German Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
These German chocolate cupcakes have a chocolate cake base, a thick chocolate cream cheese frosting, and a coconut-pecan topping. The frosting is piped around the edge, leaving a little space for the topping in the middle.
They look like a special-occasion dessert, but the decorating is simple once you see the steps. There are three parts to make, so give yourself time for everything to cool before you reach for the piping bag.
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If you love the coconut-pecan topping, try my German chocolate cake Crumbl cookies next. For a cake to slice and share, make my chocolate chip bundt cake with sour cream, or serve molten lava chocolate cakes warm with ice cream. You’ll also find more frosted cookie ideas in my copycat Crumbl cookie recipes collection.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- 🧁 What it is: German chocolate cupcakes made with sour cream, topped with chocolate cream cheese frosting and coconut-pecan topping.
- 🥣 Decorating: Pipe a frosting border, then spoon the topping into the middle. No cutting out the cupcake centers.
- ⏱️ Bake time: 14–16 minutes at 350°F (175°C), plus cooling and decorating.
- ⭐ Key tip: Cool the cupcakes and coconut-pecan topping completely before assembling so the frosting holds its shape.
- ❄️ Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Ingredient Notes
The full ingredient list and amounts are in the recipe card below. These are the details to watch before you start.
- Flour: Spoon it into the measuring cup and level the top. Scooping straight from the bag can pack in extra flour and make the cupcakes dry.
- Cocoa powder: Use unsweetened cocoa, not hot chocolate mix. You’ll need it for both the batter and the frosting.
- Sour cream and oil: These add moisture to the chocolate cupcakes. Keep the sour cream in the batter; it isn’t part of the frosting.
- Evaporated milk: Check the can carefully. Sweetened condensed milk contains added sugar and is not a direct swap here.
- Coconut and pecans: Use sweetened shredded coconut and chop the pecans so the topping is easier to spoon onto each cupcake.
- Butter and cream cheese: Soften both for the frosting. They should mix smoothly without being melted.
- Chocolate chips: Melt them, then let the chocolate cool to room temperature before mixing it into the frosting.
How to Make German Chocolate Cupcakes
Bake the cupcakes
Whisk the dry ingredients together before adding the wet ingredients. This helps spread the cocoa powder and raising agents through the batter. Scrape the bowl so no dry pockets remain.
Fill the liners about halfway. The batter needs room to rise, and the finished cupcakes will carry two toppings.
Start checking at 14 minutes. The centers should be set, and a toothpick should come out without wet batter. Let the cupcakes cool completely before decorating.
Cook the coconut-pecan topping
You can work on the topping while the cupcakes bake. Stir the evaporated milk, egg yolks, brown sugar, and butter over low heat, paying attention to the bottom and corners of the saucepan.
Once it reaches a gentle simmer, cook for about 2–3 minutes, until thickened. Remove it from the heat before stirring in the vanilla, coconut, and pecans.
Let the mixture cool completely. It should be spoonable rather than runny when you add it to the cupcakes.
Make the chocolate frosting
Beat the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth before adding the powdered sugar and cocoa. This is easier than trying to remove cream cheese lumps later.
Mix in the cooled melted chocolate. The finished frosting should be smooth and thick enough to hold a piped border.
The milk is optional. Add it only if the frosting is dry and crumbly. If it is already smooth, leave it out.
Decorate with a frosting ring
Fit a piping bag with a large star tip. Pipe a ring around the outside edge of each cupcake, leaving a small circle of cake visible in the middle.
The cupcake stays intact. That open space is where you spoon the coconut-pecan topping.
Start with a small dollop on each cupcake, then divide any remaining topping across the batch. This helps keep the portions even without overloading the first few cupcakes.
Do I Need a Piping Bag?
A piping bag gives you the border shown in the photos. For a simpler finish, spread the frosting around the edge with a small spatula or spoon, leaving room for the coconut-pecan topping.
Storage
Store the decorated cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Use a container tall enough to keep the lid from touching the frosting.
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German Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
- Standard muffin tins
- Cupcake liners
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- Wire cooling rack
- Large star tip
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 cup flour – about 120 g for all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar about 107 g, measured packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar about 100 g
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder about 21 g
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup neutral oil about 80 ml
- ⅓ cup milk about 80 ml
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup water about 80 ml
- ⅓ cup sour cream about 75 g
Coconut-Pecan Topping
- ½ cup evaporated milk about 120 ml
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cup brown sugar about 107 g, measured packed
- ¼ cup unsalted butter about 57 g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut about 85 g
- ¾ cup pecans, chopped about 85 g when measured chopped
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ cup chocolate chips about 85 g, melted and cooled to room temperature
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter about 85 g, softened
- 3 ounces cream cheese 85 g, softened
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar about 170 g
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder about 21 g
- up to 1 tablespoon milk 15 ml, only if needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), conventional setting. Line standard muffin tins with cupcake liners.
- In a mixer bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the oil, milk, egg, vanilla, water, and sour cream. Mix on low until combined, scraping the bowl. Mix on medium for about 30 seconds, just until evenly combined.
- Fill each liner about halfway. Bake for 14–16 minutes, until the centers are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out without wet batter. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack once they are firm enough to handle. Cool completely.
- While the cupcakes bake, combine the evaporated milk, egg yolks, brown sugar, and butter in a saucepan. Heat over low, stirring frequently, until gently simmering. Continue cooking and stirring for about 2–3 minutes, until thickened.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the vanilla, coconut, and chopped pecans. Set aside to cool completely.
- Beat the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and cocoa. Mix on low until combined, then beat on medium for 1 minute.
- Mix in the melted chocolate once it has cooled to room temperature. If the frosting is dry and crumbly, add a little of the optional milk, using no more than 1 tablespoon. Otherwise, leave the milk out. Beat on medium for another minute, scraping the bowl, until smooth and fluffy.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe a ring around the outside edge of each completely cooled cupcake, leaving the center uncovered. Do not remove any cake.
- Spoon a small dollop of cooled coconut-pecan topping into each frosting ring. Gently settle it into the space, then distribute any remaining topping evenly.
- Keep the decorated cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Cool both the cupcakes and coconut-pecan topping completely before assembling. Melted chocolate must also cool to room temperature before going into the frosting.
- Use evaporated milk, not sweetened condensed milk.
- The frosting should hold its shape. Milk is only for correcting dry, crumbly frosting.
- The topping sits above the cake inside the frosting border.
- Metric amounts are approximate conversions of the supplied US cup measures, not independently tested weights.