This high altitude German chocolate cake might be my husband’s favorite of all the cakes I make. And I bake a lot of cakes! My recipe features a high altitude dark chocolate cake that’s super moist and flavorful from whole milk and sour cream. And the sweet caramel frosting that’s full of pecans and coconut, and spiked with a little bourbon, makes it so indulgent. It’s rich, sweet, creamy, crunchy, and just a bit salty. The perfect filling for the dark chocolate cake. And to top it all off, swirls of fluffy chocolate buttercream. What’s not to love about this cake?
Looking for more recipes like this one? You might also love this butter pecan pound cake with bourbon icing, caramel apple bourbon crumble, and oatmeal with caramelized bourbon bananas and hazelnuts.
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History
Traditionally, German chocolate cake is a mildly-flavored chocolate cake made with sweet baking chocolate. Its origins can be traced back to 1852 when an American baker named Samuel German developed a type of baking chocolate for the Baker’s Chocolate Company. A Mrs. George Clay then created a chocolate cake recipe, using the baking chocolate, and the cake was named German’s Chocolate Cake. As the cake became more popular, German’s was changed to German, and the name of German chocolate cake was born. So this cake is not, in fact, German in origin, but American.
My high altitude recipe for this cake is a bit nontraditional, in that instead of a light, mild chocolate cake, I make mine dark and rich. Because that’s what I like when it comes to chocolate. The dark chocolate also helps to balance the sweetness of the caramel filling, so that the combination of the cake and filling doesn’t end up too sweet.
Why We Love This Cake
- Easy to make. Just quickly mix up the cake batter with a bowl and whisk, and cook the frosting on the stove in just a few minutes.
- So many good textures. With the soft, moist cake, and the creamy, crunchy, salty caramel frosting, this cake has everything I want in a dessert.
- Bourbon. Everything is better with a little bourbon, am I right?
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- All-Purpose Flour. All-purpose flour, rather than cake flour, is my preferred flour for chocolate cakes. It makes a delicious cake with a soft, fluffy cake crumb.
- Granulated Sugar. Sweetness and moisture.
- Cocoa Powder. This wouldn’t be a chocolate cake without cocoa powder. I always use Dutch-processed cocoa powder, and prefer the Rodelle brand for every day baking. Drost is also fantastic, with a super-fine texture and rich flavor. You should not use a “natural” cocoa powder in this recipe, or it will not rise correctly.
- Baking Powder + Baking Soda. Leavens the cake, reacting with the acid, and makes it rise.
- Salt. Enhances the flavor of the chocolate and balances the sweetness.
- Eggs. Add structure, fat and richness.
- Whole Milk + Sour Cream. Provide moisture and fat for a soft, tender cake, and acidity to react with the leavening and help the cake rise.
- Vegetable Oil. A little extra moisture.
- Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
Caramel Filling
- Heavy Whipping Cream. Makes the filling rich, creamy and thick.
- Brown Sugar. Adds sweetness and notes of caramel.
- Egg Yolks. Adds richness and thickens the filling.
- Bourbon. Flavor.
- Salt. Balances the sweetness.
- Butter. Adds richness and flavor, and helps to thicken the filling as it cools.
- Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
- Pecans + Coconut. Traditional ingredients in a German chocolate cake filling.
Chocolate Buttercream
- Unsalted Butter. Adds richness, fat and flavor.
- Powdered Sugar. Sweetens and thickens the buttercream.
- Cocoa Powder. Gives the buttercream its chocolate flavor.
- Meringue Powder. Improves the texture and stabilizes the buttercream.
- Coarse Kosher Salt. Balances the sweetness.
- Vanilla Extract. Complements the flavor of the chocolate.
- Milk. Thins the buttercream for desired consistency.
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, and spray the bottoms of three 8-inch cake pans with non-stick spray.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Separately, whisk together the eggs, milk, sour cream, oil and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and whisk until combined, about 15 seconds.
- Divide the batter between the pans. Bake on the center oven rack for about 22-28 minutes, until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly touched, or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Set the pans on a cooling rack, cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel, and cool completely before frosting.
Filling
- In a saucepan, whisk together the cream, brown sugar, egg yolks, bourbon and salt. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, whisking constantly, until the mixture gets thick and bubbly. Remove from the heat.
- Whisk in the butter until melted, and stir in the vanilla, pecans and coconut.
- Set aside to cool completely to room temperature.
Buttercream
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for 1 minute until smooth.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, meringue powder and salt, mixing to combine.
- Add the vanilla, and increase the speed to medium (#4-6 on a Kitchen Aid mixer); whip for 4-5 minutes until very light and fluffy, scraping the bowl down occasionally, and only adding the milk if needed for desired consistency.Turn the speed down to “stir” and mix for 2 minutes to eliminate big air bubbles.
Assembly
- Remove the cooled cakes from the pans. Place one cake layer on a cake board, and frost with half of the coconut pecan filling. Set a second layer of cake on top, and frost with the remainder of the coconut pecan filling. Set the third layer of cake on top.
- Frost all over with a thin crumb coat of buttercream. This will help seal in the cake crumbs, and keep the filling from ending up in your final layer of buttercream. Refrigerate the cake for 30-60 minutes to set and chill the crumb coat, keeping the bowl of remaining buttercream covered.
- Frost the cake all over with a final, swirly layer of buttercream. If you like, sprinkle some chopped pecans and coconut on top.
Recipe Variations
- Bourbon. The bourbon is totally optional, but it adds a little extra special something to this decadent frosting. If you like, you could use whiskey instead of the bourbon, or even a dark spiced rum. I’ve tried them all in my German chocolate cake frosting, and they’re all fantastic. If you leave the alcohol out and your filling is a little too thick, just add a small amount of water or cream to get the consistency you want. And if you want to add a bit more alcohol, brush each layer of cake with a tablespoon of bourbon as you stack and fill the cake. Just don’t go overboard, or the cake can become so moist that it’s no longer stable for stacking.
- Naked Cake. While I frosted today’s German chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream, I’ll often make this cake without the buttercream. The bare cake layers look so tempted with just that gooey filling.
Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common questions with cake making, so that you can be successful in your own baking! I also suggest reading these comprehensive posts on making Perfect American Buttercream, How to Stack, Fill, Crumb Coat and Frost Layer Cakes and How to Use Piping Bags.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this cake mild chocolate or dark chocolate?
This is a darker chocolate cake that’s very moist, light and fluffy.
What is German chocolate frosting?
It’s a sweet caramel filling, which is thickened by boiling cream, sugar, butter and egg yolks until thick and bubbly. It always contains pecans and coconut, and is delicious with the addition of bourbon, vanilla extract and salt to balance the sweetness.
Can I leave the bourbon out of the caramel filling?
Of course, the bourbon is completely optional. You can also use whiskey or dark spiced rum instead.
Can I use 9-inch pans instead of 8-inch?
You sure can, although the baked cakes will be thinner.
What if I want to cut this recipe in half for a smaller cake?
You can cut the recipe in half and bake it in three 6-inch pans.
Can I make the cake ahead of time and freeze it?
- Cake. After baking and cooling the cake, wrap each layer individually in plastic wrap. Keep at room temperature for up to 1 day, until you’re ready to assemble and frost the cake, or freeze the cake layers for up to 3-6 months.
- Filling. Make and refrigerate the filling up to 3 days in advance. Let warm up to room temperature before assembling your cake.
- Buttercream. Cover and refrigerate the buttercream for up to 1 week, or freeze it for up to 3-6 months. Let it warm up to room temperature before spreading it on your cake. If needed, re-whip it for several minutes.
Additional Resources: How to Stack, Fill, Crumb Coat and Frost a Layer Cake
You Might Also Like
German Chocolate Bourbon Brownies 
German Chocolate Bourbon Cupcakes 
Chocolate Caramel Tart Salted Caramel Sauce
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High Altitude German Chocolate Cake with Bourbon
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Equipment
- Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment
- Saucepan
- 8-inch cake pans (x3)
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp instant espresso powder or instant coffee
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1 cup full fat sour cream, room temperature
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Filling
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup light or dark brown sugar, lightly packed
- 3 egg yolks (save the whites for another use)
- 2 tbsp good quality bourbon, whiskey or rum (optional)
- ½ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups pecans, finely chopped
- 1 ½ cups sweetened coconut flakes
Buttercream
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 ⅓ cups powdered sugar
- ⅔ cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 2 tsp meringue powder, optional
- ¼ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1-3 tbsp milk, only if needed
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, and spray the bottoms of three 8-inch cake pans with non-stick spray.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Separately, whisk together the eggs, milk, sour cream, oil and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and whisk until combined, about 15 seconds.
- Divide the batter between the pans. Bake on the center oven rack for about 22-28 minutes, until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly touched, or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Set the pans on a cooling rack, cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel, and cool completely before frosting.
Filling
- In a saucepan, whisk together the cream, brown sugar, egg yolks, bourbon and salt. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, whisking constantly, until the mixture gets thick and bubbly. Remove from the heat.
- Whisk in the butter until melted, and stir in the vanilla, pecans and coconut.
- Set aside to cool completely to room temperature.
Buttercream
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for 1 minute until smooth.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, meringue powder and salt, mixing to combine.
- Add the vanilla, and increase the speed to medium (#4-6 on a Kitchen Aid mixer); whip for 4-5 minutes until very light and fluffy, scraping the bowl down occasionally, and only adding the milk if needed for desired consistency.Turn the speed down to "stir" and mix for 2 minutes to eliminate big air bubbles.
Assembly
- Remove the cooled cakes from the pans. Place one cake layer on a cake board, and frost with half of the coconut pecan filling. Set a second layer of cake on top, and frost with the remainder of the coconut pecan filling. Set the third layer of cake on top.
- Frost all over with a thin crumb coat of buttercream. This will help seal in the cake crumbs, and keep the filling from ending up in your final layer of buttercream. Refrigerate the cake for 30-60 minutes to set and chill the crumb coat, keeping the bowl of remaining buttercream covered.
- Frost the cake all over with a final, swirly layer of buttercream. If you like, sprinkle some chopped pecans and coconut on top.
Thank you for all of your recipes. I love your site. Most of the cakes turn out beautifully for me except the German chocolate. It keeps sinking :(. Any suggestions at 8000 feet?
Hi Johanna, high altitude is such a challenge! I’ll definitely retest this recipe soon to see what’s happening, but since you’re 3,000 feet higher than me, I’d lower the amount of the leavening for this recipe. The higher the elevation, the faster baked goods rise, and then collapse when they’re unable to sustain the pressure. Reducing the baking soda, maybe even by half, should definitely help the cake rise more slowly so it doesn’t collapse.
I made this cake for my husbands birthday the crumb texture is perfect. I gave up in making cakes because they always came out too dense or too light until I found your site! So yummy!
I made this cake at just under 7000ft and I added just a pinch more salt. It was perfect. Super moist, not too sweet. Chocolate is tough at altitude and this recipe is one I will use again! Thank you!
I’m so happy you loved it!
Absolutely delicious! Loved the dark chocolate rather than the traditional take. Same delightful pecan and coconut gooey goodness with an upgrade. Five stars!
I don’t live at high altitude. I live near the ocean. Your recipes look so good. I was curious if I were to make this, do you suggest I make any changes to any of the ingredients? Or would the recipe still be a success as is? Thanks!
Kimberly, please see my FAQs: https://curlygirlkitchen.com/baking-faqs/
Made this at ~7,400 feet, and it was a success! Wanted to share that I used a gluten free flour (one that’s meant as a 1:1 substitution for normal flour) and it worked perfectly!
That’s great to know it works well with gluten free flour blends, too!
This cake is amazing and easy, moist and tasty. I’m at 10,100’ and cakes are often very difficult up here. Following your suggestion I saw in a comment I decreased the leavening both by 1/2. Perfect Chocolate cake.
Thank you so much!