cup of chocolate chips. I also added a box of chocolate fudge pudding. I baked it in 2 9 inch layers. For the frosting, I used pecans instead of the almonds. Turned out great!
Carol Ramirez
Did you use the butter in place of the oil or in addition to the oil?
Angela M Morris
In place of the oil. It tastes like like a cake from the bakery. I also added a 4 oz bar of bakers sweet German chocolate.
Cathy
Were the chocolate chips, fudge and the 4 oz German all added in addition to the original receipt?
EILEEN SIGURTHORSSON
Can you make this “Easy German Chocolate Cake” in a bundt pan?
Barbara Schieving
Hi Eileen – you could, but the nice thing about doing it as a layer cake is you have more surface area for the frosting. You could make it a 9×13 pan too.
Monica Nunchuck
I used my bundt pan and cut it half using clean floss which gave me two layers.
Barbara Schieving
Fun idea – thanks for sharing Monica!
Janna
Help! I’ve been stirring the frosting mixture for about 12 min and it’s not thickening! Any suggestions??
Barbara Schieving
Hi Janna – try cooking it for a few minute longer should help. If cooking it longer doesn’t help, you can try adding another egg. Whisk some of the hot liquid into the egg to temper it and then add it to the mixture. Also, when you add in the coconut and almonds, that absorbs some of the liquid as well, so you don’t want it spreadable thick – the consistency of a thin pudding. It will also thicken as it cools. Hope that helps and that it worked out well for you!
Danae Peacock
What would you bake these at if you were making them into cupcakes?:)
Barbara Schieving
Hi Danae – I also did a cupcake version https://www.barbarabakes.com/german-chocolate-cupcakes-with-coconut-almond-frosting/ Enjoy!
Danae Peacock
Thank you!!:)
Vicky Gunter
Thanks for your help, I’m extremely grateful!
Sandra
I left it over medium, mixing constantly as instructed, and I’m left with coagulation. Yes, I’ve tempered the eggs prior. I’m so disappointed.
Barbara Schieving
Sorry Sandra that is disappointing. Perhaps your eggs need a bit more of the warm mixture when tempering.
Kitty Poyezdala
I used the Easy German Chocolate Cake receipe & it was delicious, but when I sliced it, it fell apart.I live in CO. Could this be because of the altitude?
Barbara Schieving
Hi Kitty – so glad you enjoyed it. I’m not sure why it would fall apart, but I don’t think it’s altitude since I bake at about 4,000 feet. Usually when you use a cake mix the additives the put in make the cake very forgiving. Perhaps you forgot an ingredient, or it wasn’t a typical cake mix?
Michelle
Im interested in making this into a 3 layer cake because I think it looks pretty….(and doubling the icing recipe). For how long should I bake it?
Barbara Schieving
Hi Michelle – I haven’t tried it, but your cook time should be about 25 minutes. I’m sure it will be spectacular. 🙂
Mary Bandow
Do you really mean 1 TABLESPOON of vanilla for the frosting? In the cake its 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract…is it 1 Tablespoon of pure vanilla extract for the frosting as well?
Barbara Schieving
Hi Mary – yes the recipe is correct. The cake is chocolate so you really don’t need as much vanilla in it. It’s mainly just to boost the flavor of the cake mix a bit. If you’re concerned about putting that much in the frosting, just add a little at a time and taste it and see if you want to add more. It’s really just a preference thing.
Lynn
Thank you, Barbara! This cake was exactly what I was looking for: easy (but a step above the overly simplified ones), with a 9×13 option (this cake had to travel). I used pecans in the frosting instead of almonds with confidence, as you had said in the comments section that the substitution could be made. Everything went just as you said it should, and I look forward to trying more of your recipes.
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Lynn! I look forward to you trying more recipes too.
Megan
How many oz are in the box cake mix you use? Some brands are different.
Barbara Schieving
Hi Megan – I used a traditional 18.25 oz. box, but others have had success using the recipe with a 15.25 oz box. I don’t know why they thought it was a good idea to reduce the size of a cake mix.
Danielle
What type of butter should I use? Salted or unsalted?
Barbara Schieving
Hi Danielle – it doesn’t make a big difference in this recipe. I just use whatever I have on hand. Probably salted would be better since there’s no salt in the recipe.
Alfreda
Looks amazeballs!! Have you ever made this recipe into cupcakes? If so, what is the baking time??
Barbara Schieving
Thanks! Yes I have and they’re just as amazing. 20 – 25 minutes https://www.barbarabakes.com/2010/10/german-chocolate-cupcakes-with-coconut-almond-frosting/
dodo2014
very nice