Origins & Concept
First, a bit of context:
“German chocolate” in many U.S. desserts doesn’t refer to Germany, but to Samuel German, who developed a type of sweet baking chocolate used in early recipes. The name stuck (so “German’s” sweet chocolate).
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Traditional German chocolate cake is a layered cake with a coconut‑pecan frosting topping.
A German chocolate pound cake adapts those flavors into a single loaf or Bundt‑style cake, marrying the dense, buttery texture of pound cake with chocolate and optional coconut‑pecan topping or glaze. (Many recipes online call this “German Chocolate Pound Cake”)
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This recipe aims to capture that richness, moisture, and depth.
Ingredients & Equipment
Ingredients (makes one large loaf or Bundt cake)
Cake / Pound Base
4 oz (≈ 113 g) German’s sweet chocolate (or similar sweet chocolate bar) — melted and cooled (for chocolate flavor)
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2 cups (≈ 453 g) sugar
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1 cup (≈ 226 g) shortening (or butter or mixture)
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4 eggs (or 4 whole eggs plus 1 yolk in some versions)
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1 cup buttermilk
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3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
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½ teaspoon baking soda
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1 teaspoon salt
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1–2 teaspoons vanilla extract
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(Optional) 2 teaspoons “butter flavoring” — many older recipes include this to enrich flavor.
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Optional Topping / Glaze / Frosting
Coconut‑Pecan Topping (classic German cake style):
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup granulated sugar (or brown sugar)
• 1 stick butter (113 g)
• 3 egg yolks (tempered)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1½–2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans
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Or Chocolate Glaze / Icing:
• 1 bar (or ~4 oz) German’s sweet chocolate, melted
• 1 tablespoon butter or shortening
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• Some versions add ¼ cup water, vanilla, pinch of salt
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Equipment / Tools
Loaf pan (e.g. 9×5 in) or Bundt/tube pan
Parchment paper (for lining)
Bowls (mixing)
Mixer (stand or hand)
Whisk, spatula
Double boiler (or microwave) for melting chocolate
Sifter for flour
Cooling rack
Saucepan (if making topping)
Measuring cups & spoons
Method — Step‑by‑Step
Here’s a detailed guide, with timing, technique, and tips.
1. Prep & Preheat
Preheat oven to 300 °F (≈ 150 °C) — many pound cake versions bake slowly at lower temperature to avoid crusting too fast.
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Grease and flour your pan thoroughly. If using a tube or Bundt pan, ensure center tube is greased. Some line the base with parchment for easy release.
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Melt the sweet chocolate using a double boiler or carefully in the microwave (low bursts), stirring until smooth. Allow it to cool slightly so it’s warm but not scalding.
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2. Creaming & Wet Mixture
In your mixer bowl, cream the shortening (or butter/shortening mix) together with sugar until light and fluffy. This may take several minutes.
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Add eggs one by one, beating well after each addition so the mixture stays smooth and incorporates air.
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Add vanilla (and butter flavoring, if using).
Now stir in the melted sweet chocolate into this creamed mixture until evenly blended.
3. Combine Dry & Wet Ingredients
In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
Alternate adding the dry mixture and buttermilk into the creamed chocolate mix — e.g. add one third flour, then half buttermilk, then flour, then buttermilk, ending with flour. Mix after each addition until just combined (don’t overmix).
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Scrape down bowl sides and ensure batter is uniform.
4. Bake the Cake
Pour batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.
Bake in preheated oven for about 90 minutes (some versions say 90 min at 300 °F) or until a skewer or toothpick inserted into center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
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If the top begins browning too much, loosely tent with aluminum foil to protect.
When done, remove from oven and cool in pan for ~10–15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely. Some recipes suggest leaving it under a tight cover while still warm to create a moist texture (“sweating”)
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5. (Optional) Topping / Glaze
Coconut‑Pecan Topping (classic style)
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter with sugar and evaporated milk, stirring.
Temper egg yolks (i.e. add a bit of hot mixture to yolks, whisk, then return to pot) to avoid curdling.
Cook while stirring until mixture thickens slightly (a custard texture).
Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, then fold in coconut and pecans.
Spread (or dollop) this topping over the warm cake or between slices.
Chocolate Glaze / Icing
Melt sweet chocolate + butter over low heat.
Stir in powdered sugar, vanilla and a bit of water if needed, until smooth.
Drizzle or pour over cooled cake.
Optionally, top with coconut-pecan topping (or partial).
Full Consolidated Recipe (Printable Version)
German Chocolate Pound Cake — Rich & Buttery
Yield: One loaf or Bundt cake
Prep time: ~30 min
Bake time: ~90 min
Cooling & topping time: ~30–45 min
Total time: ~2½–3 hours (including topping)
Ingredients
Cake Base:
4 oz German’s Sweet Chocolate
2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening (or butter/shortening mix)
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
(Optional) 2 tsp butter flavoring
1 cup buttermilk
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
Coconut‑Pecan Topping (optional):
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup sugar (or brown sugar)
1 stick butter
3 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
1½–2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup pecan pieces
Chocolate Glaze (optional):
4 oz sweet chocolate
1 Tbsp butter
1 cup powdered sugar
¼ cup water (or as needed)
1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
Preheat oven to 300 °F (150 °C). Grease/flour pan.
Melt sweet chocolate; cool slightly.
Cream shortening + sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla.
Stir melted chocolate into creamed mixture.
Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt.
Alternate adding dry mix + buttermilk to chocolate mixture, mixing until just combined.
Pour into pan and bake ~90 minutes or until tester comes clean. Tent if needed.
Cool in pan 10–15 min, then unmold and cool completely.
Make topping (if using): cook butter + sugar + milk, temper yolks, thicken, then stir in coconut & pecans. Spread on cake.
Make glaze (if using): melt chocolate + butter, stir in sugar + vanilla + water. Drizzle over cake.
Slice & serve.
Tips, Variations & Troubleshooting
Tips for Success
Use fresh ingredients, and ensure eggs and buttermilk are at room temperature for even mixing.
Don’t overbeat or overmix — once flour is incorporated, mix gently.
Use German’s sweet chocolate if possible — this gives the authentic flavor. Some adaptations use baking chocolate + sugar, but flavor may differ.
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Bake slowly at low heat to ensure the cake cooks uniformly without burning or doming too much.
Tent with foil if top browns too early.
Cooling: Some recipes “sweat” the cake — covering it while warm to retain moisture— to produce a dense, moist crumb.
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For coconut-pecan topping: be careful not to overcook; the custard should be thick but pourable, then it firms a bit.
Variations & Flavor Twists
Chocolate swirl / marble: Mix half batter plain, half with extra chocolate, swirl in the pan.
Bundt or tube pan shape: Use Bundt pan to give a decorative shape (some German chocolate pound Bundt recipes exist)
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Sour cream or yogurt substitution: Some recipes add sour cream to enrich (as in some German chocolate cake styles). In the Bundt version from Rushion’s Kitchen: they used sour cream along with melted German’s chocolate.
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Add espresso or coffee: A small amount of espresso powder or brewed coffee intensifies chocolate flavor.
Nut or fruit additions: Fold in chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or dried cherries.
Coconut-free version: Omit topping coconut and pecans, or swap with chopped nuts or caramel alone.
Gluten-free: Use GF flour blend, ensure other ingredients are GF, adjust liquid slightly.
Mini loaves / cupcakes: Scale down and reduce bake time accordingly.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Problem Cause Fix / Prevention
Top browns too fast Oven too hot, pan too shallow Lower temp slightly, tent with foil
Underdone center Bake time too short or batter too dense Extend bake time, test with skewer
Cake collapses Cooling too quickly, underbaked, structural imbalance Cool gradually, ensure fully baked, don’t open door early
Dry crumb Overbaking, too little fat or moisture Bake less, check early, ensure fat / buttermilk proportion
Topping too runny or soggy Custard not thickened properly Cook topping until thickened, then cool before applying
Serving & Storage Suggestions
Serve slices plain or with topping and glaze layered or drizzled.
It pairs well with coffee, hot chocolate, or milk.
For extra presentation, top with toasted walnuts, coconut flakes, or whipped cream.
Storage: wrap cake in plastic wrap or keep in airtight container. This cake holds well 3–5 days at room temperature (if cool) or in fridge.
You can freeze slices (well wrapped) and thaw gently before serving.
This full, detailed recipe (with method, tips, variations, troubleshooting, and background) should approach your ~2000-word goal while giving you everything you need to make a rich, buttery German Chocolate Pound Cake.
If you like, I can also create a video version, a buttercream‑layered version, or a quick printable “cheat sheet” version. Which would you like next?
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