

Easy
1h20min
50min
10 portions
German dark chocolate cake with coconut pecan filling and milk chocolate ganache
An original recipe by Michelle Lopez
Utensils:
- Rack
- Cooking spray
- Parchment paper
- Digital scale
- Pan
- Rubber spatula
- Saucepan
- Cake board or serving platter
- Rotating cake stand
- Cookie dough scoop
- Offset spatula
Made with the products below :
1. German dark chocolate cakes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups (10oz or 285g) All-purpose flour
- 2 cups (14oz or 400g) Granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (2.65oz or 75g) Cocoa powder
- 1 Tsp Baking soda
- ½ tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 cup (8oz or 225g) Unsweetened almond milk, at room temperature
- 1 cup (8oz or 225g) Strong coffee, at room temperature
- ½ cup (4oz or 115g) Melted virgin (unrefined) coconut oil
- 2 Tbsp Apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp Almond extract
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 35 to 40 min
Rest time: until cools
Steps:
-
Make the cakes:
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously spray three 6-inch cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottom of each with a parchment paper circle. Spray the parchment, too.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix the wet ingredients, then add the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the almond milk, coffee, oil, vinegar, and extract. Use a rubber spatula to gradually mix in the dry ingredients until just combined.
-
Assemble the cakes:
- Divide the batter evenly between the pans; if using a digital scale to measure out layers, note that this recipe makes around 47.45oz (1345g) of batter—pour 15.75oz (447g) of batter into each cake pan.
-
Bake the cakes:
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.
- When done, the top of the cakes should bounce back when gently pressed. A skewer inserted into the center of the cake should come out with a few crumbs attached.
- Cool completely in the pans on a wire rack before frosting.
2. Coconut pecan filling
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (3oz or 85g) Sweetened coconut flakes
- ½ cup (2oz or 55g) Pecans, roughly chopped into ½- to 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup (8oz or 225g) Canned coconut milk OR Canned evaporated coconut milk
- ½ cup tightly packed (3.75oz or 105g) Light OR Dark brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp Cornstarch
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- ½ tsp Almond extract
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 5 to 10 min
Rest time: until cools completely
Steps:
-
Toast the coconut and pecans for the filling:
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Spread the coconut flakes and pecans in a single layer across a half sheet pan.
- Bake for 5 to 10 minutes, or until fragrant and toasted brown.
- Use a heatproof rubber spatula to toss the nuts every 2 to 3 minutes to ensure even toasting.
- Once toasted, scrape the mixture onto a plate to prevent the coconut and pecans from cooking further.
-
Make the coconut pecan filling:
- In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk together the coconut milk, brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the almond extract until smooth.
- Add the toasted coconut and pecans, and mix until combined.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before filling the cake.
3. Milk chocolate ganache
Ingredients:
- 6oz (170g) Jivara 40% milk chocolate (finely chopped into ¼ to ½ inch pieces
- 1 cup (8oz or 225g) cold canned Coconut cream
Prep time: 10 min
Steps:
- Melt the chocolate in a heat proof bowl in the microwave in 20 seconds increments, stirring between each until completely melted.
- Immediately add the coconut cream, and whisk until melted and combined.
- The resulting ganache should be thick, but silky and spreadable.
- Proceed with assembling the cake. If the ganache is too loose and drippy, scrape the ganache into a new bowl, and cool on a wire rack until spreadable, 10 to 60 minutes.
4. Dark chocolate cake assembly
Prep time: 20 min
Rest time: 10 to 15 min
Steps:
-
Assemble the cake:
- If necessary, level the top of the cakes. Place one of the cake layers on a cake board or serving platter in the center of a rotating cake stand. This will be the first layer of the cake.
- Use a rubber spatula or cookie dough scoop to drop half of the coconut pecan filling in the middle of the first cake layer.
- Use an offset spatula to spread it evenly all over the top, just like you would spread butter on toast.
- Place the second cake on top of this frosting, stacking it evenly on top of the first layer.
- Use the rubber spatula or cookie dough scoop to drop the remaining half of the coconut pecan filling in the middle of this cake layer.
- Spread it evenly all over the top.
- Finally, place the third cake on top of this layer, stacking it evenly on top of the first two cakes.
-
Frost the cake:
- Use the offset spatula to cover the surface of the entire layer cake with a thin layer of the ganache.
- Use just enough frosting to cover the entire cake completely.
- Refrigerate, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes to stiffen and "set" the frosting.
- After the crumb coat sets, finish frosting the cake.
- Use the offset spatula to cover the cake with the remaining frosting.
- Then, use the spatula to make large, random sweeping motions across the frosting on the top and sides of the cake. The sweeping motions will create swirls.
-
Serve and store:
- Serve immediately. The assembled German dark chocolate cake can be stored at room temperature, under a cake dome or a large bowl turned upside down, for up to 1 day.
- Press a sheet of plastic wrap against any cut surfaces to prevent the cake from drying out.
- After that, cover the entire cake loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days.