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If you’ve ever had German Chocolate Cake, you know that the Coconut Pecan Frosting is the real star of the show.

It is life changing.

It is quite simply the most divine frosting that has ever topped a chocolate cake, German Chocolate Cake, to be specific.
I can seriously eat it by the spoonful  straight out of the saucepan, y’all..

Honestly, y’all, I have to make a double batch of this because I cannot control myself when this icing is around. I will sacrifice my taste-buds to lick this molten hot frosting off the spoon.

Coconuts, sugar, pecans, vanilla, butter…. {drool}

This is the frosting that tops all frostings.

german chocolate cake

This frosting is so amazingly, mouthwateringly, spectacularly delicious that you can actually use box mix German Chocolate Cake, top it with this frosting.. and people will think that it’s all homemade.

I wouldn’t lie to y’all about this.  Seriously, it’s that good.

However, if you want to treat someone to something special – you can make the German Chocolate Cake from scratch. 

Coconut-Pecan Frosting

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Ingredients

  • 1 12 oz can evaporated milk
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 sticks butter
  • 3 C flaked coconut
  • 1 1/2 C sugar
  • 1 1/2 C pecans

Instructions

  • Using a whisk, mix egg yolks, milk and vanilla in a large saucepan over medium heat until well blended.
  • Add in butter and sugar and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes or until it turns golden brown and thickens. {One minute it will be soupy, the next it will be thick.. }
  • Stir constantly
  • Remove from heat; add in coconut and pecans, mix thoroughly
  • Pour into 9X13 dish to cool the molten lava frosting of deliciousness
  • Use this to fill and top your favorite German Chocolate Cake recipe

Notes

This is the frosting that I grew up making for a double layer German Chocolate Cake.
I've made a few adjustments for my own flavor preferences and I really think this recipe is the best.
If you're making a 3 layer German Chocolate Cake, you're going to want to double this recipe... trust me on this 😉 after all you're going to need to taste it along the way, aren't you? 🙂
Author: Rachel

 

Seriously.

This frosting is THAT good.

Thank you to everyone who commented and supported me, I’m truly honored to be named Southern Living’s Mama Blogger of the Week

 

 

I'm a deep-fried Southern belle, married to a cowboy boot wearin', Harley ridin’ Texan Prince Charming. I am the always proud and frequently exhausted mom to two 8th generation Texans My childhood was spent at my Granny's side learning to cook with cast iron, butter and that special southern ingredient -- love Today, I share my passion for food, family and photography with thousands of monthly readers on my blog, A Southern Fairytale. I love cute boots, my Canon camera, belly laughs with friends, the beach, my family and ellipses..."

36 Comments

  11. Wow, this definitely looks like a cake you eat BEFORE you eat your meal to be sure you don’t miss a single bite. YUM!

    Congratulations on being this week’s Southern Living Mama Blogger!

    Reply

  12. Oh wow, this sounds amazing!!!
    .-= Doll Clothes Gal Pal´s most recent blog ..Monday Musings – Spontaneous Giving =-.

    Reply

  13. Why oh why did you post this the day I started back up with Weight Watchers????
    I don’t care – I will just take Mothers Day off from my diet!!
    .-= The Little Brown House´s most recent blog ..Tasty Tuesday – Simple Sesame Noodles =-.

    Reply

  14. I agree with Robyn……this is something that needs to be eaten BEFORE the meal!! YUM!!
    Thanks for hosting!!
    .-= TidyMom´s most recent blog ..Chicken & Cheese Quesadillas =-.

    Reply

  16. I came looking for your recipe for Lemon Blackberry Coffee Cake, but now, tragically, will dream of Coconut Pecan Frosting all night. And of course make it first thing in the a.m. when I get them off to school.

    Love this party – I’ll be back next week!
    .-= Kirsten´s most recent blog ..Lemon-Scented Teaching =-.

    Reply

  19. Will you marry me? Wait, we live in the red states, I don’t think that is legal. I love love love love German chocolate cake and coconut pecan frosting. I have never and often said I see no point in making a cake from scratch when Duncan Hines does it so well but I might just make this once you post the cake recipe.
    .-= Michelle Smiles´s most recent blog ..A funny thing happened on the way to the Apocalypse =-.

    Reply

  23. Damn. I love coconut and chocolate and am the only one in my immediate family who will eat coconut.
    I am forwarding this to my dear mither.
    .-= Krissa´s most recent blog ..Hello? Is anyone still out there? =-.

    Reply

  24. oh, it look like gorgeous. But i don`t know if evaporated milk is the same thing with condendsed milik ?
    I don`t know if is correct and what i can use instead of evaporated milk?
    thaks, Miha from Romania

    Reply

  26. I’ve never been a huge fan of German chocolate cake mainly because of the coconut pecan icing. To me, it always tasted like coconut and pecans held together by corn syrup. I needed to make a German chocolate cake for a client’s 40th anniversary party so started searching for a great icing recipe. This was the first I tried and I knew I didn’t need to search any further! It has a rich buttery, almost caramel, flavor and isn’t overly sweet. I highly suggest toasting the pecans to bring out their flavor and to use UNsweetened coconut to keep it from getting too sweet. Ask me how I know, lol. Awesome recipe that has become one of my most requested and praised icings.

    Reply

  27. This was just as you said it was gonna be. I made german chocolate cupcakes from a box, topped it with this incredible stuff and took them to a family get together. Everyone loved them and thought they were completely homemade 🙂 Works for me!

    Reply

  30. I’m making this for my husband’s birthday cake. I’m so excited to try this new recipe. Do you use sweetened or unsweetened coconut?

    Reply

  33. I used this recipe to top a box cake (yeah, I’m semi-homemeade like that). It got RAVE reviews. (D@mn that’s good was the most common). Then I went on with life. Except I was asked to make it again and didn’t remember where I found the recipe. That led to a week long quest to find the recipe again. I found it. It has been printed (so your name and blog will be easier to find again) and is now in my cook book.

    Reply

    1. I am all about semi-homemade! 🙂 I’ve made this with box mix plenty of times! I’m so glad you enjoyed it <3 Thank you so much for sharing!

      Reply

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