Is German Chocolate Cake your favorite? Do you want to learn how to make the coconut-pecan frosting from scratch? My recipe is different from all the rest, and that one difference takes all worry about messing it up away! So ditch the canned stuff, and let me show you how it's done!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This easy recipe uses the entire egg, not just the egg yolks!
- Uses a technique that guarantees success!
- Classic recipe! No artificial flavor! No corn syrup! The best nutty flavor!
- Great recipe for frosting my Death by Chocolate Cake!
Ingredient Notes
- Eggs - Yes, the whole egg, not just the yolks. It is not a mistake that I've listed to use the whole egg.
- Butter - Doesn't matter whether butter is salted butter or unsalted butter.
- Pecans - if you can find pecan chips or pecan pieces instead of the halves or roughly chopped, it's a huge time saver.
- Vanilla? - If you would like to add a teaspoon of vanilla extract, feel free to do so.
Couple Things You'll Need
Step by Step Instructions
- Chop up your pecans while your oven preheats to 350 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with foil and spread the pecan chips across it.
- Toast for 4-5 minutes in the oven.
- Set aside.
- Crack 3 eggs, yes, the entire egg, into a deep bowl. My preference is a 4-cup measuring cup for this.
- Beat the eggs with a whisk really well and set aside.
- Put the butter and sugar in a medium saucepan.
- Pour in the evaporated milk.
- Over medium heat, bring the contents in the pot to a simmer.
- Here's the trick you won't find in anyone else's recipe...temper the eggs!
- While whisking vigorously, pour the hot liquid into the eggs in a small stream. This will cook the eggs without scrambling them.
- Pour the hot egg mixture back into the pot and return to the stove.
- Cook over medium heat until the liquid thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. This should take 3 or so minutes, stirring constantly to avoid burning to the bottom of the pan.
- Remove from the heat.
- Stir in the pecans and coconut.
- Cool before using!
- There should be enough frosting to frost the inside, top of a 2-layer cake, and the sides of the cake OR make 2 dozen German chocolate cupcakes.
- Store leftover frosting in an airtight container. Put it in the fridge to make it last longer, but it's also fine at room temperature.
Recipe FAQs and Expert Tips
This happens when you overcook/over-thicken this. However, it does not mean your frosting is ruined. It's just thick. It should still taste fine, and the texture should still be smooth, so go ahead and stir in the pecans and coconut.
Because technically, this is a custard. Yes, you frost German chocolate cake with it, but it really is just a coconut pecan custard as opposed to a traditional buttercream frosting.
No, it doesn't, but it will last longer if stored in the fridge. You will need to allow it to return to room temperature before frosting a cake or cupcakes with it.
Related Recipes
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Coconut Pecan Frosting Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Chopped Pecans
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 1 Cup Evaporated Milk
- ½ Cup Butter
- 2 ⅓ Cup Sweetened Flaked Coconut
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with tin foil.
- Chop up your pecans, and then spread them across the pan.
- Bake for 4 minutes.
- Remove from oven and set aside.
- Crack the eggs into a medium, deep bowl. I prefer a 4-cup measuring cup.
- Whisk the eggs until they are well beaten.
- Set them aside.
- In a pot over medium heat, bring the butter, evaporated milk, and sugar to a simmer.
- When the butter, milk, and sugar begin to simmer, remove it from the heat.
- Pour it in a trickle into the eggs while whisking vigorously until all the liquid has been added.
- Pour the mixture back into the pot and return it to the stovetop.
- Over medium heat, while continuing to stir, bring the mixture back to a low simmer.
- Cook until it coats the back of a spoon.
- Remove from the heat.
- Stir in the coconut and pecans.
- Cool completely before frosting your cake.
Notes
- I recently updated this recipe to call for more pecans and coconut than previously listed.
- YES! You use the whole egg. This is not a mistake or misprint. I realize that other recipes call for just the yolks. This one uses the entire egg.
- If you overcook this, it will "curdle" or be like a thick custard; however, it is not ruined!!! This frosting is technically a custard. Even if it "curdles," the taste and texture should still be fine, just thick. Add the pecans and coconut, and use it as you planned.
Nutrition
Thanks for stopping by! Before you go, be sure to check out a few of my most popular recipes!
Chanel
Ummmm….I don’t know about everybody else Ms. Mindee but this…THIS right here, is my ABSOlute—go to Coconut Pecan recipe from now on!!!!
Yes Lord.
The process is awesome and fail proof in my opinion to get that smooth, custard finish which even a seasoned baker like my self can be left with when incorporating the eggs into hot mixture. Sometimes tempering eggs can be errrr…temperamental.
I LOVE that I don’t have to waste whites or go through the process of separating an egg.
I actually used my Cuisinart Immersion Stick which helped me achieve that steady but vigorous motion needed—to keep the eggs moving in that hot liquid. The finished icing was ‘unbroken’.
I added during the sugar, butter & milk step split vanilla bean pods which aided in that nicely balanced sweetness.
This recipe is printed, starred and saved.
Thank you girl.
Beautiful recipe on a classic.
Mindee
You are very welcome! I love my immersion stick for this recipe too! Thank you so much for your kind words!
Kim M
Holy Moly! If you're still using this frosting from a can...you are missing out! So, so, so DELICIOUS and pretty simple to make. Don't take my word for it, try it yourself! Thank you for this recipe!
Mindee
Thanks for the review Kim!
Miranda
Not my go to coconut pecan frosting recipe . It wasn’t sweet enough, and seems like adding some vanilla might have been a good choice. I had to add sugar.
Mindee
Everyone has different taste! Thanks for trying!
Nancy
Made one change to the recipe. I used Swerve granular for the sugar. The frosting was great.
Suzanne
Perfect recipe for my Mom’s favorite cake frosting! I’m able to find organic evaporated milk in my local grocery and I think that makes a difference. Thank you!!
Mindee
You're very welcome!
Wanda Sparks-Bunch
Hi Mindy hi I was wondering can I use low fat can milk to make this recipe and do I have to roast my pecans or can i use them right out the bag
Mindee
No, the frosting won't set up well with low fat milk. The fat is necessary. Toasting the pecans is totally up to you. I've done is both ways.
Jane
I've never made a German chocolate cake before but I've always wanted to - what stopped me was that I found making the frosting a bit intimidating. For my best friends birthday I decided to give it a try - usually she wants my carrot cake (for decades tbh- lol) but this year she said to try something different. This method was so easy even I had success with it! And yes, I may have snuck a spoon of it here and there, for quality control you understand :P. Thank you for this simple technique, it worked like a charm!
Jane
My husband’s favorite cake is german chocolate. I just made this frosting for his birthday cake and he said it’s the best he has tasted. Definitely keeping this recipe.
Mindee
Awesome! Thank you!
Enedd Babb
I’ve baked German Chocolate cake for many years. It’s always a favorite! I love this cake but I didn’t like making the coconut pecan frosting, until now!
Mindee, I came upon your recipe and it has been a game changer!
I live in Barbados and in NYC. Now the Bajan friends and family had never tasted German Chocolate cake. I started making it and they would go crazy! They are always asking me to make this cake. But I was so tired of the mixture scrambling the eggs. Then I discovered your recipe! It’s the only recipe I use now, so easy! It’s a life saver! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Mindee
That is great!!! Thank You!!
Debbi
I was hoping I this would be my new go to coconut pecan frosting. There was a heavy taste of the evaporated milk. Ok know everything was measured accurately. I think if I added vanilla that may have helped. Thank you for giving me a recipe to try. Hopefully ilone day I will find my tried and true recipe.
Mindee
That's odd. It's very possible that it was the brand of evaporated milk that was the culprit. I also wonder if the can you used was old.
Julianne
Amazing! This allows the flavor of pecans and coconut to shine and isn't sickeningly sweet. This recipe is a keeper!