German Chocolate Cake Roll

Recipe Details

• Author: deesviral
• Cuisine: German-American
• Category: Dessert / Cake
• Keywords: Chocolate Roll Cake, German Chocolate Cake, Swiss Roll, Coconut Pecan Frosting, deesviral
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (includes cooling)
• Yield: 1 cake roll (8–10 slices)

Ingredients

Chocolate Sponge Cake:

• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

Coconut-Pecan Frosting:

• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Ganache (optional topping):

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it.
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy. Mix in oil, buttermilk, and vanilla.
3. Sift in cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold gently until smooth.
4. Pour into the prepared pan, spread evenly, and bake for 10–12 minutes.
5. While warm, invert cake onto a clean kitchen towel dusted with powdered sugar. Gently roll up (with the towel) and let cool completely.
6. Make the frosting: In a saucepan, whisk evaporated milk, sugar, butter, and egg yolks. Cook over medium heat until thickened (about 10 minutes). Stir in coconut, pecans, and vanilla. Let cool.
7. Unroll the cake, spread the filling evenly, and re-roll (without towel). Chill for 30 minutes before topping.
8. For ganache: Heat cream and pour over chocolate. Stir until smooth. Pour over the cake roll and let set before slicing.

Storage & Make-Ahead

• Fridge: Store covered for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: Wrap tightly and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Why This Recipe Works

The soft sponge cake is light yet strong enough to roll, and the coconut-pecan filling offers a sweet, nutty contrast to the rich chocolate. A final touch of ganache makes this dessert irresistible. It’s a celebration-worthy deesviral recipe that always gets compliments.