German Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

4.98 from 48 ratings

German Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

This german chocolate cupcake recipe is made with moist chocolate cupcakes, decadent chocolate frosting and that classic coconut pecan topping we know and love.

Prep Time10

Cook Time19

Additional Time45

Total Time1 14

Course: Cupcakes

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12

Calories: 470kcal

Author: Chelsey White

Ingredients

Chocolate Cupcakes

3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature 180g
1/3 cup milk or dark chocolate chips 60g
1 tsp instant espresso or coffee 2g
3/4 cup all purpose flour 98g
3/4 cup granulated sugar 150g
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted 30g
1/2 tsp baking soda 3g
1/2 tsp fine salt 2g
2 large eggs, room temperature 112g
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil 75g
1 tsp white vinegar 4g
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g

Caramel Coconut Topping

1/2 cup evaporated milk 125g
2 large egg yolks 36g
2/3 cup packed dark or light brown sugar 133g
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 56g
1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut 100g
1 cup chopped pecans 125g
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 56 grams
1/2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 2g
1/4 tsp fine salt 1g
1/2 cup powdered sugar 62g
1/4 cup dark or Dutch-processed cocoa powder 22g
3 Tbsp heavy whipping cream, room temperature 45g
1/4 cup dark chocolate, melted and cooled 45g

Instructions

Chocolate Cupcake Recipe:

Begin by preheating oven to 350°F / 175°C. Place 12 cupcake liners in cupcake pan.
Add 3/4 cup buttermilk, 1/3 cup chocolate chips, and 1 tsp instant espresso powder into a heat proof bowl. Heat in the microwave at power level 8 for 1 minute or over a double boiler until the chocolate has melted. Don't worry if the buttermilk separates a little after it's heated!
Whisk together until the ingredients are combined and all the chocolate is melted. The mixture might look a little separated, but it will come together once you add in the dry ingredients.
Sift 3/4 cup all purpose flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt into chocolate espresso mixture and stir until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a spatula.
Add 2 large eggs, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1 tsp vinegar, and 1 tsp vanilla. Mix until the batter is smooth.
Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Let the cupcakes cool for 5 minutes in the pan before moving them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

German Chocolate Cupcake (Caramel Pecan) Topping

While the cupcakes bake and cool, make the German chocolate cake (or in this case cupcake) filling.
In a medium saucepan combine 1/2 cup evaporated milk, 2 egg yolks, 2/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter and 1/2 tsp salt.
Cook the mixture over a medium heat. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens (you don't want to the egg yolks to scramble!). This usually takes me 7-10 minutes. Test the mixture by dragging a rubber spatula through the center of the pan. If it's ready, you should be able to see the bottom of the pan for a few seconds before the filling covers it.
Remove the filling from heat and pour into a large bowl.
Fold in 1 cup of shredded coconut, 1 cup chopped pecans, and 1 tsp vanilla extract with a rubber spatula. Mix until the coconut and pecans are fully coated in the mixture. Set aside to let the filling cool to room temperature.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

While the cupcakes cool, make the chocolate buttercream. Beat 1/4 cup of unsalted butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a hand mixer until smooth.
Mix in 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and 1/4 tsp salt on a low speed.
Slowly mix in 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup dark cocoa powder, and 3 Tbsp heavy cream on a low speed. Scrape the side and bottom of the bowl as need with a rubber spatula.
Mix in 1/4 cup of cooled, melted dark chocolate.
Beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached.
If the frosting seems too thick, add an extra Tbsp of heavy cream. If it's too thin, add in another 1/4 cup of powdered sugar.
Stir by hand with a rubber spatula to get the frosting SUPER smooth. Place into a large piping bag fit with a Wilton 1M frosting tip.

Decorating These German Chocolate Cupcakes

To decorate these German chocolate cupcakes, use a cookie scoop to add a generous dollop of cooled coconut pecan filling on top of each cupcake. If you don't have a cookie scoop, use a large spoon to add about 1 Tbsp of filling on top of each cupcake.
Smooth out the coconut mixture with an offset spatula to create a flat, even layer.
Pipe a rosette on top with the chocolate buttercream using a Wilton 1M piping tip, then enjoy!

Video

Notes

Making Mini German Chocolate Cupcakes

If you want to make mini German chocolate cupcakes, this recipe can be baked in mini muffin tins! It makes about 40 mini cupcakes, and they only need to bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 F / 175 C.

Tips for Making the Best German Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients at room temp mix together better. Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure and then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
Once you add the flour, mix your cupcake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. This will ensure your cupcakes are tender and fluffy.
Use a large cookie scoop to easily fill your cupcake liners. It also makes sure your cupcakes end up being the same height.
Bang your cupcake pan on the counter before putting it in the oven. This brings any air bubbles that are trapped in the batter to the surface.
Seal off the top of your piping bag with a rubber band to prevent any frosting from seeping out the top of the bag and make the piping bags easier to use.

German Chocolate Cupcake Variations

To make gluten free German chocolate cupcakes, swap in your favorite gluten free flour blend for the AP flour this recipe calls for and be sure to over-mix your batter and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before baking for best results.

Making This German Chocolate Cupcake Recipe in Advance & Storage Tips

You can make these cupcakes in advance! Frosted cupcakes can sit at room temperature for a few hours or be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days if stored in an airtight container. However, they taste best when they're freshly baked!

These cupcakes can also last up to a month in the freezer. If you plan to freeze them, I suggest waiting to fill and frost them until they're thawed.

You can also make your buttercream ahead of time or save any leftovers. The buttercream frosting will last in the fridge for up to a month.

Be sure to give the frosting a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

You can also store buttercream in piping bags in the fridge. I find they keep their consistency well in piping bags and don't require any mixing after they've thawed.

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