It's A Little-Known Fact That German Chocolate Cake Was Actually Invented In Texas
By Katie Lawrence|Published July 27, 2023
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Katie Lawrence
Author
Katie Lawrence is a Southeast Texas native who graduated 18th in her high school class with a GPA of 4.25. She attended college in the Houston area and began writing for OnlyInYourState in 2015.
Today, Katie writes, edits, and performs several other tasks for OnlyInYourState and has never been more passionate about a job before. Outside of work, you can likely find her curled up on with a hot cup of coffee, practicing yoga, baking, or exploring the beautiful Lone Star State (in particular, the vast and mystical West Texas desert).
We Texans are an innovative bunch. From Dr Pepper to liquid paper, there are lots of things that were invented in Texas. I have a major sweet tooth, so one of my favorite Lone Star State inventions is German chocolate cake. Yep, you heard me correctly: despite having the word “German” in its name, the iconic dessert actually originated in Dallas!
It's only natural to assume that German chocolate cake was invented in Germany - after all, the word "German" is in the name.
Sometimes, however, names can be deceiving, and this classic dessert is a prime example.
Originally called "German's chocolate cake," the layered chocolate cake was named after Samuel German, an English-American chocolatier who developed a specific type of baking chocolate for the recipe.
He collaborated with the Baker Chocolate Company in 1852 to create "Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate," which was named in his honor. The company is now known as Baker's Chocolate and is owned by Kraft Heinz.
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Perhaps the earliest written recipe for German Chocolate Cake can be traced back to Mrs. George Clay, a homemaker from Dallas.
Sales of the chocolate quickly skyrocketed, and the cake became a household name throughout America. The possessive form of the name (German's) was dropped to simply "German" soon thereafter, giving rise to the false notion that the cake originated in Germany.
So now that we've covered the backstory, what exactly is a German cake?
I'm glad you asked because it's one of my favorite desserts of all time. With several layers of rich chocolate cake and a coconut-pecan custard filling, this decadent treat is easily one of the best inventions from Texas. And although sweetened baking chocolate is rarely used in the recipe anymore, if you can get your hands on some, it makes all the difference.
Maraschino cherries are sometimes added to the cake as a garnish.
In my opinion, this is also where some of the confusion lies, as there is another cake, Black Forest cake, that does originate from Germany, and cherries are one of its main ingredients.
Black Forest cake (traditionally known as Black Forest gâteau), is a chocolate sponge cake with whipped cream and cherries.
It's also absolutely scrumptious, so if you can't decide between German chocolate cake or Black Forest cake, just make both!
Did you know German chocolate cake was invented in Texas? What other things that were invented in Texas come as a surprise to most people? Tell us your thoughts in the comments, and if this article made you hungry, head on over to Grubhub and order yourself something delicious.
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