German Chocolate Sheet Cake

German Chocolate Sheet Cake has been a beloved dessert in my family for as long as I can remember. My dad requests it for every birthday, and my grandmother’s famous recipe is safely stowed in every family member’s recipe box. Since my dad’s side of the family hails from Germany, I never questioned the assumption that German Chocolate Cake was, well, German. So, you can imagine my surprise when I learned that wasn’t the case!

German Chocolate Sheet Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

• Cake:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup butter (1 stick)
  • ½ cup shortening
  • 4 oz German baking chocolate
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Frosting:
  • 12 oz can evaporated milk
  • 3 egg yolks
  • ¾ cup butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 1½ cups shredded coconut
  • 1½ cups pecans, roughly chopped
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla

Instructions: