German Chocolate Cake isn’t German.
I know, I was disappointed to learn this too! I’m having a mild identity crisis and I’m not even German. Next thing you know someone is going to tell us that French Toast isn’t French.
Back to the non-German, German Chocolate Cake. It is actually a cake that is made with German’s Sweet Chocolate. The sweet chocolate was created by Sam German for Baker’s in the 1850’s.
Maybe Sam German was German. I’m kind of hoping so because it would be awkward to have the last name German if he was Italian or Spanish or…
Whatever his nationality, Baker’s still sells German’s Sweet Chocolate…for twice the price per ounce of their semi-sweet chocolate! German’s Sweet Chocolate has a lower cacao content at 48% than semi-sweet chocolate at 54 %. It is also slightly sweeter, but if you don’t mind a little more chocolate flavor and a teeny bit less sweetness you can create a frugal substitute and call it your cake whatever you want.
Subsitutes for German’s Sweet Chocolate:
Replace Semi-Sweet Chocolate for German’s Sweet Chocolate in a one -to-one ratio.
Replace one ounce of German’s Sweet Chocolate with 3 tablespoons cocoa, 1 tablespoon of oil or shortening, and 4 teaspoons of sugar.
Mary says
I have been making German chocolate cake with chocolate chips for years and always turns out delicious! 2/3 cups chocolate chips melted in 1/2 cup boiling water for 4 oz of German sweet chocolate
SunnyCakez says
Lovely article, you should write more often. I recently started a little blog myself about cakes and recipes, if you feel like it why not take a look.Cheers
Swathi says
I didn’t know much about German chocolate, but like that topping of cake.
Annie says
I actually knew about the German’s Chocolate, but I hadn’t bothered to think of a way to sub in other chocolate.
For me, it’s the coconut-pecan frosting that makes the cake, so I usually make oatmeal cake instead. Very similar, just without chocolate or cocoa.