Baker’s German chocolate cake — made with a luscious coconut-pecan frosting — quickly became one of America’s most famous cakes. Here’s how to make the original version!
Baker’s German sweet chocolate cake & coconut-pecan frosting recipes (1961)
Show off a little! Do something new with the one and only Baker’s Sweet Chocolate… a very special chocolate created by Samuel German over a century ago.

Original Baker's German chocolate cake
Yield:
20
Prep Time:
25 minutes
Cook Time:
47 minutes
Total Time:
1 hour 12 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 package Baker's German Sweet Chocolate
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1 cup butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2-1/2 cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 4 egg whites
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/4 pound butter or margarine
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1-1/3 cups Baker's Angel Flake coconut
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Melt Baker's German sweet chocolate in the 1/2 cup of boiling water.
- Cool.
- Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add 4 egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each.
- Add vanilla and melted chocolate. Mix until blended.
- Sift together sifted cake flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Add flour mixture to the chocolate mixture alternately with 1 cup of buttermilk.
- Fold in egg whites, stiffly beaten.
- Pour batter into the three 9-inch layer pans, lined on bottoms with paper.
- Bake in 350 (F) (moderate) oven for 30 to 35 minutes.
- While the cake is cooking, start to make the frosting.
- Combine in a saucepan evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, butter or margarine, and vanilla.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened, about 12 minutes.
- Remove from heat.
- Add 1-1/3 cups Angel Flake coconut and 1 cup chopped pecans.
- Beat until cool and of spreading consistency.
- Cool cake, then frost between cake layers and top with the coconut-pecan frosting.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 431Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 313mgCarbohydrates: 50gFiber: 2gSugar: 37gProtein: 5g
Click Americana offers approximate nutrition information as a general reference only, and we make no warranties regarding its accuracy. Please make any necessary calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe, and consult with a qualified healthcare professional if you have dietary concerns.
4 Responses
Hello, my mother baked from her Betty Crocker cookbook for years. I am looking for the fudge that is not in a light color. It is made from real cocoa and has nuts in it and has to be refrigerated and I remember there being butter on the bottom but they were not 3 cups of sugar only one and a half. Can you please find that recipe for me? I am asking is because I have been diagnosed with cancer and would like to pass on these recipes to my granddaughter and my kids. I have been disabled for years since 2001 before the towers went down so I won’t be here long I will be ascending to heaven God willing that they really use your help on this fudge recipe she will not give it to me my sister I believe the back of it is on the Marshmallow cream jars
I am trying to locate it for you – but maybe someone else here will have an idea, too. :-)
Are you wanting the “Never Fail Fudge” recipe from the marshmallow fluff jar? I got this from my mom’s recipes that she wrote down in the 60’s. 2 1/2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup of butter ( 1 stick), 5 oz. can of evaporated milk, 1-7 oz. jar of Marshmallow Fluff, 3/4 tsp. salt , 3/4 tsp. vanilla, 1- 12 oz. package of semi-sweet chocolate bits. Combine 1st 5 ingredients and stir over low heat until blended. Bring to a boil over moderate heat , being careful not to mistake air bubbles for boiling, Then boil slowly, stirring constantly for 5 min. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate and vanilla until chocolate is melted. And lastly, chopped walnuts is desired. Then turn into a buttered 9×9-inch pan and cool. This is what she made during the holidays every year and it is delicious! Hope this helps and Happy Holidays!
Kathy,
I’m fairly certain that the recipe you’re looking for is ‘Fantasy Fudge’. My mom made it every Christmas for my brother who adored it. She made an abundance of it to package up as gifts too. I hope this is the fudge your momma always made too. It’s an original Kraft recipe and here is a link to the site where you can find it.
https://www.myfoodandfamily.com/recipe/051833/fantasy-fudge