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.
Absoutely awesome cake will Absoutely make again
So good! And I’m not a chocolate fan.
This is one of my most favorite desserts! I usually bake it once a year for my Dad’s bday/Father’s day and everyone loves it. My Dad even hates coconut, but loves this dessert.
I found that the sugar crystallized and the cake didn’t hold up well at all. The taste was good, just didn’t turn out nicely.
💙🤗💙AWESOME💙LIKE YOU, there’s nothing wrong with a Lil extra Coconut 🥥💙Thanks for sharing 💙🤗💙.
I was disappointed in this recipe. The brown sugar on the bottom of the pan ended up semi crystallized which gave it a grainy texture. And the cream cheese mixture was just a sugary goo. I’ve had a version of this cake that someone had made at a potluck that had a much better texture and taste.
Add an egg whites to the cream cheese mix to firm it up like actual cheesecake
I made this to take to a fundraiser , so have’t tried it. It looks delicious but the cream cheese stayed on top and looks like meringue. Very pretty , hoping it takes great.
very good will be making this cake again and again
God invented parchment paper for a reason
I would hope this comment is just being a little funny. Otherwise… how incredibly rude. And also, God didn’t invent parchment paper ✌
absolutely the most delicious cake I have ever eaten…and everyone raves about it
Oh my man! (My son says that, lol.) This cake looks amazing. Amazing in the tasty factor 🙂 If a cake is good enough, it doesn’t have to look pretty at all. Great recipe!
We just received this cake from a friend after my dad’s passing and she brought it in the pan and then added a coconut pecan frosting. It was delicious and she did not have to worry about flipping it out of the pan!
What a clever idea for the frosting! So sorry about your dad’s passing.