February is always chocolate month to me. Besides Valentine’s Day, it’s also ridiculously cold and dark up here in the north. We need plenty of chocolate to guide us through the second half of winter — because yes, we still have half the winter to go (sorry winter-hating friends, but it’s true). Well, more than half, because winter lasts until April here…or sometimes May…but I digress.
The point is, we need a little extra chocolate this time of year. And what better way to up our chocolate intake than with rich, gooey brownies? Bonus points if they’re covered in a sweet, custardy, coconutty topping. Introducing your new winter BFF, German Chocolate Brownies.
German Chocolate Cake Isn’t Actually German…So Where Does the Name Come From?
Ok, before we go further, let’s clear up a little misconception. German Chocolate Cake isn’t German at all. Its origins are much closer to home for those of us from the U.S.: It was invented here. According to Wikipedia, “its roots can be traced back to 1852 when American baker Samuel German developed a type of dark baking chocolate for the Baker’s Chocolate Company. The brand name of the product, Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate, was named in his honor.”
Then, in 1957, a “German’s Chocolate Cake” recipe was printed in The Dallas Morning News (created by a Texas homemaker named Mrs. George Clay), using the German’s Sweet Chocolate developed more than 100 years before. And it took off from there.
Today, very few German Chocolate Cake recipes actually use what is now referred to as “German chocolate.” These days, the name refers more to the famous custardy coconut topping than to the cake itself. Which is fine with me because that’s the part of the cake I really want to eat. In fact, I love that topping so much I decided to add it to a pan of brownies. And boy was that a good idea.
German Chocolate Cake Meets Brownies
I love a good brownie. And honestly, I love all the different types of brownies: gooey, chewy, fudgy, and yes, even cakey. These brownies in particular are thick, rich, and fudgy, with chunks of chocolate stirred in for an occasional extra-chocolatey bite.
Because they’re nice and dense, these brownies are the perfect base for a delicious topping. In fact, I’ve topped this same brownie recipe in a couple other ways:
- These Tiramisu Brownies are topped with a creamy, Kahlua-spiked mascarpone, and
- The Coffee & Cream Brownies in my Chocolate Cookies & Bars eBook are covered in a coffee buttercream AND a chocolate glaze
This time around, I opted for the traditional topping for a German Chocolate Cake. It’s essentially a custard made with egg yolks, evaporated milk, and sugar, with lots of coconut and toasted pecans stirred in at the end. While there isn’t any actual caramel in it, the sugar caramelizes as it cooks, so it ends up tasting a whole lot like caramel. It’s so good I could eat it with a spoon.
If you’re a fan of that topping like I am, you’ll love these brownies. Give them a try, and let me know what you think in the comments below.
Happy Baking!
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German Chocolate Brownies
Equipment
- 1 9×9 square cake pan
- 1 Medium saucepan
- 1 large heat-proof mixing bowl
- 1 heat-proof spatula
Ingredients
Brownies
- 3/4 c all-purpose flour
- 2 T cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp espresso powder
- 1/2 c butter, softened
- 2 T vegetable oil
- 7 oz unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 c granulated sugar
- 1 c brown sugar, packed
- 3 large eggs
- 1 T cold espresso or strong coffee
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 c chocolate chips or chunks
German Chocolate Topping
- 1 c evaporated milk*
- 1 c granulated sugar
- 3 large egg yolks, beaten
- 1/2 c butter, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 c coconut
- 1 c toasted pecans, chopped
Instructions
Brownies
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9 square cake pan with parchment paper, leaving 2 ends hanging over the edge of the pan. Spray the parchment with baking spray or grease it with butter/oil and dust with flour.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, kosher salt, and espresso powder. Set aside.
- In the top of a double boiler or in a large heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, melt the butter, oil, and unsweetened chocolate, stirring occasionally, until melted and uniform. Remove from heat.
- Whisk in both sugars until combined, then add the eggs, whisking until glossy and smooth, about 45 seconds. Whisk in cold espresso/coffee and vanilla extract until combined. Fold in the dry ingredients and the chocolate chunks. Spread batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out with only a few moist crumbs. Cool completely before adding the topping.
German Chocolate Topping
- In a medium saucepan, combine evaporated milk, sugar, beaten egg yolks, butter, and vanilla. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened and beginning to boil, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Stir in coconut and pecans. Refrigerate until cooled completely.
- Spread all topping onto the cooled brownies. Cut, serve, and enjoy!