Need something different to take to the next pot luck or church social?
German Chocolate Upside Down Cake is a very quick and easy cake to make using a box of German Chocolate cake mix.
I try a lot of German Chocolate recipes and find the combination of chocolate, pecans, and coconut to be irresistible. This isn’t the prettiest cake, but when you take into account that it is totally fuss-free, I can overlook that fact.
How To Make German Chocolate Upside Down Cake
A mixture of butter, brown sugar, coconut, and pecans is spread on the bottom of a 9X13-inch pan.
Next comes the cake batter which is a box of cake mix prepared just like the back of the box says to, with a little coconut added. I don’t think it’s possible for a German Chocolate Cake to have too much coconut.
Before the cake is placed in the oven to bake, dollops of cream cheese are dropped all over the top. As the cake bakes, the cream cheese sinks down into the cake, making it rich and gooey throughout.
Just look at all that gooey cream cheese! Doesn’t it about make your eyes pop out of your head?
Get all the taste of a fancy German Chocolate Cake without all the fuss!
How To Make
(More detailed instructions in recipe card below.)
- Pour melted butter into bottom of baking dish. Sprinkle on brown sugar, pecans, and half of coconut.
- Mix cake batter according to package instructions and add the remaining coconut.
- Pour batter into pan.
- Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar.
- Drop dollops of cream cheese over batter.
- Bake 45 to 50 minutes.
Recipe Tip
When baking cakes like this, I always like to place the baking pan on a rimmed baking sheet in the oven in case any batter overflows. Better safe than sorry.
Storage
Wrap well with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. Warm slices in the microwave before serving.
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More German Chocolate Desserts
- German Chocolate Fudge
- German Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies
- German Chocolate Cheesecake
- German Chocolate Bars
- White German Chocolate Cake
- German Chocolate-Red Velvet Cake
German Chocolate Upside-Down Cake
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut, divided
- 1 box German Chocolate cake mix, plus ingredients listed on box
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 8 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 (16-ounce) box confectioners’ sugar
- whipped cream for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease the sides of a 9×13-inch pan.
- Evenly pour melted butter into pan. Sprinkle brown sugar, pecans, and half of coconut on bottom of pan.
- Make cake batter according to package directions, adding remaining coconut to batter.
- Pour batter into pan.
- Using electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and softened butter. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar.
- Drop cream cheese mixture by spoonfuls onto top of batter.
- Place in oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Sharing this recipe with The Weekend Potluck.
Originally posted July 28, 2015.
I’ve made this cake numerous times and different variations. I’ve never made it with the brown sugar on the bottom but one tip I have that just changes the whole assembly. I take the cream cheese, butter and powdered sugar mixture and put it in a gallon Ziploc bag and use this as the means of putting the cream cheese mixture on top of the cake. It does drop into craters on top of the cake.