9 X 13 German Chocolate Cake With Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

This is a semi-homemade chocolate cake topped with coconut pecan filling and chocolate cream cheese frosting. *Adapted from A Bountiful Kitchen's recipe

Chocolate Cake:

• ¾ cup canola/vegetable oil
• ¾ cup water
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 boxed chocolate cake mix
• 1 3.9 oz box of chocolate instant pudding (keep this dry, do not mix this with milk)
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup chocolate chips

Coconut Pecan Filling:

*You can 1.5 times this if you’d like a lot of the filling

• 6 oz can evaporated milk
• 2 egg yolks separated from the egg whites (discard the whites)
• 1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla
• ¾ cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons butter (sliced into tablespoon sized pieces)
• 2 ½ cup sweetened coconut flakes (you can use more if desired)
• ¾ cup chopped pecans (you can use a little more or less depending on preference)

 Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 8 oz full fat cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon of milk

Set the oven to 350 degrees and assemble your ingredients.

Add the wet ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Use either a hand mixer or stand mixer set to low speed to mix until the wet ingredients are blended together.

Add the boxed cake mix, box of dry instant pudding, unsweetened cocoa powder, and sugar to the wet ingredients in the bowl. Start mixer off slow, then bring up to medium speed. Mix at medium speed for 2 minutes.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then mix on high speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir in the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into a greased 9 x 13 glass or metal pan. Place the pan on the middle rack in the preheated oven.

Bake for 28 - 32 minutes. Check for doneness by sticking a toothpick or fork into the middle of the cake. You will want moist crumbs to be on the toothpick or fork. This cake is best when not overbaked, so be sure to check at the 28 minute mark and then stay close to the oven so you can check it every two minutes or so until done.

Place pan on hot pads on counter and let cool. While cake is cooling, start making the coconut pecan frosting. You will want the cake to be completely cool before frosting.

In a large sauce pan, add evaporated milk, egg yolks, and vanilla. Whisk together. Add the sliced up butter and sugar to the sauce pan. Place the sauce pan on the stove and turn the heat to medium.

Cook the mixture for 10 - 16 minutes. While it’s cooking, stay by the stove and whisk the mixture every couple of seconds.

Once the mixture has thickened and starts to slowly boil, watch for it to start turning a gold color. When it’s a nice golden color, take the saucepan off the heat. Add the coconut and pecans. Mix it all together.

Set saucepan full of coconut pecan filling on a hot pad in a fridge. Leave the filling in the fridge until the cake has cooled and is ready to frost.

When the cake is completely cooled and you are ready to make the frosting, add the cream cheese and butter to a large mixing bowl and beat on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 or 2 minutes.

Add the powdered sugar and cocoa powder to the bowl. Start the mixer on low speed, gradually turning the mixer up to medium speed. Beat until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix another 30 seconds until fully incorporated.

Add the vanilla, salt, and 1 tablespoon of milk. Start the mixer on low, then beat on high speed for 1 minute.

When the cake has cooled, spoon the coconut pecan filling all over the cake.

Next, frost the cake with the chocolate cream cheese frosting by spreading it on top of the coconut pecan frosting. Keep cake in the fridge until ready to serve.

If there is any leftover cake, cover the 9 x 13 pan with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, and store the remaining cake in the fridge because of the frosting made with cream cheese.