Rich & decadent German Chocolate Cake, layered with sweet coconut icing & drizzled in chocolate ganache. Gluten free & Top 8 Free (Contains coconut)
This post has been updated with new photos and a few changes to the recipe.
The BEST German Chocolate Cake
Ummmm, chocolate! I have always associated chocolate with the holidays.
Chocolate chip cookies for Santa, hot chocolate by the fireplace, milk chocolate candies in pretty boxes, and then there is chocolate cake. But not just any cake, rich & decadent German Chocolate Cake with that sweet & sticky coconut glaze to be exact. Doesn’t just the sound of that bring a smile to your face?
The History of German Chocolate Cake
Before we dig in to the recipe, I want to let you in on some “fun facts” about the history of german chocolate cake.
Did you know that German chocolate cake isn’t actually from Germany? In fact, it is an American dessert, first made in 1957 by Mrs. George Clay from Dallas, Texas! That’s about as American as it can get, right? The confusion traces back to an American named Samuel German who developed a type of dark baking chocolate for Baker’s Chocolate. Baker’s then created a German’s Sweet Chocolate in his honor which was used in Ms. Clay’s German’s Chocolate Cake recipe. As this cake recipe grew in popularity, the name changed slightly, removing the plural (‘s) from German’s, thus creating the confusion of who gets credit for this amazing cake.
Free from Vegan Chocolate Cake
The German’s won’t get credit for this recipe either! It’s brought to you by yours truly, a Canadian-American. And as a “heads-up”, I’ve sort of strayed away from the traditional recipe which included regular flour, Baker’s chocolate and a caramel-pecan filling made with egg yolks and evaporated milk. Sorry Mrs. George Clay.
Instead, I’ve made this Top 8 free, gluten free and vegan friendly! So everyone can have a slice of cake!
How to Layer Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake
If you are a visual learner like I am, than these photos below will help. I’ve included a few Step-By-Step Instructions to guide you through too.
- ⬆️ Using 2, 8″ round pans, fill your batter 3/4 full then bake. *The photos above, were made using 6″ cake pans and the extra batter, I made into 12 mini cupcakes.
- Allow to cool then level off tops of cake using a serrated knife or cake level. (Don’t discard of cake scraps, you can use these for cake balls).
- ⬇️ Evenly spread 1/2-3/4 cup of coconut frosting on first layer. Drizzle with ganache.
- Add second cake layer, flattest side up, and repeat with coconut frosting.
- Cover the entire top with ganache, allowing it to “drip” down the sides.
- Leave as is for the perfect, naked cake or cover top and sides with chocolate frosting for even more decadence.
Is Coconut A Nut?
There is a lot of debate as to whether or not a coconut is indeed a nut, so I thought I would address it here.
The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology states that βcoconut is not a botanical nut; it is classified as a fruit, even though the Food and Drug Administration NOW recognizes coconut as a tree nut. While allergic reactions to coconut have been documented, most people who are allergic to tree nuts can safely eat coconut.β
In our home, we safely consume coconut and a lot of it! Coconut milk, coconut creamer, shredded coconut, condensed coconut milk, coconut caramel…you get the idea. HOWEVER, if it isn’t safe for you, then most of my recipes can be made using another dairy-free alternative.
Pecan Free Coconut Frosting
While the chocolate cake is amazing, the coconut filling is the star of the show, even without the pecans. Itβs thick, gooey, chewy, and perfectly sweet. Itβs made from simple ingredients, you should have on hand.
- vegan butter
- granulated sugar (brown sugar also works, for a more caramel-like taste)
- dairy-free milk and cornstarch (helps thicken up this frosting)
- shredded unsweetened coconut
- vanilla
Traditional recipes call for evaporated milk, which is why we use the milk/cornstarch slurry. You can also try using dairy-free half-and-half or unsweetened coffee creamer if you have an allergy to corn.
Allergy-friendly Celebrations
I know first hand how having a child with food allergies mixed with holidays can make everyone stress out. There’s more activities, parties, school functions, get-aways, family visits and then there’s food and what to make everyone. My goal is to make it a little easier for you. Easier because you can make a dessert that can be shared with your friends and guests without worry. Easier because you don’t have to figure this all out yourself. Easier because you can just print off the recipe and spend a short amount of time making it then spend the rest of the time, enjoying every delicious “safe” bite.
Bring on the Vegan Cake
Although this is not technically βGerman chocolate cakeβ, it has an ooey gooey coconut filling, a deep dark chocolate cake, and the perfect amount of chocolate ganache throughout that will bring a smile with every bite!
Vegan German Chocolate Cake
Deliciously tender, German Chocolate Cake layered with a sweet coconut frosting then drizzled in chocolate ganache for a truly decadent, dessert. Gluten-free, nut-free, vegan. Contains coconut
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 Cup Bob's 1-to-1Β Gluten Free Flour Or All Purpose Flour)
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
- 3/4 Cup Cocoa Powder,sifted
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 Cup Coconut milk + 1 Tablespoon Vinegar (to make "buttermilk)
- 1/2 Cup Hot water
- 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
- 2 Tablespoon Flax meal + 6 Tablespoon Hot water mixed to make "egg"
- 1 1/2Β teaspoons Vanilla extract
Coconut Icing
- 1/2 Cup Dairy-free Milk
- 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1/2 Cup SugarΒ
- 1/4 Cup Vegan Butter
- 1 1/2 Cups Coconut Shreds (unsweet)
Chocolate Ganache (optional)
- 1/2 Cup vegan chocolate chips
- 2 Tablespoon vegan butter
- 2 Tablespoon Coconut Milk (or other non-dairy milk)
Instructions
Vegan Cake Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° and grease and flour cake pans.
- Add 1 TB. of vinegar to a 1 Cup measuring cup then top off with coconut milk. Allow to sit while preparing the rest.
- In a small bowl, make your flax egg.
- In a stand mixer, mix together dry ingredients (flour, sugars, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda & salt).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together hot water, oil, vanilla and milk/vinegar blend until coconut oil has melted.
- Slowly, pour liquids into flour and blend, making sure to scrape down the sides. Add flax egg and mix well.
- Divide between prepared pans.
- Bake 30-35 minutes if using 2-8" rounds. Toothpick will come out clean when inserted in the middle of the cake.
- Cool 10 minutes then flip onto cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before icing.
Icing Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together coconut milk and cornstarch until blended.
- In a small saucepan, melt butter substitute then add in sugar and milk mixture. Stir and bring to a slow boil, allowing icing to thicken (5 minutes). Remove from stovetop and stir in coconut. Cool before using.
Ganache (optional)
In a microwave safe bowl, add chocolate chips, butter & coconut milk. Melt together and mix well.
To Assemble
- Lay 1 cooled cake round onto serving tray then cover with coconut icing and drizzle with ganache.
- Add second layer of cake on top and then cover with coconut icing as well.
- Pour melted ganache over the top of the cake and allow melted chocolate to run down the sides. Add extra coconut if desired.
Notes
*If using regular flour, simply substitute in place of 1-to-1 mix without making other changes.Β
** if using regular gluten-free flour, see if Xanthan gum is required.Β
*** Can also use flax milk or another dairy-free milk in place of coconut milk.Β Do not recommend rice milk, as its too thin.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 357Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 278mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 2gSugar: 32gProtein: 4g
Nutritional information is only an estimate based off of using an online calculator. Numbers will change depending on brands used.
German chocolate cake has always been a favorite of mine, and I’m totally drooling over your photos. This cake looks amazing!
Thanks so much Dianne. Its a favorite of my boys as well.
This looks incredible and I love the new site!
Thanks Aimee!
That looks so fudgy! My husband loves german chocolate…makes me wish I liked coconut! PS–love your new site!
Thanks Megan. Xander actually hates coconut but he loves this cake, so who knows. There’s still hope π
This is gorgeous! Love all of that ganache cascading down the cake! YUM!
Can’t beat chocolate on chocolate, right Emily?
Oh my goodness! That chocolate ganache really puts it over the top for me! Absolutely stunning!
Thanks so much Sharon.
This looks delicious! I have one question about the coconut milk. Is it the canned or quart sized ones available in the fridge and on the shelf? Thanks!
Honestly, you could use either but when I first made this recipe, coconut milk in the fridge was harder to come by, so I used the the light coconut milk that is shelf stable. Either will work though.
Sorry when you said shelf stable is that the canned coconut milk or the carton long life milk? Thankyou
Canned! Sorry for the confusion. I just meant that its not the refrigerated kind.
I do not see the ingredients for the ganache. Am I missing it somewhere?
It should be there now. Sorry, when I edited it, that section was mistakenly removed. All fixed now.
This cake has no animal products at all So it cannot have cholesterol. It is an error that it is listed. I look forward to trying it.
Unfortunately the online calculator can only provide estimates…..BUT I’m glad you’ll be trying this!
This was my mom’s favorite dessert when I was a kid, but I could never get into it myself. This though – this I could eat two slices of (with extra frosting naturally)! Wow, it looks amazing.
Oh my goodness, you would never guess that this is gluten-free & vegan! How decadently delicious!
Thanks Kristen! It’s a surprise for sure.
Hi! You reference coconut oil in the directions for the cake but I donβt see it listed as an ingredient. Can you advise?
Thanks!!
Sorry, yes! I edited the recipe itself and remade with vegetable oil. You can use one or the other.
Great Recipe! My boyfriend and I made it and 1st had a great time making it together and 2nd it tasted devine! Especially the next morning for breakfast lol after the icings had sort of soaked in, so yummy.
You know what they say about a “couple that bakes together”. I’m so glad to hear you both enjoyed it!
Could you use 1 egg instead of the flax see + water? My family is dairy free but not vegan!
You would replace the flax mean with 2 eggs for this recipe and it should work just fine. Please come back and let me know.
I want to make a GF cake for a friend but they are not vegan. Would I be able to use the same amount of regular ingredients instead of vegan ones? So instead of 1/4 cup of vegan butter, I use 1/4 cup regular butter?
Of course! All the dairy-free ingredients can easily be substituted with full dairy.
Do you think I could use Bobβs Red Mill paleo flour in place of the gluten free flour?
I haven’t tried since we have a nut allergy. But since it has both almond and coconut flour, both of those absorb liquids a little differently than their 1:1 blend and you may need to increase the amount of liquid in your batter if using it. I’d love to know if you try it and the results.
Am I missing something on the coconut icing instructions/ingredients? It says to mix cornstarch with coconut milk in a bowl and then doesnβt mention them in instructions, just says to add in sugar/milk ?
It’s there, Step 2 Icing: In a small saucepan, melt butter substitute then add in sugar and milk mixture. Stir and bring to a slow boil, allowing icing to thicken (5 minutes). Remove from stovetop and stir in coconut. Cool before using.
Iβm currently making this for a birthday tomorrow… does it freeze well? Iβm thinking about freezing the cake and then making the frosting tomorrow. Any thoughts?
It does freeze if sealed tightly. But you can also just refrigerate it.
Hi I made this cake today and although it looked amazing and texture was good it had a strong aftertaste?…
For the butter milk, I made myself using semi skimmed & lemon juice. Could this be the season? Or was it the bicarb of soda/baking powder? … I had herd that too much Of these can cause after taste?
Everything else was fine and the cake looked amazing , filling & topping good. Iβm just curious about the after taste?
Any help would be appreciated.
Many thanks
Tina x
Is your Baking Powder aluminum free? Did you happen to use the TB instead of tsp for either (I’ve done that before!). Did you use extra Baking Soda by chance? If those were all done correctly, then it would be the use of skimmed milk. Regular milk upsets the balance of alkali to acid so you need to use a thicker, milk to make that happen. Yogurt would be a good substitute if needed.
Canβt wait to try this! Is all coconut palm sugar or Brown sugar ok do you think vs. mix of both white and brown? Any reason for that? Thanks!
I like to mix them both because the regular sugar and brown/coconut sugar gives me the best of both worlds in terms of flavor and texture. If I used just brown, it would have a stronger molasses-like flavor and have a darker color. The white sugar balances it all out.
Can i use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour? I think it should work, but I never know. I cannot have any forms of grain.
You sure can! I make this recipe using Bob’s 1:1 for my GF friends and it turns out nicely.
Thank you for an amazing recipe! I added about 1/3 cup of toasted pecans to the coconut frosting and topped with aquafaba buttercream and chocolate ganache. Brought a smile to my vegan husband’s face.
This one is going straight to my personal recipe collection.
Love that! Thank you so much for sharing and I’m glad you could enjoy it with the toasted pecans. We’ve missed those.
If I was using Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer, how much should I use?
I’d use 2 TB egg replacer + 4 TB water. Thats what is recommended from BRM for making 2 eggs.