German chocolate dump cake bakes into three layers in one dish: chewy coconut and pecans that turn into a caramel-like base, a soft chocolate cake in the middle, and a top swirled with sweet cream cheese that bakes golden at the edges. It tastes like German chocolate cake with the frosting baked right in, and you scoop it with a spoon instead of slicing it.
Two things make it work. The coconut and pecans go into the empty 9×13 inch (23×33 cm) dish first, where the butter and sugar from the topping sink down and glue them into a sticky bottom layer. Then it cools for 30 minutes before you dig in, so the cream cheese swirls set instead of running. You need about 15 minutes of hands-on time, one box of cake mix and 40 to 45 minutes at 350°F (175°C).
At a Glance
- Yield: 15 generous scoops from one 9×13 inch dish
- Time: 15 minutes prep, 40 to 45 minutes baking, 30 minutes cooling
- Difficulty: easy, two bowls and no mixer needed for the batter
- Key technique: coconut and pecans on the bottom, cream cheese dolloped on top, then a 30 minute rest
- Best served: warm, with vanilla ice cream
What You Need for the Three Layers
The full list with amounts is in the recipe card. These are the parts that decide how it turns out:
- German chocolate cake mix: one 15.25 oz (432 g) box, made with the water, oil and eggs on the box. Regular chocolate or devil’s food mix works too; it bakes a little darker and less sweet.
- Sweetened shredded coconut: 1 1/2 cups (125 g) in total, 1 cup for the base and 1/2 cup for the top. Unsweetened coconut stays dry and does not turn chewy.
- Pecans: 1 1/2 cups (165 g) halves or large pieces, split the same way. Walnuts are the closest swap.
- Cream cheese: 8 oz (226 g) full-fat block, softened to room temperature so it blends with no lumps. Tub-style spread is too soft and leaks into the batter.
- Butter: 1/2 cup (113 g), melted. It loosens the cream cheese so it spreads and sinks in streaks.
- Powdered sugar: 3 cups (360 g). It sweetens the cream cheese and caramelizes into the gooey layer.
Building It in the Dish
Grease the 9×13 dish well, including the corners, and spread 1 cup of coconut and 1 cup of pecans over the bottom in a loose, even layer. Whisk the cake mix with 1 cup (240 ml) of water, 1/2 cup (120 ml) of vegetable oil and 3 eggs for about a minute, until smooth, and pour it slowly over the nuts so they stay in place.
Beat the soft cream cheese with the melted butter and 1 teaspoon of vanilla, then stir in the powdered sugar until smooth and thick. Drop it over the batter in about 12 big spoonfuls and drag a butter knife through a few of them. Leave plenty of it in mounds; if you swirl too much, it disappears into the cake.
Scatter the last 1/2 cup of coconut and 1/2 cup of pecans over the top. They toast in the oven and give you the crunchy finish you see on German chocolate cake.
How Long to Bake It
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 40 to 45 minutes in a metal or ceramic dish, or 45 to 50 minutes in glass, which heats more slowly. It is done when the edges pull away from the sides, the cream cheese is golden at its edges and the center no longer wobbles like liquid when you nudge the dish.
Test the chocolate part, not the cream cheese: a toothpick pushed into a dark spot near the middle should come out with moist crumbs but no wet batter. The cream cheese areas always look a little soft and will cut a sticky path on a toothpick even when the cake is done.
Let It Rest Before You Scoop
Cool the dish on a rack for 30 minutes. Straight from the oven, the cream cheese and the caramel layer are molten and run all over the plate. After half an hour they firm up enough to hold together but are still warm and gooey, which is the best moment to serve it.
Use a big serving spoon and go all the way to the bottom of the dish so every portion gets some of the coconut pecan layer. Expect it to stretch in sticky strands; that is the sugar and butter that sank down during baking. A scoop of vanilla ice cream on a warm portion melts straight into the coconut layer.
Common Problems and Fixes
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Cream cheese sank and vanished | Swirled too much, or the topping was runny | Leave it in mounds and use block cream cheese |
| Lumps of plain cream cheese | Cream cheese was cold | Soften it 1 hour, or microwave 15 seconds |
| Raw center | Glass dish or a cool oven | Bake 45 to 50 minutes in glass and test the chocolate part |
| Dry, hard edges | Baked too long | Start checking at 40 minutes |
| Coconut stuck to the dish | Dish not greased | Grease the corners well and serve warm |
Ways to Change It Up
- Darker flavor: use devil’s food cake mix and add 1/2 cup (85 g) semisweet chips to the batter.
- Less sweet: cut the powdered sugar to 2 cups (240 g); the top is softer and less caramelized.
- Caramel drizzle: spoon 1/3 cup (80 ml) of warm caramel sauce over the cake as it comes out of the oven.
- No nuts: leave out the pecans and use 2 cups (170 g) of coconut in total.
- Smaller batch: halve everything and bake in an 8×8 inch (20 cm) dish for 35 to 40 minutes.
Like the coconut pecan topping? Make a batch of German chocolate frosting for a layer cake, or try these German chocolate cupcakes and this rich German chocolate cheesecake. For a from-scratch chocolate cake with no eggs, there is wacky cake.
Storing and Reheating
Cover the dish and keep it at room temperature for up to 1 day, then in the fridge for up to 4 days, because of the cream cheese. Cold, it turns dense and fudgy; warm a portion in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds to bring back the gooey layer. You can freeze cooled portions in airtight containers for up to 2 months and thaw them overnight in the fridge.
For a dump cake spread at a fall potluck, set it next to pecan pie dump cake and pumpkin dump cake. Fruit lovers will go for fruit cocktail dump cake, and in December there is a Christmas dump cake with cherry and pineapple.
German Chocolate Dump Cake Questions
Is German chocolate dump cake the same as earthquake cake?
They are close cousins. Earthquake cake uses the same coconut, pecans, cake mix and cream cheese layers; dump cake is simply the name for the dump-and-bake method.
Can I make it the day before?
Yes. Bake it, cool it, cover it and refrigerate it overnight, then warm the whole dish at 300°F (150°C) for 15 minutes before serving.
Do I have to use German chocolate cake mix?
No. Any 15.25 oz chocolate cake mix works; German chocolate is just a little lighter and sweeter.
Why is the middle still gooey?
Some gooeyness is normal from the cream cheese and caramel layer. If the chocolate cake itself is wet batter, bake it 5 to 10 minutes longer.
Keep It for Later
Pin this German chocolate dump cake to your dump cake recipes board so the coconut pecan trick is ready for your next potluck.
German Chocolate Dump Cake
German chocolate dump cake with a gooey coconut pecan bottom, a soft chocolate cake middle and a golden cream cheese swirl on top, all in one 9x13 dish. Spread coconut and pecans in the dish, pour boxed German chocolate cake batter over them, dollop a sweet cream cheese and butter mixture on top and bake 40 to 45 minutes at 350°F. Let it rest 30 minutes so the layers set, then scoop it warm with vanilla ice cream. It serves 15 and takes about 15 minutes of hands-on time, which makes it an easy potluck dessert.
Ingredients
Coconut pecan layer
- 1 1/2 cups (125 g) sweetened shredded coconut, divided
- 1 1/2 cups (165 g) pecan halves or large pieces, divided
Cake
- 1 box (15.25 oz / 432 g) German chocolate cake mix
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
Cream cheese topping
- 8 oz (226 g) full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup (113 g) butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar
Instructions
- PREP: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- BASE: Spread 1 cup coconut and 1 cup pecans evenly over the bottom of the dish.
- BATTER: Whisk the cake mix, water, oil and eggs for about 1 minute until smooth. Pour it slowly over the coconut and pecans.
- CREAM CHEESE TOPPING: Beat the softened cream cheese, melted butter and vanilla until smooth, then stir in the powdered sugar.
- DOLLOP: Drop the cream cheese mixture over the batter in about 12 spoonfuls and drag a knife through a few of them. Do not spread it.
- TOP: Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup coconut and 1/2 cup pecans over the top.
- BAKE: Bake 40 to 45 minutes (45 to 50 in a glass dish), until the edges pull away and the center no longer wobbles.
- REST: Cool 30 minutes on a rack, then scoop and serve warm, with ice cream if you like.
Notes
- Use block cream cheese softened to room temperature, and leave it in mounds rather than swirling it in.
- Glass dishes need 45 to 50 minutes; metal or ceramic 40 to 45 minutes.
- Done: edges pull away, center no longer wobbles, a toothpick in a chocolate spot shows moist crumbs.
- Rest 30 minutes before scooping so the cream cheese and coconut layer set.
- Storage: room temperature 1 day, fridge up to 4 days; rewarm portions 20 to 30 seconds.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
15Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 501Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 265mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 2gSugar: 41gProtein: 5g
