Decadent German Chocolate Cupcakes filled with a toasted coconut-pecan filling and finished with chocolate ganache buttercream.
Chocolate and Coconut in German Chocolate Cupcakes
These vintage cupcakes have roots in the 1950s. A Dallas woman named Mrs. George Clay created a recipe called German’s Chocolate Cake that appeared in a Dallas newspaper. The recipe, reprinted by General Foods, had the “s” dropped in the name to become German Chocolate Cake. Soon, the recipe spread around the country, becoming a hit with chocolate and coconut lovers.
German Chocolate is not German
For years, I assumed “German” chocolate was an exotic blend of chocolate and secret ingredients only known to the Germans who invented it. I was surprised to learn that German chocolate is actually an American product. In fact, it was developed by men who had no ties to Germany! If you look closely at Baker’s chocolate box (below), the name appears as “German’s Sweet Chocolate” instead of simply German Sweet Chocolate. Writing the word as German with an apostrophe ‘s’ implies that it is someone’s last name.
The History of German’s Sweet Chocolate
In 1764, American physician Dr. James Baker and Irish chocolatier John Hannon formed a company named Hannon’s Best Chocolate. Eventually, they developed bitter baking chocolate, leaving it to the cook to add sugar as needed. Fourteen years later, Hannon disappeared at sea when he went to purchase cocoa beans in the West Indies. Baker then bought Hannon’s half of the company from Hannon’s widow and renamed it Baker’s Chocolate.
Several years later, Baker’s grandson, Walter Baker, inherited the company and hired the Englishman Samuel German to work there. German created a much sweeter chocolate product to use for baking. It was tremendously popular and eventually became so financially successful that his last name was added to the Baker’s box, appearing as German’s Sweet Chocolate.
German Chocolate Cake
German’s Sweet Chocolate hit gold again when Mrs. Clay created the German Chocolate Cake recipe. It was so popular that it became synonymous with chocolate, coconut, and pecans. Since then, the cake version has spawned recipes for various desserts, including cupcakes, brownies, cookies, layer bars, and blondies.
What Makes This German Chocolate Cupcake Recipe Different
There are many variations of German chocolate cupcakes. This one has cream of coconut in the chocolate cake, toasted coconut, and toasted pecans in the filling, and a chocolate ganache buttercream frosting.
How to Insert Filling into the Cupcakes
After baking and cooling the cupcakes, insert the filling into them. One way to do this is to use a frosting piping tip to cut out a hole in the top middle of the cupcake. You can also cut out a hole with a knife or spoon. Discard the cake because you will fill the cupcake hole with coconut-pecan filling.
Chocolate Ganache for German Chocolate Cupcakes
Chocolate ganache (if you aren’t familiar with making it) is simply melted chocolate and cream. Luckily, it is easy to make in the microwave! Place the cream and broken (or chopped) chocolate into a microwavable container and heat on high for 30 seconds. Stir and return to the microwave for an additional 30 seconds. Then, remove the mixture from the microwave and stir until all the chocolate has melted.
You can also make ganache in a saucepan by heating cream to the simmering point and then pouring it over chopped chocolate. Let it stand for a couple of minutes, then stir until the chocolate melts.
Chocolate Frosting
After the ganache cools, make the chocolate frosting. Then use a 1M tip to pipe stars around the edge of the cupcakes. When all the cupcakes have frosting, add any leftover coconut-pecan filling to the center of each cupcake.
Storing the German Chocolate Cupcakes
These cupcakes are best eaten a couple of days after they are made. Store them in an airtight container to keep them from drying out. If you worry about leaving them on the countertop, store them in the refrigerator in a sealed container. But be aware that cake can sometimes become dry stored there. You can also store them in the freezer for eating later, but ensure the container is airtight and let them thaw completely before serving. Enjoy!
Here are some other chocolate and pecan recipes you might like:
German Chocolate Cupcakes
Equipment
- 2 standard-sized muffin pans
- mixer
- 1 piping bag
- 1 star 1M tip
- 1 small spoon or knife
- 1 small piping tip (for cutting holes into the top of the cupcakes)
- cupcake liners
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 4 ounces Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate
- ½ cup cream of coconut, room temperature (Coco Lopez used)
- 2 cups cake flour (or all-purpose flour)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup salted butter, room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large whole eggs, room temperature
- 1 large egg white, room temperature
- 1 cup whole buttermilk, room temperature, and shaken
Filling
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
- 12 ounces evaporated milk (1 can)
- 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 cups sweet shredded coconut, toasted
- 1 ½ cups chopped pecans, toasted
Frosting
- 4 ounces Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate, broken into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, sifted
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place 26 cupcake liners into muffin pans.
- Add the chocolate and cream of coconut to a microwaveable bowl. Heat in the microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir. Heat for another 30 seconds. Stir until the chocolate melts. Set aside.
- Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Use a mixer to beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and the egg white, one at a time, and beat after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Stir in the chocolate mixture and mix until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk and ending with the flour mixture. Do not overbeat.
- Divide the batter between the cupcake liners. Bake for 17-21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean or with only a few crumbs. Do not overbake. Cool in the muffin pan for 10 minutes; then place onto cooking racks to finish cooling. (Leave the oven on to toast the pecans and coconut for the filling.)
Filling
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Add the coconut to a 9-inch round baking pan, and the pecans to another one. Place the pans into the oven for 5 minutes to toast. Stir and bake for additional minutes or until the coconut and pecans are lightly browned. Stir often and avoid overbrowning, as they can quickly go from brown to burning. Set aside to cool.
- Add the butter, sugar, milk, egg yolks, vanilla, and salt to a medium-sized saucepan. Heat on low heat, constantly whisking, until the mixture thickens and turns a golden brown. Stir in the vanilla. Set aside to cool.
- Stir in the coconut and pecans.
Frosting
- Add the chocolate and cream to a microwaveable bowl to make a ganache. Heat in the microwave on high for 30 seconds. Stir to melt the chocolate. Heat for an additional 30 seconds, if necessary. Stir until the chocolate melts. Set aside to cool.
- Sift the cocoa, powdered sugar, and salt together. Set aside.
- Use a mixer to whip the butter and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the cooled chocolate ganache and beat until incorporated. Add 1/3 of the sugar mixture at a time, beating after each increment and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add a little more cream if the mixture is too thick to pipe.
Assembly
- Place the star tip into a piping bag with the end cut off. Add the frosting to the bag. Set aside.
- Use a small pointed spoon or a piping tip to remove a circle of cake from the middle of each cupcake. Discard the cut-out cake.
- Use a spoon or knife to insert the coconut filling into the hole of each cupcake, ensuring it is flush with the top of the cupcake.
- Pipe stars around the outside of each cupcake. Then, add more coconut filling to the top of each cupcake, letting the frosting stars contain it.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container.