My recipe for Best German Chocolate Bundt Cake will take your confidence in baking to the next level! Best German Chocolate Bundt Cake takes the mystery out of making this special occasion treat in your kitchen.
Does the thought of making a German Chocolate Cake at home intimidate you?? German Chocolate Cake is a cake people tend to buy, but not make at home. Maybe it’s the thought of making a cake, and a topping, and frosting that compels us to buy from the bakery, instead of baking at home?
I’m going to share with you my simple, make-ahead version of Best German Chocolate Bundt cake that will knock your socks off. This cake’s simple, gooey, moist deliciousness will convince you to never, ever, buy a German Chocolate Cake again!
a bundt cake, really?
Why a German Chocolate Bundt Cake? Years ago, I made a 100% from scratch German Chocolate Cake for Grant on his 50th birthday. I love that recipe! The only problem is, the cake takes a bit of time to make and is a little on the difficult side to handle if you are a novice baker.
I wanted to create the Best German Chocolate Cake recipe that is simple for a beginner cook to make and also give instructions for make- ahead so the cake can be made ahead, along with the topping and frosting, and assembled later if needed. With that in mind, I thought what’s easier to make than a Bundt cake?? How about a bundt cake made with a cake mix as a base? I knew you’d agree. That’s how the Best German Chocolate Bundt Cake was born.
a few simple steps…
Best German Chocolate Bundt Cake can be made in stages, so you won’t get overwhelmed with all three steps at once!
Here’s the plan:
1. Mix and bake the cake.
2. Make the coconut-pecan topping, refrigerate.
3. Make the frosting, spoon into a bag, and refrigerate.
make ahead instructions!
If you’re pressed for time, you can make the Best German Chocolate Bundt Cake up to two days in advance. Once baked, cool and wrap with plastic wrap and stick in back of fridge so no one will eat it up before you have a chance to frost! The topping takes about 15 minutes start to finish, and can be stored in a bowl in the fridge. Make the topping and frosting up to a week before serving. Again, store in the fridge until ready to assemble.
When you’re ready to assemble, take everything out, and follow instructions on recipe. It is best if the filling and frosting ingredients sit out on the counter for about 30-45 minutes before using to come to room temperature! Remember, if you are making ahead, hide the cake or you won’t have anything to frost. Where’s my laughing emoji?? I have a problem with eating unfrosted cake. Like an- I need an intervention type of problem… Oh, and I’ve added instructions to make this in a sheet pan if a sheet pan works better for you than a bundt pan.
last word on abk’s best german chocolate bundt cake…
Oh, one more thing. This German Chocolate Bundt Cake is incredibly moist. It will stay fresh for days in the fridge, covered. If no one sees it. Big IF! Happy baking 🙂
German Chocolate Bundt Cake
Ingredients
for cake:
- 1 cake mix – chocolate, any name brand will work
- 1 small box instant pudding, chocolate (dry, not mixed with milk)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup water
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
topping:
- 6 oz can EVAPORATED milk, not sweetened condensed
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
- 1 1/2 cups coconut, sweet flake
- 3/4 cup chopped pecans
frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese, not low fat, softened
- 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch of salt
Instructions
for cake:
- Turn oven to 350 degrees and place rack in middle of oven.
- Place the wet ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix until blended well. Add the cake mix, box of pudding, unsweetened cocoa and sugar. Mix for about 2 minutes on medium speed or until blended well. Turn beater on high for about 1 minute.
- Generously grease a bundt pan.
- Pour the cake batter into the pan and bake for about 45-50 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched lightly.
- Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes, then turn cake out onto cooking rack and let cool top side down until completely cooled.
Make the topping and frosting while cake is baking:
for topping:
- Beat Evaporated milk, egg yolks, and vanilla in a large sauce pan with a whisk or fork. Add sugar and butter and cook over medium heat for about 10-12 minutes until mixture is thickened and starts to turn a golden color. Whisk while cooking every few seconds. When the mixture has thickened, remove from heat and add coconut and nuts.
- Set aside to cool. Place in a bowl and set in refrigerator until ready to use.
For frosting:
- Beat cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Add powdered sugar and cocoa powder and beat on low until smooth. Add vanilla and pinch of salt.
- Using large Ziplock bag, or cake decorating bag, placing the bag inside of the cup or small bowl. fold the ends of the bag over a cup, and fill the bag with the frosting. Squeeze the frosting to one end of the bag. Snip off a small end of the bag when ready to frost.
assembly:
- Place the cake on a flat plate or cake stand.
- Top the cake with the coconut pecan mixture using a spoon.
- Using the bag of frosting, pipe the frosting onto the cake until all of the frosting is used. You may also fill two bags and snip off one large and one smaller opening if you want to achieve a look similar to the one in the photo.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. I’d love to see a photo, tag @abountifulkitchen on Instagram!
Jackie
I am a beginner baker. I was nervous to make my first Bundt cake, but I love German Chocolate cake so I wanted to try. The entire time I was making the cake I was doubting everything. I made the filling and it had a strong condensed milk flavor. Then I tried the frosting and it just tasted like pure coco powder. I was worried because I told my father in law I would bring it over for Sunday dinner. Once we cut open the cake I was pleasantly surprised that this really was the Best German Chocolate Cake! I had never made one before and apparently all the flavors just needed time to come together. I’m so happy I found this recipe! I will make this for years to come! It really is so easy, delicious and moist. If I could make this anyone can. Thank you!
Marissa Neilson
Delicious!! And much easier than I thought it would be. The only thing I think could possibly make it any better is toasting the pecans beforehand. So yum!
Si Foster
Marissa,
Great suggestion! Thanks for your feedback and for reading ABK 🙂
xo
Si
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Cherylann
Oh my heavens! This is so good. This has to be one of my favorite cakes ever! I made this for a birthday cake (okay, I made my own) and we absolutely loved it. The next day it was even better, I’m not sure what happens overnight, but it just gets better. My daughters birthday is a week after mine and she wanted this cake too. Once again it was even better on the second day. We love our frosting, so the second week we decided to double the chocolate frosting so we could really make sure it was covered (didn’t use it all), but discovered that you really don’t need/want anymore than what you call for. It is the perfect marriage of topping and frosting with the yummy cake.
Judy
I made the cake yesterday. It was loved by all! I only used about half of the frosting. It seemed like a bit much to use it all. The others agreed that half was enough frosting. The directions were clear and the cake was great, will definitely make it again.
Si Foster
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe Judy, this is definitely one of our all-time favorites. Thanks for sharing and for reading ABK!
xo
Si
Debbie
I used a German Chocolate cake mix and followed the rest Of the directions I also poked holes and inserted some of the chocolate frosting inside. So it would be more like a layer cake. It looks much like your photo.
5hebdirections
Cindy
This is definitely the best German chocolate cake ever!!!! I have made this several times and everyone has loved it and requested the recipe. No need to change a thing, this is perfect just the way it is.
Maisie
Hi. I am wondering if Pecans are nuts Because my dad is allergic to nuts. Thanks!
Judy
Yes, pecans are nuts!
Sandy
We loved this cake! I ended up using a devils food cake mix and it turned out a little more “dark” than a chocolate cake mix. I should have waited a little longer to put the chocolate frosting on top of the warm coconut mix because it kind of slid down. But we still ate it up! So yummy! Can’t wait to try the plain chocolate one!
DeAnn Allen Grasinger
This recipe was so easy and so amazing. I used a little bit of best foods mayo bc I didn’t have the oil and it turned out soooo moist! I made the cake Part a day before, and made coconut filling next morning, put in fridge to set up a bit for a couple of hours, made frosting and then put it all together. Plenty of filling and frosting! Best German chocolate we’ve ever had! Thanks for ama omg recipe!
Si Foster
Great idea to use mayo as alternative, DeAnn! Thank you so much for sharing and I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe,
xo
Si
Annie
So excited to make this for our Valentine’s Day treat! Just wondering if the coconut filling can be made a day or two before and then stored in the fridge before assembling the cake? Thanks!
Si Foster
Sorry for the late reply, Annie, but yes you can make the filling a few days ahead and then store in the fridge. Thanks for asking!
xo
Si
Sharon
This is one of my favorite recipes! Thank you so much!
Aneta
I’m not a baker but I gave it a try and baked this cake for my co-workers and it was absolute a hit! I found topping recipe too time consuming and took a shortcut (I’m terrible with measuring and very impatient). So I followed frosting recipe, added evaporated milk (eyeballed it to get the right consistency) and poured over the cake. Then topped with pecans. It looked so pretty! Thank you for this recipe. Definitely a keeper. Enjoy everyone! I’m off to try rum bundt cake recipe next.
Si Foster
This is one of my favorite cakes to make ever, it’s fool-proof enough for anyone to make, and I’m so glad you enjoyed it Aneta! Thanks so much for sharing and for reading ABK,
xo
Si
hipboots
Your directions, are the best I have ever seen. They will lead a novice to success. I am 85 years old. This was my first attempt at a German Chocolate Bundt but it was for a very special Birthday….This cake is a winner. And you got me there every step of the way. It’s a keeper.. I was so thrilled..
Looked just like your picture. Thank you ..so much.
Si Foster
You’re very welcome! I’m so glad you found the recipe easy to follow, this is one of my favorite cakes to make ever, especially for birthdays. Thanks for sharing and for reading ABK,
xo
Si
Whitney
I made this cake for my dad’s 70th birthday and it was gone before I blinked. So much easier than the 3-layer version i’ve been making. My 3 year old loved helping me add the frosting, and the finished look was perfect even with her help. So moist and delicious.
Kae Lynne Nielson
The first time I made this cake I took it to a potluck wedding shower. Oh my goodness, it was gone so fast! This is one of my favorite cake recipes! Everything is delicious the cake, the coconut mixture and the buttercream icing. It may take more time, but it’s totally worth it!
Heather
My husband loves German chocolate cake. This one did not disappoint. So moist and yummy! I made for Father’s Day this year and we left on vacation the next day so I had my sister in law come take the rest. When I got back they ranted and raved as well as how yummy that cake was. Nothing I have tried from ABountifulKitchen has not been good. Love every recipe we have tried!!
Sandy
I don’t care for the flavor of desserts that have oil included in the recipe. Have you tried using unsweetened applesauce instead of oil?
abountifulkitchen
Hi Sandy,
I have not tried making this with applesauce in place of the oil. My mom often subs applesauce, and sometimes I think it works and other times it doesn’t. If you try it, Id love to hear your feedback! Thanks for reading ABK,
Si
Sydney
SO GOOD. Literally the best German chocolate cake. I will be keeping this recipe forever. I am currently eating cake for breakfast after Father’s Day. 😊 super easy to make. Super good. My husband is obsessed!
Si Foster
That’s one of the best parts about this cake, you can save it and the leftovers are sometimes even better! Thanks for sharing, Sydney,
xo
Si
Stephanie
This cake was a show stopper— I followed the instructions and it turned out perfectly! I even got distracted and it baked for an extra 5 minutes and it didn’t matter— such a moist cake! We shared it with neighbors and friends and everyone loved it. The only change I made was to pulse the pecans a few times so the nuts were a little bit finer but still had the pecan flavor. My kids requested this cake for birthdays from now on too!
Si Foster
I agree Stephanie, this is one of my all-time favorite cakes to make for any large crowd. Thanks for sharing and for reading ABK!
xo
Si
Hannah
This was amazing! I made it for hubby’s birthday and he loved it! Everything came together beautifully because of the tips and directions included. And just absolutely delicious!
Si Foster
We LOVE this cake too, Hannah. It’s perfect for the whole family and I’m so glad you found the tips helpful. Thanks for sharing and for reading ABK!
xo
Si
Angie Fennemore
This was so delicious and SO MOIST!!! I LOVED IT! I was wondering if I could make the cake in two 9″ rounds? I haven’t had a lot of homemade chocolate cakes turn out well – they always seems to sink in the middle and since this was so great in a bundt, I was wondering if this would be the answer? I’m actually planning on making a “Ding-Dong Cake” for my MIL and I usually use a boxed mix, but would much prefer this…
Si Foster
Hi Angie, I think it would turn out great using two 9″ rounds. I haven’t tried it that way, but it may bake through a little better. Thank you for asking and for reading ABK!
xo
Si
Brooke
What do you mean by “small” box of pudding? I saw a few different sizes at the store, & I wanted to be sure I got the right amount!
abountifulkitchen
Jello pudding is usually sold in two sizes, 3.4 oz and 5 oz. This recipe calls for the 3.4 oz size. Thanks!
Mark
What size of bundt pan do you use?
Si Foster
Hi Mark, I usually use a 12 cup bundt pan. Thanks for asking!
Si
Tammy
This cake was amazing. I made this for a girlfriend’s birthday at work. Not a crumb left! I had people going for seconds, and scraping up the topping and frosting. I like that you can use your favorite chocolate cake mix. I of course am a chocoholic, so I bought a triple chocolate cake mix…YUM!
Si Foster
Thanks for sharing, Tammy! This is one of our favorite cake recipes hands down. The more chocolate the better! Thanks for reading ABK,
xo
Si
Sharon
Use Cake Release instead of vegetable spray to coat your Bundt cake pans. You will be so glad you did. Here’s the recipe I use: 1/2 cup of solid shortening (like Crisco), 1/2 cup of vegetable oil and 1/2 cup of all purpose flour. Mix until thoroughly combined. Use a pastry brush to spread in cake pan instead of greasing and flouring your cake pans This will keep up to 3 months , unrefrigerated, on your pantry shelf.
abountifulkitchen
Thanks for the baking tip Sharon!
Gina
I want to give this recipe a shot as a white cake. The chocolate was so amazing. Have you done that already? I love the pudding and sour cream in the mix. It just makes the cake so moist and the right anount of dense! Thank you!
Si Foster
Gina, I’d love to hear how that turns out if you try it as a white cake. I agree, the sour cream helps keep the cake moist and the perfect texture. It’s one of our family’s favorite cake recipes ever! Thanks for reading ABK,
xo
Si
Lottie Christensen
I was thinking of making it in round 8in pans to make a layered cake, how long would you cook it for?
Also would the same amount of cake batter be sufficient for two 8in by 3 in pans? And how full would you fill each pan?
Thanks!
Si Foster
Lottie,
8 inch pans usually cook from 25-35 minutes depending on your oven, so keep an eye on your cake! Try filling the cake pan half full. Let me know how this recipe works for you! Thanks for reading ABK.
xo,
Si
Rita
Oh wow. This was the absolute best German chocolate cake recipe I’ve ever made. I made it in 2 9inch pans. Doubled the Pecan frosting used it in the middle and top of cake. Then I iced the sides with the dark chocolate icing. Everyone raved about it. I will make this again. Thanks so much!
abountifulkitchen
Rita,
Loved hearing how you turned this into a layer cake! Thanks for leaving detailed alterations to the recipe. Im going to give it a try soon.
Thanks for reading ABK,
xo
Si
Jodi
This was so incredibly delicious! A big hit. Thank you!!
abountifulkitchen
Thanks so much Jodi! We love this cake too.
Happy baking,
Si
Rita DeFelice
I would like to make this as a three layer cake. Do you think I should double the coconut frosting then? I always like enough frosting. Then as far as the icing, I’ll use the same amount. This sounds wonderful. Making it for my sister’s 60th. German chocolate is her favorite. Going to use German chocolate cake mix. Appreciate your help. Thanks Rita
abountifulkitchen
Rita,
yes, if I were making this into a three layer cake, I would double the coconut filling layer. If as a two layer cake a single recipe will be sufficient. What a nice sister you are! Let us know how it turns out!
Happy baking,
Si
Ashkey
This was so delicious! If I can come up with a yellow/vanilla cake version, this will be my go-to cake base!
Mary Barrett
I just made this for our Sunday dinner and I got a 10/10 from the “judges!” 🙂 Thanks for the recipe, we all loved it!
Si Foster
Mary,
I’m always so glad when a recipe receives such positive reviews! Thank you for letting me know and thank you for reading ABK!
xo,
Si
Karen
I made this for a dinner party. It was very good, but I felt the frosting needs a tweak. It’s just probably a preference, but following the recipe I thought the frosting was a bit bitter. I added more butter(unsalted) more salt and 2-3 teaspoons of vanilla. With that, I’d say this was a big hit. Thank you for the bunt version!
Si Foster
Karen,
Thanks you for your tips on improving the frosting. I’m so glad you liked this German Chocolate Bundt Cake.
Thanks for reading ABK!
xo,
Si
Kelli
When making this cake.. can I assemble the whole thing and keep it out on the counter until it’s ready for candles if so how many hours
abountifulkitchen
Kelli,
Yes, it will be fine on the counter for a few hours, maybe 6? I try to assemble it before hand and the refrigerate for best results while cutting. That said, if you don’t have enough room in your fridge, a few hours on the counter will not hurt!
thanks,
Si
Claire
This cake looks fabulous! Because of timing I was wondering if this cake can be frozen once baked and then taken out to add the coconut mix and frosting before serving?
abountifulkitchen
Claire, Absolutely, this cake freezes well and can be prepared ahead, cooled completely then frozen.
Debra
The way the recipe is written, the advertising comes in at the end of the cake ingredients but after the advertising there is an additional cake ingredient…sour cream. Easy to miss…so don’t make the mistake I made and leave it out. I’ll let you know how the cake is without it.
abountifulkitchen
Debra,
Thanks for the heads up! So sorry about this. I will look into the ad covering the recipe!
xo
Si
Annie
This is the best thing we’ve ever eaten!! My fiancé’s family is from Brazil and are all very world traveled and foodies. I’m always nervous taking food to them and they all went nuts over it. NONE was left and it’s very filling.
I used the German Chocolate mix and condensed milk instead of buttermilk (accidentally lol). I also used coconut flavoring instead of vanilla in the icing and that was fabulous too!
We were eating the coconut mix right out of the pot!
We decided we need one of these a month from now on lol
abountifulkitchen
Annie, I’m glad you loved this recipe! It is one of our favorites. Im sure the coconut flavoring was delicious! Ill try that next time. Thanks for reading ABK!
xo
Si
Jeni
I made this cake tonight. I do a “cheaters” version for the topping. One can dulce de leche and one can cream of coconut mixed. Split in half and mix in 1 1/2 cups coconut and 3/4 c cup pecans. Store in fridge and spoon on chilled cake. The ‘cocomel’ sauce is great over ice cream as well.
abountifulkitchen
Oh wow! what a great substitute in a hurry. Thanks Jeni for sharing this!
xo
Si
Pat
If the cake mix is labeled with pudding already in the mix, do you still add the instant pudding to the mix?
abountifulkitchen
Hi Pat,
Yes, still add the box of pudding!
Robin
German Chocolate is my absolute FAVORITE!
Pam Ratliff
I made this for our Christmas dinner. It’s great! I love German chocolate cake. Have never had it with frosting just the coconut pecan and always a layer cake. I didn’t use as much frosting as you show on the picture, but it was still very good. I mean what could be better than chocolate cake, coconut pecan, and more chocolate in the frosting, right. The cream cheese in it made it super delicious. I was excited to see a bundt version as at the present I don’t have layer cake pans. Only thing was I accidently got regular pudding not instant. It was still very moist and one of the best cakes I’ve had. I will be making this one again! Thanks for the recipe, I shall be passing it along to friends and family.
abountifulkitchen
Pam, So happy you loved this cake! I developed this recipe specifically so it would be simple to make and without layer pans. Thanks for reading ABK! hugs, Si
Deborah Valencia
Hello,
I was wondering if the coconut pecan mixture will stay on top of the cake (not slide off) if I decide not to use the frosting?
Thank you,
abountifulkitchen
Deborah,
Yes it will stay on top with or without the frosting. The cake is much more appealing with the frosting! Happy baking 🙂
Janet
What flavor of instant pudding
abountifulkitchen
Hi Janet, the flavor is chocolate. Hope you love this!
Ciji
I’m excited to try this cake for the holidays!! But I’m confused when you say ½ cup unsweetened cocoa and 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder? Is it the same thing? Or what do I need to buy?
Thanks!
abountifulkitchen
Hi Ciji, I adjusted the recipe to avoid confusion, the cocoa powder is unsweetened cocoa powder for both the cake and the frosting. Happy baking!
Lisa
What if you use milk instead of water?
abountifulkitchen
no need to use milk, it is already in the cake mix!
Jen
Milk makes for a denser cake. Whole milk is my preference especially with a bundt cake.
Rachael B
Do you have a favorite cocoa powder?
Laura K
My sister requested German Chocolate for her birthday. This was by far the best cake I have ever made. Thanks for the recipe.
Jenn
I made this for my mother in laws birthday! It was a hit! I made the cake in the AM, the topping in the afternoon, and I made the icing and decorated it in the evening before the event! I grabbed some flowers on clearance and popped them in the middle to hide my less than perfect decorating capabilities;). The cake was delicious!
Lori
Have you ever tried making these in cupcake or muffin form? I wondered on bake time just made the cake for Father’s Day and it was the best cake I’ve made so far! Thanks!
MarGee
Hi Si, I am wondering if a german chocolate cake mix would work for this recipe or is the chocolate cake mix best?
abountifulkitchen
A German Chocolate cake mix will work great! It may have more of a reddish hue instead of a darker chocolate, but it’s just a matter of preference. thanks for reading ABK <3