German Chocolate Pound Cake

German Chocolate Pound Cake topped with a made from scratch German Chocolate Icing topped with a chocolate drizzle.

I've been wanting to make this type of pound cake for a long time and now here it is. I've made German Chocolate in the past, but the German chocolate wasn't chocolating lol, but it surely is this time. I could literally eat the German chocolate by itself.

Don't look for it to taste like a layered cake because it just won't. Layered cakes just have a different texture and of course taste because of how it's made, but this cake is nothing short of amazing. So let's get into it so I can show you how we do it!

Pound Cake recipes ---> Lemon Pound Cake, Carrot Cake Pound Cake, Sour Cream Cream Cheese Pound Cake, Sour Cream Pound Cake, Cream Cheese Pound Cake, Honey Bun Pound Cake, Butter Vanilla Pound Cake, Cinnamon Roll Pound Cake, Blueberry Lemon Bundt Cake, Dark Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cake, Key Lime Pound Cake, Louisiana Crunch Pound Cake

Ingredients needed for the Pound Cake:

• All-Purpose Flour
• Granulated Sugar
• Unsalted Butter - room temperature
• Large Eggs - room temperature
• Salt
• Baking Powder
• Cocoa Powder
• Buttermilk - room temperature
• Vanilla Bean Paste

Ingredients needed for the Icing:

• Evaporated Milk
• Unsalted Butter - Softened
• Egg Yolks
• Light Brown Sugar
• Salt
• Shredded Coconut - Sweetened
• Pecans - chopped
• Vanilla

Chocolate Drizzle

• German Chocolate
• Coconut oil

(Note: The full ingredient list is provided in the recipe card below.)

Steps to make the Pound Cake:

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Using a hand or stand mixer, cream the butter, and sugar together until light and fluffy. Then add the vanilla bean paste and mix.

Add the eggs to the bowl one at a time mixing well after each addition. Then add the cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder and mix until fully incorporated. 

Add the flour mixture to the bowl alternating with the buttermilk beginning and ending with flour. 

Pour the batter into your greased 12-cup bundt pan and bake the cake for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes. The cake is done once an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool for 20 minutes before removing it from the pan.  Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the icing.

Steps to make the German Chocolate Icing:

In a medium-size pot over low to medium heat, add the butter, evaporated milk, egg yolks, vanilla, and sugar. Stir repeatedly for 15 to 20 minutes or until the mixture thickens.

(Test the mixture by dragging a rubber spatula through the mixture and against the bottom of the pan. It is ready when you are able to see the bottom of the pan for a few seconds before the filling covers it.)

Remove from the heat and mix in the pecans and coconut. Allow the mixture to cool, while preparing the chocolate drizzle.

To prepare the Chocolate Drizzle:

Break the chocolate into small pieces and place it in a microwave-safe dish. Heat in two 30-second intervals or until melted. Two to three intervals should be enough. (It will still be thick). Stir in the coconut oil until smooth and pourable.

Add the German Chocolate icing to the cooled cake as desired, then drizzle it with the German Chocolate chocolate drizzle. Allow to set then serve and enjoy!

Helpful Guides for Beginners

If you're new to baking I got you covered! Here are some helpful guides to help you along the way!

• How to Freeze a Pound Cake
• How to make a moist Pound Cake
• Pound Cake Essential Tools
• Mistakes to avoid when baking a pound cake
• How to prepare Pound Cake ingredients
• How to Make a Pound Cake for Beginners

Helpful Baking Tools

• Bundt Pan
• Stand Mixer
• Hand Mixer
• Basting Brush
• Sifter
• Silicone Spatula
• Oven Thermometer
• Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl
• Baker's Joy
• Cake Keeper
• Measuring Cups
• Measuring Spoons

Pound Cake Tips + Tricks

Whether you are a beginner or have been in the baking game for a while, I hope these tips are helpful in making sure that your pound cake comes out great!

⇢ Always use room temperature ingredients – Standard pound cake ingredients include butter and eggs which should always be at room temperature to ensure that they properly blend into the batter and do not cause any clumping. Other common ingredients such as milk, cream cheese, etc should also be at room temperature. Make sure to allow enough time before baking to remove the ingredients from the refrigerator and sit them on the counter to allow them to come to room temperature. 

⇢ Properly measure your ingredients – Always measure each ingredient before adding it to the cake to make sure that you have the accurate amount of each ingredient for the recipe. Baking requires exact measurements for the cake to come out correctly. 

⇢ Properly cream the butter and sugar together– Once blended the texture should be light and fluffy. Blend the ingredients together at a moderate speed for at least two to three minutes.

⇢ Add the eggs one at a time– Eggs must be added one at a time blending well after each addition. Once you’ve added an egg to the batter and no longer see any yellow, then you can add another egg to the batter.

⇢  Don’t overmix your batter–  Aside from creaming the butter and sugar together, once done adding an ingredient, immediately start adding the next ingredient. If you are not quite ready, stop the mixer until you're ready to add the next ingredient. After you have added the last ingredient, just mix until blended. If the batter still requires mixing, for example, if there is any unmixed batter on the side of the bowl, finish the mixing process using a spoon. 

⇢ Spray the hell out of your bundt pan - My favorite method is using a baking spray such as Baker’s Joy which includes the flour and oil all in one can. It's always a no-fail method for me and the cake comes right out of the pan. You can also grease the pan with oil (solid or liquid) then dust the pan evenly with flour if you prefer that method.

Frequently Asked Questions: