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    Home · Recipes · Cakes · Homemade German Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe

    June 7, 2022

    Homemade German Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe

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    Picture this: A delicious and indulgent, chocolatey dessert with a coconut, pecan topping, made completely from scratch, and it didn't take half your day. Is that sounding impossible to you? Allow me to introduce... German Chocolate Cupcakes. 

    a close up of a chocolate cupcake with German chocolate frosting.

    That's right, these things are sweet and simple. Nothing too complicated, but so yummy and somehow a little more decadent than your average cupcake. The chocolate, coconut, pecan combo is hard to beat. Whip these up next time you're hosting or attending an event and be ready to share the recipe!

    A cupcake with frosting and chocolate drizzle, and the cupcake paper pulled away

    If you love baking cupcakes, be sure to add these crazy moist, absolutely delicious Vanilla Cupcakes to your baking lineup!

    HOW TO MAKE GERMAN CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE FROSTING

    The German Chocolate Cupcake Frosting will need to chill for about an hour and a half before you can use it on your cupcakes, so it's best if you go ahead and get the frosting out of the way first.

    1. Combine butter, milk, and sugar in a saucepan.
    2. Temper egg yolks and add to saucepan.
    3. Bring stovetop mixture to a simmer and stir.
    4. Add vanilla, salt, coconut, and pecans.
    5. Chill for 1 ½ hours.

    An overhead view of German chocolate cupcakes with frosting on a cooling rack

    To make German Chocolate Cupcake Frosting, combine butter, evaporated milk, and brown sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt down, stirring occasionally. As soon as the butter has melted, it's time to temper your egg yolks.

    Tempering the egg yolks is important because it will keep your frosting from curdling on the stovetop. To temper your eggs, add a couple of tablespoons of the warm stovetop mixture to a small bowl housing the egg yolks. Stir to combine, and repeat the process one more time. Add your tempered yolks into the saucepan and stir.

    Now, you're gonna let that mixture come to a simmer and allow it to keep going for about 10 minutes, stirring or whisking often. Once the mixture has thickened up and is a gorgeous golden brown color, you can remove it from the heat and add your remaining ingredients.

    First, stir in the vanilla extract and salt, then add in the sweetened shredded coconut and chopped pecans. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and place it in the refrigerator for about 2-3 hours to cool.

    Not a big cupcake fan? Try our German Chocolate Cake for all of these flavors plus a chocolate buttercream frosting!

    HOW TO MAKE GERMAN CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

    While you're waiting on your coconut pecan frosting to chill, knock out those German Chocolate Cupcakes!

    These cupcakes are super easy to make. The first thing you'll need to do is make sure that your oven is preheated to 350°F, and you'll also want to have two 12-cup muffin tins lined with cupcake liners.

    1. Whisk dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
    2. Cream eggs and sugar in a large bowl.
    3. Add oil and vanilla and mix.
    4. Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk to wet ingredients.
    5. Bake and cool.
    6. Ice with German Chocolate Cupcake Frosting.

    To mix up your dry ingredients, you'll combine all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk everything together and set the dry ingredients aside.

    dry ingredients in a bowl, before mixing

    Now it's off to the wet ingredients! You'll combine the granulated sugar and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can use a large bowl and a handheld mixer.

    Cream the eggs and sugar together until the mix appears pale yellow and thickened, this should take about three minutes. Add in the oil and vanilla extract and mix until combined.

    Wet ingredients being added to a bowl

    At this point, the mixer will need to go down to low speed and you can begin incorporating the dry ingredients.

    Add in about a third of the dry ingredients, followed by half of the milk. Then, add another third of the dry ingredients, followed by the remaining milk, and you'll end with the last of the dry ingredients.

    Dry ingredients being added to wet

    Fill the baking cups halfway full and transfer them to the oven. Note, that it is very important that you do not overfill the baking cups. If you do, your German Chocolate Cupcakes will overflow and bake up wonky! Bake the cupcakes for 18 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through.

    Remove them from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool to room temperature on a wire rack.

    As soon as the German Chocolate Frosting has finished its chill time and the cupcakes have cooled completely, it is time to ice! There's nothing fancy about the way we iced these cupcakes. All you need to do is get a big spoonful of German chocolate frosting and mound it right on top of your cupcake.

    Hands spooning frosting onto German Chocolate Cupcakes

    However, if you were hoping we'd get a lit-tle fancy, we can certainly go there.

    For an extra pretty chocolate drizzle, grab yourself a 12-ounce package of chocolate melting wafers, and melt them down according to package directions. Then grab a spoon and add a thin drizzle of melted chocolate across the top of each cupcake. Allow about 15 minutes for that chocolate drizzle to set, serve, and enjoy!

    close up of German Chocolate Cupcakes with a chocolate drizzle on top

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    5 from 1 vote
    A cupcake with frosting and chocolate drizzle, and the cupcake paper pulled away
    Print
    German Chocolate Cupcakes
    Prep Time
    20 mins
    Cook Time
    18 mins
    Cooling Time
    2 hrs
    Total Time
    2 hrs 38 mins
     

    German Chocolate Cupcakes are irresistibly delicious. And the coconut, pecan frosting is quite literally the icing on the cake!

    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: German Chocolate Cupcakes
    Servings: 24
    Calories: 270 kcal
    Author: Kelly Anthony
    Ingredients
    For the German Chocolate Frosting:
    • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
    • 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
    • 1 ¼ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
    • 4 egg yolks, room temperature
    • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
    • 1 ½ cup chopped pecans
    For the Cupcakes
    • 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
    • ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar
    • 2 large eggs, room temperature
    • ½ cup canola oil
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 1 ½ cup whole milk
    • 1 (12-ounce) package melting chocolate wafers (optional)
    Instructions
    Make the Frosting
    1. Add the butter, milk, and sugar to a large saucepan over medium heat and allow to melt, stirring occasionlly.

    2. Add the egg yolks to a small bowl and ladle in about 2 tablespoons of the warm stovetop mixture. Stir, and repeat once more.

    3. Then, add the egg mixture to the saucepan and stir. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture has thickened.

    4. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt, followed by the coconut, and pecans.

    5. Transfer to a bowl and place in the refrigerator to cool for about 2-3 hours to chill. In the meantime, bake the cupcakes.

    Make the Cupcakes
    1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and have ready two 12-cup muffin tins lined with baking cups.

    2. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Set aside until ready to use.

    3. Add the sugar and eggs to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. If you do not have a stand mixer, use a large mixing bowl and a handheld mixer. Mix on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until visibly lightened in color and thickened. Add the oil and vanilla and mix until evenly incorporated.

    4. Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and mix on low until evenly incorporated. Then, add half of the milk and mix again. Add the remaining dry ingredients, mix on low, and add the remaining milk. Mix until evenly incorporated. Using a spoon, scrape down the side of the bowl and mix once more. 

    5. Fill the baking cups halfway full, and transfer to the oven. Do NOT overfill the baking cups. Bake for 18 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking process. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

    Ice the Cupcakes:
    1. Add a generous mound of frosting to the top of each cupcake.

    2. If desired, melt chocolate wafers according to package directions and drizzle over the frosted cupcakes. Allow to set 30 minutes, serve and enjoy.

    Nutrition Facts
    German Chocolate Cupcakes
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 270 Calories from Fat 126
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 14g22%
    Saturated Fat 6g38%
    Trans Fat 1g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
    Monounsaturated Fat 5g
    Cholesterol 36mg12%
    Sodium 180mg8%
    Potassium 107mg3%
    Carbohydrates 37g12%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 28g31%
    Protein 3g6%
    Vitamin A 284IU6%
    Calcium 40mg4%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

     

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    I’m Kelly Anthony — a baker, home chef, and mom with a passion for food and an adoration for entertaining.

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