German Chocolate Sheet Cake

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The “Texas-Sized” German Chocolate Sheet Cake

This recipe utilizes the “sheet cake” method, which maximizes surface area for that glorious coconut-pecan topping.

CategoryDetails
Prep Time20 minutes
Bake Time20–25 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Yield24 servings

🍴 Ingredients

  • The Chocolate Base:
    • 4 oz German’s Sweet Chocolate bar, chopped
    • ½ cup Water
    • 1 cup (2 sticks) Unsalted butter, softened
    • 2 cups Granulated sugar
    • 4 Large eggs (separated)
    • 2 ½ cups All-purpose flour
    • 1 tsp Baking soda & ½ tsp Salt
    • 1 cup Buttermilk
  • The Iconic Frosting:
    • 1 cup Evaporated milk
    • 1 cup Granulated sugar
    • 3 Large egg yolks
    • ½ cup Unsalted butter
    • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
    • 1 ⅓ cups Sweetened shredded coconut
    • 1 cup Chopped pecans

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. The Chocolate Melt

  • Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease a 12×17 inch jelly roll pan (sheet pan).
  • Melt the German’s chocolate in the ½ cup water over low heat. Let it cool to room temperature.

2. The Batter Build

  • Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time. Stir in the melted chocolate and vanilla.
  • Alternately add the flour (mixed with soda and salt) and the buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour.
  • The “Lifting” Tip: In a separate clean bowl, beat the 4 egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold them into the batter. This is what gives German Chocolate cake its signature “velvet” crumb.

3. The Fast Bake

  • Pour the batter into the sheet pan. Spread it thin.
  • Bake for 20–25 minutes. Because it’s a sheet cake, it cooks much faster than a layer cake. Let it cool in the pan.

4. The Custard Frosting

  • In a saucepan, combine the evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, and butter.
  • Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens (about 10–12 minutes).
  • Remove from heat; stir in the vanilla, coconut, and pecans.

5. The Warm Spread

  • While the frosting is still warm (but not hot), spread it generously over the cooled cake. The warmth helps it “grip” the surface of the cake.

The “Sheet” Hack: Sheet cakes are notorious for being hard to transport. If you need to take this to a party, let the frosting set for 1 hour, then drizzle melted semi-sweet chocolate in a cross-hatch pattern over the top. It “locks” the coconut in place and adds a bitter-sweet snap to the mild cake.

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