German chocolate cake is a dessert that’s been adored by people for quite some time and is a dessert that can be found on restaurant menus around the world. This layered chocolate cake is topped with a coconut-pecan frosting and is believed to have originated in the U.S. Although it’s similar to other types of chocolate cakes including Chantilly cake and Black Forest cake, it has its own distinct texture and flavor. This dessert is so beloved, it even has its own holiday: National German Chocolate Day. This holiday is observed annually on June 11th.
The History Of German Chocolate Cake
German Chocolate Cake can be traced back to 1852. This is when it was developed by an American baker named Samuel German. He had just developed a type of dark baking chocolate for the Baker’s Chocolate Company and was called Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate. This chocolate was used in cakes made during the time, but as far as we know, none of those cakes contained all of the ingredients that can be found in the modern German chocolate cake.
In the Dallas Morning News published on June 3, 1957, there was a recipe for German’s Chocolate Cake. It was created by Mrs. George Clay from Dallas, Texas. This recipe used the baking chocolate that had been introduced by Samuel German over a hundred years before and was popular at the time. General Foods owned Baker’s brand, so they distributed the recipe to other newspapers across the United States. Although the recipe’s name was originally German’s chocolate cake, the possessive “s” was eventually dropped and the cake became known as German chocolate cake. Over the years, that has given people the impression that the cake originated in Germany when instead it originated in the U.S.
Facts About Chocolate Cakes
Okay, now that we understand the history of German chocolate cakes, let’s widen our focus a little bit more and talk about chocolate cake in general. Chocolate cake is a dessert that’s been around for quite some time and comes in many different forms all around the world. Let’s look at some facts about this dessert, so we all have a better understanding of one of the world’s most popular types of cake.
- Dr. James Baker discovered how to make chocolate by grinding cocoa beans between two millstones in 1764. This allowed the creation of chocolate cake.
- The earliest chocolate cake recipe was published by Eliza Leslie in 1847 in her book “The Lady’s Receipt Book.”
- Before the 20th century, chocolate cake was reserved for the wealthy. It wouldn’t be until cacao prices began to fall that it became popular among the masses.
Observing German Chocolate Cake Day
This holiday should be celebrated by serving friends and family some German chocolate cake. It doesn’t matter if it’s one that’s bought from a bakery or grocery store or one that you craft with your own two hands. Just make sure that you serve up this sweet dessert. While you’re doing so, make sure to use the hashtag #GermanChocolateCakeDay on your social media posts and spread the love about this delectable dessert.
When is National German Chocolate Cake Day? |
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| This year (2023) | June 11 (Sunday) |
| Next year (2024) | June 11 (Tuesday) |
| Last year (2022) | June 11 (Saturday) |