Awesome German Sweet Chocolate Cake

German chocolate cake is a Southern American classic despite the misleading name (it was named for Sam German, who developed the chocolate, nothing to do with Germany). This version starts with a German chocolate cake mix as the chocolate flavor foundation, then layers in enough extra butter, sugar, buttermilk, and flour to give the cake the richness of a from-scratch recipe.

The egg yolks go into the batter for richness while the whites get whipped and folded in at the end for a lighter, taller cake. Three layers bake up in 9-inch pans lined with parchment paper at the bottom for clean release. The classic finish is coconut-pecan frosting spread on the tops of each layer (and the very top), but never on the sides. Letting the chocolate cake itself show on the outside is what makes German chocolate cake instantly recognizable.

Pro Tips

• Use boiling water to melt the chocolate properly. Cold water leaves chunks of unmelted chocolate that show up in the batter.
• Cream the butter and sugar until truly pale and fluffy. This is where most of the air enters the cake.
• Beat the egg yolks in one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Dumping them in all at once can break the emulsion.
• Whip the egg whites separately to stiff peaks and fold in gently. Stirring deflates the air that gives this cake its lift.
• Line pan bottoms with parchment paper. Without it, the cakes stick and tear when you turn them out.

Variations

• Frost between and on top of the layers (but skipping the sides) with coconut-pecan frosting for the most traditional finish.
• Add espresso powder to the boiling water for deeper, richer chocolate flavor.
• Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings for a lighter, less sweet alternative to coconut-pecan frosting.