This gluten-free German chocolate cake has layers of moist chocolate cake and rich coconut pecan frosting that are decadent and delicious!
This recipe was originally published on June 16, 2021. It was updated with new information on February 23, 2024.
Why You'll Love This Gluten-Free German Chocolate Cake Recipe
- Rich & Decadent. The layers of chocolate cake have a deep chocolate flavor that's not too sweet, which balances out the sweet and rich frosting.
- Great Texture. The cake is fluffy, moist, and you can't tell it's gluten-free! Between the layers of tender cake, you get layers of dreamy coconut frosting that's both silky and crunchy. Together they make a party in your mouth!
- Allergen-Friendly. This gf German chocolate cake is gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy free!
- Easy, Yet Impressive. If you need a showstopper dessert that doesn't require an hour to decorate, look no further!
Ingredients
This recipe requires many ingredients but I promise it'll be WELL worth it! Here are the ingredients you'll need:
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour - Make sure to use a blend that includes xanthan gum like Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 baking flour.
- Cocoa powder - This recipe calls for unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
- Salt - Use fine salt. I love using fine Himalayan pink salt!
- Baking soda - This reacts with vinegar to create a fluffy cake.
- Baking powder - Baking powder adds fluffiness along with baking soda!
- Eggs - Make sure to use large eggs for this recipe. We have 2 eggs going into the cake and 3 egg yolks in the frosting.
- Granulated sugar - Granulated sugar adds a clean sweetness.
- Brown sugar - Brown sugar adds a deeper, toffee-like note to the cake and frosting.
- Oil - Use a neutral flavored oil like avocado oil or light olive oil.
- Non-dairy milk - You can use almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk.
- Apple cider vinegar - The vinegar is the acidic ingredient used to make non-dairy buttermilk.
- Coffee - Yes, use hot brewed coffee! You won’t taste the coffee but it enhances the chocolate flavor in the cake.
- Vanilla extract - You can use either pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste.
- Vegan butter - Dairy-free butter adds richness to the frosting!
- Non-dairy evaporated milk - This adds flavor and richness!
- Unsweetened coconut - You can use either shredded or desiccated coconut, but be sure it's unsweetened.
- Pecans - Use freshly roasted pecans for the best flavor!
Substitutions
- Non-dairy milk - If you are not dairy-free, feel free to use buttermilk instead of apple cider vinegar and non-dairy milk. You can also mix plain yogurt and whole milk at a 1:1 ratio to create a buttermilk substitute.
- Vegan butter - If you consume dairy, you can use dairy butter instead of vegan butter.
- Non-dairy evaporated milk - Can’t find non-dairy evaporated milk in stores or online? You can make German chocolate cake frosting without evaporated milk!
- To make your own evaporated milk, heat 1⅓ cups of non-dairy milk in a saucepan. Heat it on medium heat, and once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low and simmer to reduce by a quarter, until you end up with a cup of evaporated milk.
- You can also use coconut milk! Make sure you use coconut milk that comes in a can, and not in a carton.
- Coffee - If you want, you can skip the coffee and use hot water instead.
- Eggs - If omitting the eggs, although I haven't tried them, I would recommend using a product like the gluten-free egg replacer by Bob’s Red Mill for the cake batter. For the frosting, I would add a tablespoon of cornstarch to thicken the mixture.
How To Make Gluten-Free German Chocolate Cake
Step 1: In a small bowl, stir together the non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar. Let the mixture sit and curdle.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set it aside.
Step 3: In a large bowl, combine the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, non-dairy milk mixture, and vanilla extract.
Step 4: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour in the hot coffee and stir again until a smooth mixture forms. Cover the bowl and let the batter rest for 30 minutes.
Step 5: While the batter rests, preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C) and grease, and line three 6-inch round pans (or two 8-inch round pans) with parchment paper.
Step 6: Evenly pour the batter into the cake pans and bake for 32-35 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes before taking them out onto a cooling rack to let them cool completely.
Step 7: Once cooled, wrap each layer with plastic and put it in the fridge or freezer for an hour.
Make the German Chocolate Frosting
Step 1: In a saucepan, mix egg yolks and evaporated milk. Add butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt.
Step 2: Heat it on medium heat while whisking constantly. Once it reaches a boil, continue to whisk for 5 minutes.
Step 3: Take it off the heat and add the coconut and pecans. Let it cool completely before putting it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Assemble the German Chocolate Cake
Step 1: Slice the domes off of the chilled cake layers to make them flat and even. Each layer should be about an inch tall.
Step 2: Place one cake layer on a cake stand or plate. Put a third of the frosting on the cake and spread it to the edge using an offset spatula, knife, or spoon.
Step 3: Place another cake layer on top and spread another third of the frosting on top. Repeat once more, finishing with frosting on top.
Recipe Pro-Tips
- Chill the cake layers before slicing off the domes. The chocolate cake is very soft and moist, making it slightly difficult to slice. I highly recommend chilling the cakes first, either in the fridge or freezer, before slicing the domes off.
- Use a ruler or cake leveler to make sure your cake layers are even. Even cake layers will create a more beautiful cake, so take the time to level the cakes evenly! When baked in 6-inch cake pans, each layer should be about an inch tall.
- Don’t add all the frosting ingredients to the saucepan at once. If the egg yolks touch the sugar, they can “burn”. Yolks can dry out quickly when they come in contact with sugar, leaving you with hard clumps in your frosting.
- If the eggs “burn”, try using an immersion blender. If the sugar “burns” the egg yolks and you have orange bits at the bottom of your saucepan, use an immersion blender to smooth out the mixture before adding the coconut and pecans.
- Time the cake baking and frosting: While the cakes are cooling, make the frosting on the stovetop. Let them both cool completely and put both in the refrigerator to chill and thicken.
- How to frost the cake: To get equal amounts or frosting in between each cake layer, use an ice cream scoop or measuring cup. Scoop out equal amounts of frosting before spreading it to the edges of the cake layer.
Storage Directions
- Refrigerator: This German chocolate cake can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Put the whole cake on a plate and cover it tightly with plastic wrap, or slice the cake into individual slices and place them in an airtight container.
- Freezer: Cut the cake into individual slices and wrap each slice with plastic or aluminum foil. Place them in a freezer bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
FAQs
German chocolate cake has layers of chocolate cake, with luscious pecan and coconut frosting layered in between. It’s rich and indulgent, nutty, and chocolatey!
The frosting on German chocolate cake is a delicious mixture of butter, evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, coconut, and pecans! There’s no piping involved, no crumb coat involved, and no need to perfectly smooth out the sides. It’s meant to look rustic and we love that!
German chocolate cake is a classic Southern cake. The name comes from a product called German's Sweet Chocolate by Baker's Chocolate, created by a man named Samuel German, which then a Texan lady named Mrs. George Clay used to make a chocolate cake.
More Chocolate Cakes to Try
- If you want to try another chocolate layer cake, try my chocolate cake with pretzels or my mocha cake!
- If you're more of a cupcake lover, you'll have to make my chocolate peanut butter cupcakes or my moist chocolate cupcakes.
- Vegan chocolate lovers can make these vegan salted caramel cupcakes or these vegan chocolate banana cupcakes!
- Not a big fan of cake? Make some gluten-free brownies or double chocolate chip cookies instead!
I hope you loved this Gluten-Free German Chocolate Cake Recipe as much as I do. Make sure to follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also get all of my newest content delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for my email newsletter!
Gluten-Free German Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate cake
- 2 cups gluten-free 1-to-1 flour
- ¾ cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup oil
- 1 cup non-dairy milk (take out 1 tablespoon)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup brewed coffee
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Frosting
- 1 stick vegan butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 cup non-dairy evaporated milk (see Notes)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ cups unsweetened coconut (shredded or desiccated)
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- ⅛ teaspoon fine salt
Instructions
Chocolate cake
- In a small bowl, stir together non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar. Let the mixture sit and curdle.
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set it aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, non-dairy milk mixture, and vanilla extract.
- Add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour in the hot coffee and stir again until a smooth mixture forms. Cover the bowl and let the batter rest for 30 minutes.
- While the batter rests, preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C) and grease and line three 6-inch round pans (or two 8-inch round pans) with parchment paper.
- Evenly pour the batter into the cake pans and bake for 32-35 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes before taking them out onto a cooling rack to let them cool completely.
- Once cooled, wrap each layer with plastic and put it in the fridge or freezer for an hour.
Frosting
- In a saucepan, mix together egg yolks and evaporated milk. Add butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt.
- Heat it on medium heat while whisking constantly. Once it reaches a boil, continue to whisk for 5 minutes.
- Take it off the heat and add the coconut and pecans. Let it cool completely before putting it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Assembly
- Slice the domes off of the chilled cake layers to make them flat and even. Each layer should be about an inch tall.
- Place one cake layer on a cake stand or plate. Put a third of the frosting on the cake and spread it to the edge using an offset spatula, knife, or spoon.
- Place another cake layer on top and spread another third of the frosting on top. Repeat once more, finishing with frosting on top.
Terri says
This is hands down the BEST gluten free cake I've ever had. I'm not GF, but people I care about are and we all think this cake is amazing!
Ai says
Thank you SO much Terri! I'm so happy everyone loved my German chocolate cake! Definitely one of my favorites too 😉
StaLu says
I'm not GF either, my daughters has friends who have celiac disease and the more I make GF, the more I like it better! Angel food cake is by far my fave, but even mac and cheese with GF flour comes out so creamy!! Getting ready to make this cake now!
Ai says
Hope you like it StaLu!
Sharon Belcher says
This was a test run for my daughter’s 30th birthday cake for later in December. My 1st time baking a gluten free/dairy free cake.
Easy to follow recipe. The cake was moist and super chocolatey! Frosting was spot on! I have to admit I used vegetable oil instead of olive oil. I could not bring myself to use olive oil. Also, it was to be baked at 340 degrees. I did that but 340 is not a typical temperature.
I had several people taste-test it and they could not believe it was dairy/gluten free!
THANK YOU for developing such a great recipe!
Ai says
Hi Sharon! Thank you SO much for choosing my recipe for your daughter's big 30!! I'm sure vegetable oil would've worked just fine. I use light olive oil (the non-extra virgin kind) for cooking so that's what I use in oil-based cakes. I'm so glad you and your taste testers liked it! And I hope your daughter has a fabulous 30th birthday!
Stephanie says
This looks awesome. Is there a substitute for the coffee this recipe calls for? I'm super sensitive to caffeine and kids will be eating this too. Thanks!
Ai says
Hi Stephanie! Feel free to substitute water! Hope you and the kiddos enjoy 🙂
Jori says
What type of dairy free milk should I use? Would unsweetened vanilla almond milk be ok? I’m not concerned about the cake being dairy free as I am about it being gluten free. Also, when substituting the coffee with water, is it the same amount?
Thank you!
Ai says
Hi Jori! Yes, unsweetened vanilla almond milk would be great! I usually use unsweetened almond milk, or unsweetened almond & cashew milk blend. And yes, the water should be the same amount as coffee. Happy Baking!
Jori says
Thank you for your reply! Lastly, as I’m not concerned about the recipe being dairy free, would you recommend using regular evaporated milk or unsweetened coconut milk (in a can) for flavor?
Ai says
Using regular evaporated milk would make for a more traditional German chocolate cake. But, if you love coconut and can't get enough, go with the canned coconut milk. If you're wanting German chocolate cake, go with evaporated milk. If you want a coconut chocolate cake, go with coconut milk. I don't know if that was helpful at all... haha.
Sandy says
My daughter is GF due to celiac & can’t have dairy or eggs - what can I substitute for the eggs in both the cake & frosting.
Ai says
Hi Sandy! Honestly, I haven't tried this recipe without eggs so I can't say for sure what a good substitute would be. For the cake, I would try an egg replacer like this one from Bob's Red Mill. For the frosting, I would add about a tablespoon of cornstarch as the egg substitute, and maybe even some vegan butter to add the richness that you would be losing by taking out the egg.
I hope this is helpful! Please let me know how it goes 🙂
Christine says
Hi, cake looks gorgeous.
I’m wondering though if I could sub non dairy milk for coconut yoghurt ?
And the evaporated milk in the topping, can I sub for a coconut condensed milk ?
Ai says
Hi Christine! I haven't tried either of those substitutions, so I can't say if they would work or not.
Using coconut yogurt instead of milk: The texture of the cake would be different, as yogurt is much thicker than milk and also usually acidic. You will have to adjust the amount of sugar if the yogurt is sweetened.
Using condensed milk instead of evaporated milk: I wouldn't suggest this, because condensed milk is already sweetened and much thicker than evaporated milk. If you used condensed milk, the frosting would be very thick to the point where it's not spreadable. You could use the condensed milk and skip the sugar and egg yolks so you don't have to cook it and thicken it further, but I can't say how the taste would compare to the original recipe.
Lisa says
First time making a homemade cake and a gluten free cake.
I made it for my mom’s birthday who has celiac and she had requested German Chocolate cake. Super easy and DELICIOUS!!!! We all loved it!
Ai says
Hi Lisa! I'm so happy to hear that you and your family loved the cake! Happy birthday to your mama! Thank you so much for leaving a comment and rating❤️
Kelly says
Can you use regular milk in the recipe?
Ai says
Hi Kelly! You can use whole milk in the cake and regular evaporated milk and butter in the frosting.
Stacey says
I need a German chocolate cake mix to make caramel brownies with thats GF. The recipe just uses the mix and adds butter and evaporated milk. Would this recipe work, do you think, if I didnt add the eggs, oil, and water(the stuff left out of a regular box mix)?
Ai says
Hi Stacey! I can't say whether it would work or not, as it's somebody else's recipe and it specifically calls for German chocolate cake box mix. I do, however, have a gluten-free brownie recipe that's delicious😉👍
Jenessa Olson says
This is my new favorite chocolate cake!!
Sarah says
I love this recipe for a lot of reasons, but it just so happens that I don't need it to be gluten -free this time around. Is it okay to substitute all-purpose flour instead? Thank you!
Ai says
Should be totally fine 😉
Cake Lover says
No doubt this recipe is great, However, is missing the main ingredient...German Chocolate. Just because a chocolate cake has a carmel pecan, coconut frosting doesn't make it a German Chocolate cake.
Ai says
Hi Latoya! Thanks for taking the time to comment😊 Yes, the first German chocolate cake (the original recipe) used the Baker's brand's German's Sweet Chocolate bar. However, not everyone has access to that. I certainly don't see it in any of the stores in my neighborhood. And what a shame it would be to deprive oneself of German chocolate cake just because you don't have the original brand of chocolate😉 Just the fact that this recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free already makes it different from a classic German chocolate cake, and being true to the original recipe is not what I'm trying to do here. My goal is to provide my fellow gluten and dairy-intolerant people with a delicious recipe that's relatively easy to make👍
Chelsea says
This recipe is so good!! Rich, chocolaty and unsuspecting friends never believed it was GF! Totally recommend it -- so good I am going to make it for my birthday this year!
Ai Willis says
I'm so glad you liked it, Chelsea!❤️
Elly says
Thank you for your recipe. WOW, by far the best GF Cake recipe I have made and have been doing this for about 8 years. I shared today with family and neighbor who is dairy free, everyone loved it! Thanks again.
Ai Willis says
Hi Elly! I'm so happy to hear that you loved this recipe!! Thank you so much for the lovely comment and rating❤️
Kristen T says
Hi! Would this recipe work with a 9x13 pan ? We need to travel with it and will frost it at our final location. Have you ever tried it in that pan? I’m just wondering if it will fit. I can adjust the time and temp I think.
Thanks!
Ai Willis says
Hi Kristen! I haven't tried it, but the amount of batter should be right for a 9x13 pan. I would say bake it at the same temperature for 35-40 minutes! Let me know if you try it out!
Ai Willis says
I just tried it out and it took 37 minutes at 340°F in my 9x13-inch pan!