German Chocolate Sheet Cake Recipe

This German Chocolate Sheet Cake delivers the iconic flavors of German chocolate cake in an easy-to-serve sheet cake format. A moist chocolate cake is topped with the traditional rich and gooey coconut-pecan frosting.

German Chocolate Sheet Cake

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

For the Frosting:

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven and prepare pan: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and grease a large sheet pan (typically 13×18 inches).
2. Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, white sugar, and cocoa powder.
3. Melt wet ingredients: In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the water, butter, shortening, and German baking chocolate. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.
4. Combine wet and dry: Pour the hot chocolate mixture into the large bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk until well combined.
5. Add remaining wet ingredients: Stirring between each addition, first add the buttermilk, baking soda, and salt to the batter. Then, add the eggs and finally the vanilla extract. Mix until everything is just combined and the batter is smooth.
6. Bake the cake: Transfer the cake batter to the prepared sheet pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely in the pan before frosting.

How To Make the Frosting:

1. Combine frosting base: In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, add the evaporated milk, egg yolks, butter, and both the white sugar and brown sugar.
2. Cook until thickened: Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Stir frequently and continue cooking for 10-12 minutes, or until the frosting mixture has thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
3. Stir in coconut, pecans, and vanilla: Stir in the shredded coconut, roughly chopped pecans, and vanilla extract into the thickened frosting.
4. Frost the cake: Let the frosting cool slightly at room temperature until it is spreadable but not completely set. Spread the frosting evenly over the completely cooled German chocolate sheet cake.
5. Chill and serve: Chill the frosted cake in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours to allow the frosting to set. Once chilled, cut into squares and serve. Enjoy this classic and decadent German Chocolate Sheet Cake!