Go Back
+ servings
German chocolate cake with a slice cut.

High Altitude German Chocolate Cake with Bourbon

Heather Smoke
A German chocolate cake with layers of rich and moist dark chocolate cake, filled with pecan coconut caramel frosting that's spiked with a little bourbon, and fluffy chocolate buttercream.

All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.

4.95 from 18 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Cooling Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 55 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings16

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
  • 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.

Notes

Leftover cake should be stored in an airtight container or cake carrier, at room temperature, for up to 3 days.
Keyword bourbon, Cake, Caramel, German chocolate, High Altitude
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
https://curlygirlkitchen.com/