German Chocolate Cake Roll is a chocolate genoise brushed with coffee simple syrup and filled with a creamy coconut-pecan frosting. Finish it with dark chocolate ganache, extra coconut, and toasted pecans for a memorable twist on classic German chocolate cake.
When I was a kid, my birthday cake choices were simple: if my birthday fell near Easter, I’d get an Easter bunny cake; any other time it was German chocolate. It’s still my favorite. This German chocolate cake roll made my recent birthday extra special — it’s easy to love and, in my opinion, one of the best I’ve made.
I’d long been intimidated by cake rolls, but experience from cooking school helped. Cake rolls need a delicate, flexible sponge — a genoise — that’s light enough to roll without cracking. Genoise can be temperamental, but a few key steps make it straightforward and forgiving. The chocolate genoise recipe I used (adapted from Alice Medrich) is moist and easier to handle than many classic versions.
How to make German Chocolate Cake Roll
Begin by preparing the pan: brush a rimmed baking sheet with butter, then line it with parchment paper and brush the paper with more butter so the cake releases easily. Trim the parchment corners at an angle so it fits snugly into the pan.
Whipping the eggs and sugar properly is essential. Use room-temperature eggs for faster, better volume — if needed, warm them by letting them sit in a bowl of very warm water for about five minutes. Whisk the eggs and sugar on high until the mixture triples in volume and you can draw a figure-eight that holds its shape.
While the eggs whip, sift the dry ingredients — flour, cocoa, and instant espresso powder — three times to lighten them. Sift and fold the dry mix into the whipped eggs in three additions, folding gently with a rubber spatula (or your hand, if you prefer the tactile feedback). Reserve about a cup of batter, mix it with melted butter and vanilla, then fold that back into the batter gently to avoid deflating it.
Pour the batter onto the prepared pan in several large dollops so you don’t have to over-spread. Bake on the center rack until the top springs back when pressed and the cake pulls away slightly from the pan edges. Cool on a wire rack for five minutes.
While the cake is still warm, invert it onto a large lint-free towel, peel off the parchment, and roll the cake in the towel immediately. Let it cool rolled for about an hour — rolling while warm prevents cracks. After it cools, unroll carefully, trim any crisp edges, and brush lightly with coffee simple syrup for extra moisture.
The coconut-pecan frosting is a cooked custard blended with shredded coconut, toasted pecans, and cubed butter. I adapted this component from David Lebovitz’s version — it’s rich, slightly custardy and perfectly textured for spreading. Cook the cream, sugar, and egg yolks until the mixture thickly coats the back of a wooden spoon, then stir it into the coconut, pecans, and butter and allow it to cool before using.
Spread the cooled frosting over the unrolled cake, leaving a 1-inch border so the filling won’t spill out while you roll. Tuck and roll as tightly as you can, then transfer the roll to a serving plate. Prepare a dark chocolate ganache by melting bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate with heated cream, then pour or spread it over the roll. Garnish with shredded coconut and toasted pecans, and chill for at least four hours — chilling firms the cake and makes slicing much cleaner.
The ganache, frosting, and simple syrup can all be made ahead, which helps on a busy day. When everything is ready, assemble and chill — the result is a show-stopping, flavor-packed cake roll that tastes like classic German chocolate in a neat, elegant form.
I realize the process may seem detailed, but once you practice the folding and the warm roll technique, it becomes straightforward and even fun. This cake roll captures everything I love about German chocolate cake — chocolate, toasted pecans, coconut, and a silky ganache — and it made my birthday celebration even sweeter.
German Chocolate Cake Roll
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1.5 ounces unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, plus 1 tablespoon more for preparing the pan
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1.6 ounces (1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon) sifted all-purpose flour
- 1.2 ounces (3/8 cup) unsifted cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 4.3 ounces (2/3 cup) granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
For the coconut-pecan frosting:
- 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large egg yolks
For the coffee simple syrup:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1–2 teaspoons instant espresso powder (optional)
For the dark chocolate ganache:
- 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
- 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- Sweetened shredded coconut and toasted pecans for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush a large rimmed baking sheet with half of the melted butter. Line with parchment, cutting diagonal notches at the corners so it sits neatly. Brush the parchment and sides with the remaining butter.
- Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl, add vanilla, and set aside.
- Whisk the room-temperature eggs, sugar, and salt briefly, then beat on high until the mixture triples in volume (about 5 minutes) and holds a figure-eight shape.
- Whisk the flour, cocoa, and espresso powder together and sift the mixture three times. Sift one-third of the dry mix into the egg mixture and fold gently. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients in two additions.
- Stir about 1 cup of batter into the butter-vanilla mixture, then fold that back into the batter gently. Pour the batter in large dollops onto the prepared pan and spread with an offset spatula without overworking. Bake 15–20 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched and pulls away slightly from the pan. Cool 5 minutes on a wire rack.
- Lay a large lint-free towel on the counter. Invert the cake onto the towel, remove the parchment, and roll the cake in the towel while still warm. Cool rolled on a rack for 1 hour or until completely cool.
Prepare the frosting:
- Place the cubed butter, coconut, and pecans in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Whisk the heavy cream, sugar, and egg yolks in a saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Pour the hot custard into the bowl with the butter, coconut, and pecans and stir until the butter melts. Let cool before using; the frosting will thicken as it cools.
Prepare the ganache:
- Place the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a heatproof bowl.
- Set the bowl over simmering water (double boiler) and stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and let cool to a pourable consistency.
Prepare the coffee simple syrup:
- Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add instant espresso if using, stir to dissolve, and set aside.
Assemble the cake:
- Unroll the cooled cake and trim the edges. Lightly brush the surface with simple syrup for moisture. Spread the coconut-pecan frosting over the cake, leaving a 1″ border.
- Carefully roll the cake as tightly as possible, tucking the short end under. Transfer to a serving plate with pieces of waxed paper at the sides to protect the plate.
- If the ganache has cooled too much, warm it briefly until pourable. Pour some ganache over the cake, spread it on the sides, and remove the waxed paper. Garnish with additional shredded coconut and toasted pecans. Chill at least 4 hours or until set before slicing.
Notes
- Total time includes cooling and chilling.
- To bring eggs to room temperature quickly, place them in very warm water for about 5 minutes.
- Using unsweetened shredded coconut will give a cleaner slice; if you choose unsweetened coconut, consider toasting it and adding a bit more sugar to the frosting.
- Adjust espresso in the simple syrup to taste; you can substitute 1 cup of brewed coffee for the water plus espresso powder if preferred. Store leftover syrup refrigerated.
- Ganache, frosting, and simple syrup can be made ahead.
- Cake recipe adapted from Alice Medrich. Frosting adapted from David Lebovitz.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated and intended as a guideline only.