Vegan German Chocolate Cake, Double Layer

Vegan German chocolate cake is a two-layer cocoa sponge with a thick coconut and pecan filling spread between and over the layers. There is no dairy, no egg and no buttermilk in it: vinegar and bicarb do the lift, and sweetened condensed coconut milk carries the filling. It needs a few hours in the fridge before you cut it.

I’ve been tweaking this cake for years. It sits alongside the other popular desserts here, and for something lighter there is always the vegan chocolate cake route.

Is German chocolate cake actually German?

No. The cake has nothing to do with Germany. It is named after a man.

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In 1852 an English-American chocolate maker named Samuel German developed a dark baking chocolate for the Baker’s Chocolate Company, and they named it after him: Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate. It was sweeter than standard unsweetened baking chocolate, which is why cakes built on it come out mild rather than bitter.

The cake came much later. In 1957 a recipe titled “German’s Chocolate Cake” ran in a Dallas newspaper and spread from there. Along the way the apostrophe and the s dropped off, which is the whole reason people assume the cake is European.

What Does Vegan German Chocolate Cake Actually Taste Like?

The original German chocolate cake is super moist and very sweet, built from three parts:

A chocolate sponge that leans mild rather than bitter
A layer of chocolate buttercream around the outside, if you want it
Two layers of caramel-like gooey goodness with coconut shreds and pecans

The defining flavour is not the chocolate. It is the filling: toasted coconut, pecans and caramelised sugar, somewhere between a praline and a soft toffee.

How does the filling work without eggs or dairy?

The traditional filling is a custard set with egg yolks and evaporated milk. Neither is available here, so the thickening comes from sugar concentration. Condensed coconut milk, demerara sugar and vegan butter are simmered until enough water evaporates to leave something close to caramel, and the coconut shreds absorb the rest.

Stir constantly once it simmers. The sugar settles and catches quickly, so use a heavy-based saucepan.
Judge it by the trail, not the clock. When a spoon drawn through it leaves a line that holds for a second, it is done. Usually eight to twelve minutes.
Expect it to look loose off the heat. It thickens a lot as it cools, so pulling it when it already looks like frosting means it sets hard.
Toast the pecans and coconut first. Five minutes in a dry pan makes a real difference.

Ingredients

3 cups and 3 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour (400 g, you may use gluten-free)
2 cups and 3 tbsp water (520 ml)
1 cup cocoa powder (100 g)
1 ¾ cups white or brown sugar (350 g)
2 tbsp ACV vinegar
1 ½ tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
¾ cup vegetable oil (180 ml)

Filling & Frosting Ingredients

1 ½ cups (one can) sweetened condensed coconut milk (375 ml)
3 cups unsweetened coconut, shredded (240 g)
1 ½ cups demerara sugar (300 g)
¾ cup vegan butter or margarine (170 g)
1 cup dark chocolate frosting (optional, for the sides)
1 ½ cups pecans, chopped (165 g)

Directions for German Vegan Chocolate Cake

For Making The Cake

Preheat your oven at 350F/175C. Oil two 8” (20 cm) cake moulds or pans and keep aside.
Combine all the dry cake ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir well. Incorporate the wet ingredients and whisk until smooth. Add the vinegar last and get the batter into the tins straight away, since it reacts with the baking soda immediately.
Pour and split the batter onto the two cake moulds and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Start checking at 22 minutes, as an overbaked vegan sponge dries out fast.
Allow the cake to cool completely, ten minutes in the tins and then on a rack, since filling a warm cake melts the caramel off the sides.
Transfer the first cake layer to a flat surface. Spread ½ of the filling on top until it covers it completely. Add the second cake on top and spread with the remaining filling. You may also add the chocolate frosting around the sides if you wish. Allow the cake to sit for 30 minutes to set.

For Making The Filling

Combine the condensed coconut milk with vegan butter and demerara sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat and allow to simmer. Once it starts to simmer, whisk constantly until the filling sauce thickens and a spoon drawn through it leaves a trail.
Take the mixture off the heat. Whisk in the shredded coconut and chopped pecans until thoroughly mixed. Allow to cool for a few minutes before layering the cakes in-between and on top of the filling.

Why does the cake need to chill before slicing?

Keep it in the fridge for at least 3 hours before cutting, or it can crumble. The filling goes on as a warm caramel and only firms up enough to hold the layers together once cold. Cut it warm and the top layer slides.

You may also make it a couple of days ahead, sealed in a cake box in the fridge. Leftovers freeze, then thaw in the fridge for 24 hours.

FAQs

Can I use regular condensed milk instead?

Not if the cake needs to be vegan, since standard sweetened condensed milk is dairy. Sweetened condensed coconut milk is the direct swap and behaves almost identically, though it browns faster, so keep the heat moderate. Availability varies by country, so check the label.

What can I use instead of pecans?

Walnuts are the closest match in texture and slight bitterness, and usually cheaper. Macadamias suit the coconut and give a softer, buttery result. Toasted almonds are blander. Skipping nuts entirely, toasted sunflower seeds give the crunch without the richness.

Why did my sponge come out dense?

Almost always one of two things. Either the batter sat around after the vinegar went in, so the bicarb spent itself before the tins hit the oven, or it was overmixed and the gluten tightened. Whisk only until the flour streaks disappear.

Do I have to frost the sides?

No. The traditional presentation leaves the sides bare, with the filling only between the layers and on top. The chocolate frosting is optional and makes a richer, tidier cake.

NOTES

To store this:

Due to the fact that the filling/frosting has a quite gooey texture, it’s best to keep this in the fridge inside a closed container. This will hold up for up to 7 days. To serve it, let it sit at room temperature first for half an hour so the filling gets softer.