Celebrating Not-So-German Chocolate Cake (2024)

FAQs

Why is my German chocolate frosting not thick enough? ›

If your frosting isn't thickening, there are a few possible reasons: insufficient mixing, incorrect ingredient ratios or having too much liquid are the most common. You can try gradually adding thickening agents like cornstarch or powdered sugar as a last resort.

German chocolate cake, trimmed with coconut and pecan icing, does not originate from Germany. The rich dessert is credited to a Texas homemaker who sent her recipe to a Dallas newspaper in 1957. It was reprinted in papers around the country. The name comes from Sam German, who invented a sweet baking chocolate in 1852.

German chocolate cake uses a particular kind of baking chocolate as its base, one which has a milder, sweeter profile thanks in part to lecithin, a fatty substance derived from egg yolks. In contrast, classic chocolate cake recipes often use cocoa powder or darker chocolate for a richer, more intense flavor.

German Chocolate Cake will keep at room temperature (granted you are not in a particularly hot/humid climate) in an airtight container for up to three days. It may also be refrigerated (in an airtight container) for up to a week. German Chocolate Cake may be frozen, wrap well and freeze for up to several months.

For a thicker German buttercream, simply use a thicker custard base (like homemade pastry cream) or add more softened butter to the base. Just keep in mind that adding more butter won't make the buttercream more heat-resistant.

A devil's-food cake is richer and darker, and has a strong cocoa flavor. German chocolate (a favorite here in south Texas) usually is a lighter-colored cake with a flavor of mild chocolate. True German chocolate cake has delicious pecan-coconut frosting, while the devil's food usually has a dark fudge frosting.

European chocolates, with their smoother, richer flavor, use European butter and cream, which has a higher fat content. To accentuate the smoothness of the chocolates, Europe also uses more cocoa butter, further accentuating the difference in taste.

Kuchen (pronounced “koo-ken”) is the German word for “cake,” but a real kuchen is so much more than that! Traditional kuchen is like a delicious mash-up of cake and pie, topped with creamy custard.

Hence the name German chocolate cake, right? However, the popular dessert isn't from Germany at all. Instead, it originated in the country that loves it the most: America.

Why does my German chocolate cake fall? ›

The most common reasons a cake sinks in the middle include the following: The pan is too small. There's too much liquid. Opening the oven or moving pans during baking.

If your cake is frosted with buttercream, it will last covered at room temperature for up to four days. However, it is best to refrigerate cakes with other frostings such as cream cheese or ganache. A fully covered unfrosted cake will last for up to 2 days at room temperature.

If you are making a chocolate frosting, adding more cocoa powder is a great option for thickening it. The technique is basically the same as if you were thickening with powdered sugar, but you want to use a smaller quantity of cocoa powder than icing sugar. Try adding just 1 to 2 teaspoon at a time.

There are a few ways you can increase the stability of this frosting or make it a bit thicker. – Add in more icing/powdered sugar (if you don't mind a little extra sweetness). Add in a tablespoon at a time and taste test as you go. – Secondly, you can add in some cornstarch to thicken up the frosting.

Add small amounts of ingredients like powdered sugar, cornstarch, gelatin, heavy whipping cream, or cream cheese to make your frosting less runny. For flavored frostings, ingredients like cocoa powder and peanut butter can also work. When your frosting is the right consistency, it'll be easy to spread or pipe.

While it's relatively easy to thin out your frosting—a bit of water, milk, or cream should do the trick—regaining body and thickness in your frosting is slightly more challenging.