German Chocolate Wedding Cake

A friend was getting married and she was doing a smaller celebration, but had invited me to be a witness. I wasn’t sure if she was going to have a cake, but I knew her favorite cake flavor and I wanted to make one for them, even if they were also having additional cake. So, I had this plan but didn’t tell her since I wanted it to be a surprise. I had also thought of incorporating these brownies somehow since they are one of her favorite treats but I didn’t think it would work well as a cake layer. I bought a box for the cake and it was a bit larger than I intended so I had to make a cake to match. I went from making “maybe a 3 layer 6 inch cake” to a 4 layer 8 inch cake with lots of frosting.

I didn’t actually know what made a German Chocolate cake a German Chocolate cake. Apparently it is called that because of the man who created it (last name is German). The filling is the special part that makes it what it is.

You can use any chocolate cake recipe, but I would recommend a darker one to balance the sweet filling.

As for the outside? You don’t need the frosting but I wanted it to look more like a traditional wedding cake.

The Fudgelet helped add the copious amounts of butter to the frosting.

Directions for German Chocolate Wedding Cake

Filling adapted from America’s Test Kitchen

Filling

• 3 egg yolks
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 7 ounces granulated sugar
• 4 Tablespoons (1/4 cup) butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, cook the egg yolks, evaporated milk, sugar, butter, and salt, whisking constantly. Once the mixture starts to boil, you want to watch for it to thicken slightly, which takes about 5-6 minutes.

Pour the mixture into a medium-sized bowl and stir in the coconut and vanilla.

Let it cool for about 5 minutes, stirring often, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.

When ready to assemble the cake, stir the pecans into the filling.

Cake Assembly

• 1 recipe chocolate cake (you want one that makes 2 8 inch layers that you can split into 4 total layers)
• Large batch of Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream
• Filling from above

Layer the filling between the cake layers, dividing it evenly in thirds (about 1 cup filling per layer).

Once you get to the top layer, you will use the buttercream to do a crumb coat on the sides and top of the cake.

Chill the cake at this point for about 15-30 minutes (until if you touch the frosting it won’t stick to your finger). Then, continue frosting and decorating the cake as desired.

You can use any extra sweetened coconut for the sides or top as well.

Directions for German Chocolate Wedding Cake (without pictures)

Filling adapted from America’s Test Kitchen

Filling

• 3 egg yolks
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 7 ounces granulated sugar
• 4 Tablespoons (1/4 cup) butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, cook the egg yolks, evaporated milk, sugar, butter, and salt, whisking constantly. Once the mixture starts to boil, you want to watch for it to thicken slightly, which takes about 5-6 minutes.

Pour the mixture into a medium-sized bowl and stir in the coconut and vanilla. Let it cool for about 5 minutes, stirring often, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.

When ready to assemble the cake, stir the pecans into the filling.

Cake Assembly

• 1 recipe chocolate cake (you want one that makes 2 8 inch layers that you can split into 4 total layers)
• Large batch of Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream
• Filling from above

Layer the filling between the cake layers, dividing it evenly in thirds (about 1 cup filling per layer). Once you get to the top layer, you will use the buttercream to do a crumb coat on the sides and top of the cake. Chill the cake at this point for about 15-30 minutes (until if you touch the frosting it won’t stick to your finger). Then, continue frosting and decorating the cake as desired. You can use any extra sweetened coconut for the sides or top as well.