I Tried Martha Stewart’s German Chocolate Cake, and It Sank Like a Memory
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Martha Stewart German Chocolate Cake
Leave a Comment on I Tried Martha Stewart’s German Chocolate Cake, and It Sank Like a Memory
I made this one on a day I felt like doing something hard.
not emotionally hard—physically.
like carrying wood.
or making a cake with layers inside it.
Her Highness calls it German Chocolate Cake, but it’s baked in a Bundt pan, filled with coconut-pecan gold, and glazed like you meant it.
it’s not German. it’s not light.
it’s better.
What the Original Looked Like
Martha’s version is a little decadent, a little tidy.
she toasts the pecans. she stirs the coconut with cream until it’s thick and glossy, almost like candy.
then she spoons it into the batter so it sinks—just enough.
she bakes it deep in a Bundt pan, flips it clean, and pours on a glaze that falls in even ribbons.
it’s shiny. rich. still soft under the shell.
kind of like someone you used to be.
What I Did Differently
i chopped the pecans too small.
didn’t mean to.
still worked.
used sweetened shredded coconut, not fancy.
my cream of coconut was slightly expired. I used it anyway.
batter was thicker than I expected.
I didn’t level it. didn’t need to.
the glaze was darker than hers.
mine didn’t pour—it dripped.
i liked that better.
The Way It Happened in My Kitchen
the pecans toasted first.
whole sheet pan. ten minutes. the smell filled the hallway.
that was enough to keep me going.
I stirred the coconut with cream and flour over the heat until it thickened—fast, too fast, then I pulled it.
added the pecans.
let it cool on the windowsill like it was 1956.
milk and vinegar mixed together.
looked wrong. smelled sharp.
that’s how you know it’s right.
flour, cocoa, salt, soda—all dry in one bowl.
butter and sugar in another.
beat them until pale and familiar.
eggs, one by one.
vanilla.
then came the melted chocolate.
then the curdled milk.
flour again. stir slow.
batter went into the pan heavy, like wet clay.
I smoothed it without thinking.
spooned the coconut filling in carefully—left a border like Martha told me.
still sank.
it baked for 50 minutes.
cracked. rose. settled.
cooled for 20.
flipped clean.
my hands were shaking.
the glaze came last.
chopped chocolate. hot cream. stirred until it went glossy.
poured it on like I was covering a bruise.
watched it drip and didn’t wipe a thing.
A Few Things I Learned While It Cooled
glaze doesn’t hide everything.
but it makes it shine.
and sometimes the best parts of a cake are buried deep where no one sees until they cut in.
What I Did With the Extras
gave two slices to the neighbor with the loud dog.
ate one standing over the sink.
wrapped the last in wax paper and mailed it to Mae.
she texted back,
“did you put coconut in this?”
and I said,
“yes. and love. shut up and eat it.”
Would I Make It Again?
absolutely.
on a cold night.
when I need the kitchen to smell like confidence.
That’s As Much As I Remember
the pan’s still warm.
the sink’s still full.
and the counter has one drop of glaze I haven’t wiped away.
this reminded me of the cake i made the year everything went silent. it wasn’t this rich. but it held.
FAQs
yes. or the filling won’t sit right.
this cake’s built for layers you don’t see coming.
you could.
but why would you.
get some. it’s what makes the filling taste like memory.
only if you’re desperate. real chocolate melts better. tastes deeper.
you deserve that.
about two days at room temp.
a little longer in the fridge.
but it won’t last.
not if you taste it warm.
Martha Stewart German Chocolate Cake
Description
Dark, dense, and soft where it counts—this cake hides the best part inside.
Ingredients
Cake:
Glaze:
Instructions
- Toast the pecans at 350°F until they darken slightly and smell like memory. cool and chop.
- Brush and flour your Bundt pan. get every curve. this cake clings if you don’t.
- Make the coconut filling. in a saucepan, combine coconut, cream of coconut, and 2 tbsp flour. bring it to a boil. simmer. stir like you’re trying not to cry. pull it off the heat. add pecans. let it cool.
- Mix the milk and vinegar. let it sit. it’ll curdle. that’s the point.
- Whisk the dry ingredients. flour, cocoa, soda, salt. keep it neat.
- Cream butter and sugar. beat until pale and almost soft enough to hold. add eggs one at a time. stir in vanilla.
- Add melted chocolate. let it fold into everything. then alternate the dry mix and curdled milk. stir just enough. stop when it feels right.
- Spoon the batter into the pan. smooth it out. Add the coconut mixture over the top—leaving a border. don’t press. let it fall.
- Bake at 350°F for 45–50 minutes. test with a skewer. listen to the rise.
- Cool 20 minutes in the pan. flip onto a rack. breathe.
- Make the glaze. heat cream. pour over chocolate. stir slow. let it sit. then pour over the cake like forgiveness. let it drip. don’t fix it.
- Let it set. or eat it warm. either way—this one’s worth the weight.