Gluten-Free German Chocolate Cake ~ CookingFood.Org

German chocolate cake is an indulgent dessert perfect for special occasions. Made with two different types of frosting, it’s the ultimate combination of chocolate, coconut, caramel, and pecans.

Want a great gluten-free German chocolate cake recipe? You’ve found it! Check out this post for all the tips you need to make an amazing cake worthy of any celebration.

A slice of German chocolate cake on a plate

Why You’ll Love this Gluten Free German Chocolate Cake Recipe

Rich and indulgent
Two types of frosting
Made from scratch
Moist and tender crumb!

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Ingredients for the Cake

Here are some of the key ingredients in this gluten free German chocolate cake recipe:

A high-quality gluten-free 1:1 baking flour: I like to use gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend like King Arthur Flour in my baked goods. It works best to use a blend that contains xanthan gum in this recipe.
Sour cream: Using part sour cream in place of what would usually be buttermilk gives this cake stability. It also gives it a delicious flavor and richness!
Oil: Oil allows for a light, moist crumb that doesn’t clump up as it tends too with butter.

Assemble the cake

Once your cake layers have cooled and your coconut/caramel filling is no longer warm to the touch, you can assemble the gluten-free German chocolate cake!
Place one cake round on a serving tray or cake platter. Use your chocolate frosting to spread or pipe a border around the edge of the cake. Fill the border with half of your coconut-pecan filling.
Top with the second cake round. Frost sides of the cake and top of the cake with remaining chocolate frosting.
Top off the cake with the remaining half of coconut/caramel frosting. Pipe decorative chocolate frosting along the edges if desired.

Slice, serve, and enjoy this traditional German chocolate cake, with a gluten-free twist!

A whole German chocolate cake on a platter

Storage Instructions

Store any leftover cake covered tightly with plastic wrap at room temperature, or in an airtight container. This gluten-free German chocolate cake will stay good for up to 2 days.

Gluten Free German Chocolate Cake FAQs

What’s the difference between a German chocolate cake in a regular chocolate cake?

German cake stands out from regular chocolate cake because it’s a layer cake that includes coconut pecan filling, rather than simply being frosted with chocolate frosting.

What is a substitute for German chocolate cake mix?

I make this gluten-free German chocolate cake base from scratch, using high-quality gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, sour cream, oil, and other cake ingredients.

What makes German Chocolate German?

German chocolate cake didn’t originate in Germany. Instead, it gets it’s name from the “German’s sweet chocolate bar” that many recipes call for when making this cake.

Expert Tips and Tricks

Start making the German chocolate frosting as soon as you put in the cakes into bake. That way the frosting will have time to cool completely before frosting.
Almond extract is the key to a delicious chocolate frosting! Just a little gives the cake an unmistakable gourmet flavor.
Be sure to use high-quality gluten-free flour for this recipe. It makes all the difference when you’re wanting the absolute best gluten-free chocolate cake!

A slice of German chocolate cake on a plate, with a fork taking a bite

More Gluten-Free Cake Recipes

I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you try this decadent German chocolate cake, be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. I’d love to hear from you!

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Slice of German chocolate cake with a fork taking a bite

Gluten-Free German Chocolate Cake

Author: Erin Collins

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 1 hr 14 mins

Total: 1 hr 24 mins

German chocolate cake is an indulgent dessert perfect for special occasions. Made with two different types of frosting, it’s the ultimate combination of chocolate, coconut, caramel, and pecans.

5 from 8 votes

Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients

DRY INGREDIENTS:

OTHER INGREDIENTS:

COCONUT CARAMEL FILLING:

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

Instructions

MAKE THE CAKE:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease two 8-inch round pans. I also like to line the bottom of the 8-inch round pans with a circle of parchment paper then grease again.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the eggs and sugar. Whip on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. With the mixer running on low, slowly drizzle in the oil. (You want to do this slowly so you don’t lose the air that you’ve mixed in.) Mix in the vanilla and lemon juice.
With the mixer on low, add ⅓ of the dry ingredients. Mix until incorporated. Add the sour cream and mix to combine. Add another ⅓ of the dry ingredients and continue to mix. Add ½ of the milk followed by the last ⅓ of the dry ingredients. Add the remaining milk and stir until totally combined. (You want to add the dry ingredients alternately with liquid ingredients so the flour absorbs into the batter.)
Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean. (Start making the coconut caramel frosting while the cakes bake so it has time to cool before frosting!)
Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes. Then turn out the cakes onto a wire rack to continue cooling. Cool completely before frosting.

MAKE THE COCONUT CARAMEL FROSTING:

Once your cake is in the oven, begin preparing the German Chocolate Cake Filling.
In a medium saucepan add brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, egg yolks, and evaporated milk. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a low boil over medium heat. Stir constantly for several minutes until the mixture begins to thicken.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, nuts and coconut. Allow to cool completely before spreading over cake.

MAKE THE CHOCOLATE FROSTING:

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), add the cocoa powder. Mix to smooth any lumps. Add the butter and mix until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and mix on low until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy.

ASSEMBLE THE CAKE

Once your cake layers have cooled and your coconut/caramel filling is no longer warm to the touch, you can assemble the gluten-free German chocolate cake!
Place one cake round on a serving tray or cake platter. Use your chocolate frosting to spread or pipe a border around the edge of the cake. Fill the border with half of your coconut/caramel filling.
Top with the second cake round. Frost top and sides of the entire cake with remaining chocolate frosting.
Top off the cake with the remaining half of coconut/caramel frosting. Pipe decorative chocolate frosting along the edges if desired.
Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

MAKE IT DAIRY-FREE: You can use dairy-free sour cream and almond milk in the cake. My favorite brand of dairy-free sour cream is Kite Hill. You can also use earth balance buttery sticks in place of the butter in the frostings. Use full-fat canned coconut milk in place of the evaporated milk in the caramel filling.

Start making the German chocolate frosting as soon as you put in the cakes into bake. That way the frosting will have time to cool completely before frosting.
Almond extract is the key to a delicious chocolate frosting! Just a little gives the cake an unmistakable gourmet flavor.
Be sure to use high-quality gluten-free flour for this recipe. It makes all the difference when you’re wanting the absolute best gluten-free chocolate cake!

NUTRITION INFORMATION:

Calories: 755kcal

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