One of the neat things about cooking, and especially baking, is there are so many different ways to create the ‘same’ thing. Take for instance German Chocolate Cake. Look in any handful of recipe books and I bet you all the recipes will be different. That is one thing that makes it so fun. You can sort of screw it up and just say you meant to do it that way.
For instance with German chocolate cake you can add chocolate chips into the batter. That makes it a little crunchy. More so than just the coconut or nuts on top. Bobby Flay uses goats milk in his. He even adds whipped cream on the side. Generally the main ingredients are chocolate cake and icing which is made from egg yolks, evaporated milk, coconut and pecan but who is to say you can’t make your own style?
Bobby Flay said, “I don’t think less is better in baking. The more decadent the better.” Personally, I couldn’t agree more.
Since I like to give you all a little knowledge to go along with something that may make you smile like it does me, here is some information about German chocolate cake:
(Now don’t just skip over this part because I am going to drop a bomb that just might make you go look something up yourself because you are not going to believe it is true…and, it could win you a bar bet. You are welcome.)
Contrary to what every one seems to believe, German chocolate cake did not originate in Germany. We can jump in the Way Back Machine and travel to 1852 when American Sam German developed a new type of dark baking chocolate for the American Baker’s Chocolate Company. Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate was the brand name of the product they named in honor of him.
Fast forward to June 3, 1957, a recipe created by Mrs. George Clay, a homemaker from 3831 Academy Drive, Dallas, Texas, for “German’s Chocolate Cake” appeared as the “Recipe of the Day” in the Dallas Morning Star. I do not know why a woman was named George but it was different times I guess. This recipe used the Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate baking chocolate introduced 105 years earlier and became quite popular. General Foods, which owned the Baker’s brand at that time, took notice of Mrs. Clay’s recipe and thankfully distributed the cake recipe to other newspapers across the country. Sales of Baker’s Chocolate increased by as much as 73% and the cake became a national staple. Somewhere along the line the possessive form (German’s) was dropped forming “German Chocolate Cake” and giving the false impression of a German origin.
Who knew right?
June 11 is National German Chocolate Cake Day in America so you have got some time to get your favorite recipe and ingredients together and make a German chocolate cake for yourself. In fact, to get you started here is a recipe you can use.
Growing up I would always ask my mother to make me German chocolate cake for my birthday. It always made me smile back then and it still does today.
Do you make (or like to eat) German chocolate cake? Do you have a special ingredient you like to use in yours? Let us know in the comments. Would love to hear from you.
Hey Troy,
I LOVE German chocolate cake, who doesn’t? I like the simpler recipe like the photo you have at the top and of course the cut slice at the bottom. Yummy my friend.
Now that woman’s name was probably not George but the way people are addressed at times is by their married name like her husband was named George Clay so they addressed her as Mrs. George Clay. They do that to my Mom still to this day which is why I know. Oh and yeah, we’re in Texas so maybe it’s a Texas thing or something.
Interesting background and I didn’t know that June 11th is National German Chocolate Cake Day. Just another great excuse to have some, yay!!!
Thanks for sharing this interesting bit of information and my Mom will love hearing about this.
~Adrienne
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Right. It was 1957 and probably most home makers did not have an identity of their own so they used the “Mrs. Husband’s Name”. I remember that. Well, not personally but from stories.
Oh yes, you know I am gonna make some German’s Chocolate Cake mid June. On the other hand…why wait? 🙂
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Interesting piece. I’ll eat German chocolate cake even though I don’t like either nuts or coconut. lol I don’t know why I’ll do it either because sometimes it’s the worst thing ever… oh yeah, for those other times when it’s one of the best things I’ve ever tasted. lol
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Thing is if you were to make your own German Chocolate Cake, who is to say you can’t omit the coconut or nuts? It is up to you.
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Mitch, who are you kidding you’ll eat anything that is sweet. lol
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Wrong you are Pete. There’s lots of sweet things that won’t come close to my mouth. I don’t like most things with fruit, I hate cheesecake, and usually I won’t eat anything with nuts in it. There’s an occasional exception, but it’s rare.
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What is that thing you are all about though? Fluffennutter? A Fluffernutter is a sandwich made with peanut butter and marshmallow creme usually served on white bread.
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Right; that’s a sandwich, with no fruit. lol
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That still leaves you open to a lot of sweets Mitch. heck mate, I’ve lost track of all the times I’ve either read or seen a photo of some sweet food you were drooling over. lol
Or maybe my old mind is blowing things out of proportion. I never know these days 😉
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You’re blowing it out of proportion. You overlook all the other foods I share, which comprise at least 70% of all the food images I share because I don’t eat dessert at every restaurant I go to. So there! 😛
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Never, ever even heard of German chocolate cake let alone tasted it. Luckily though now that I’ve read this post Troy I know that it has nothing to do with Germany at all.
Who in hell would name their daughter George. Reminds me of an old Johnny Cash song where he named his son Sue 😉
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Boy named Sue. Right. Good song. But I agree with Adrienne when she wrote “Now that woman’s name was probably not George but the way people are addressed at times is by their married name like her husband was named George Clay so they addressed her as Mrs. George Clay. ”
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Yeah I know, she’s probably right. But then again, maybe she had to prove what a great cook she was and had to prove she was a girl because her mom named her George lol. Yeah, I know, that’s a little sexist but what can I say 😉
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Don’t you remember the boxer George Foreman? He named all his kids George, at least some form of it, boys and girls.
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Respectfully Mitch, according to Wikipedia : “Foreman has 12 children. His five sons are George Jr., George III (“Monk”), George IV (“Big Wheel”), George V (“Red”), and George VI (“Little Joey”). The two daughters from his marriage are Natalia and Leola; his three daughters from a separate relationship are Michi, Freeda, and Georgetta. He adopted a daughter, Isabella Brandie Lilja (Foreman), in 2009; and another, Courtney Isaac (Foreman), in 2012.” Although perhaps Natalia and Leola do have Georgetta or something as a middle name.
Now I am hungry and want to go make a burger. LOL
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You see, taking the fat out of your cooking just makes you horny!! 😉
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One is Freeda George. I didn’t know he was up to 10 children; last I’d heard there were only 7, so obviously I haven’t kept up. I guess when he changed wives they weren’t having it. lol
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Here is one you guys are going to love. I like to make German Chocolate cake mix, it’s one of the box varieties, I’m not sure which since I usually go from scratch but for this recipe it works. Anyway, it’s the box mix where it is all included in the mix itself, you have the coconut and the pecans in the cake mix. I make the batter and pour a cupful into my waffle maker. When it’s done, you hit it with some vanilla ice cream and hot fudge; instant decadent dessert that is unexpected by your guests.
Wow! Really?!? I am totally gonna have to try that one. Thanks for that!
Also, thank you for stopping by and for your amazing comment!
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