This coconut pecan frosting is a cooked custard of evaporated milk, light brown sugar, egg yolks and butter, stirred on the stove until thick and then loaded with sweetened shredded coconut and toasted pecans. It takes about 25 minutes of hands-on time plus 30 minutes to cool, and one batch fills and tops a two layer 9 inch cake.
It is the frosting that goes on German chocolate cake, and it works just as well on brownies and spice cakes. The key is patience at the stove: keep stirring until the base coats a spoon, then let it cool before it goes anywhere near a cake.
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The full ratio is short: 1 cup evaporated milk, 1 cup packed light brown sugar, 3 large egg yolks and ½ cup butter for the base, then 1½ teaspoons vanilla, a pinch of salt, 1½ cups sweetened shredded coconut and 1 cup toasted chopped pecans.
Evaporated milk is what makes this frosting hold. It has less water than regular milk, so it cooks down with the yolks and sugar into something close to a caramel custard that sits on a cake and slices cleanly. I have used heavy cream in its place. The frosting came out softer, more spoonable than spreadable, which is fine for brownies but not for stacked layers.
Brown sugar gives the caramel flavor that people expect from this frosting. The yolks bind it all. Once, I skipped them, thinking the coconut and pecans would hold things together. The frosting looked fine at first, then slid right off the cake within ten minutes.
Toasting the Pecans at 350°F
Spread the chopped pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast them at 350°F (175°C) for 5 to 7 minutes. Pull them when they smell nutty and look a shade darker. Raw pecans taste waxy and flat in this frosting, and toasted ones stay crisp against the soft coconut.
Let them cool completely. Warm nuts dropped into the custard go soft faster. You can toast them a day ahead and keep them in a jar.
Stirring the Custard Until It Coats a Spoon
Whisk the evaporated milk, brown sugar, egg yolks and butter together in a medium saucepan before you turn on the heat. Starting cold, with the yolks already mixed in, is what keeps them from scrambling.
Set the pan over medium heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, reaching into the corners where the custard catches first. After 10 to 12 minutes it changes. The thin, milky liquid turns glossy and caramel colored, gentle bubbles rise at the edges, and the base is about as thick as a loose pudding.
The test: dip in the spoon and draw a finger across the back. If the line stays clean, it is done. Keep it at a gentle bubble, not a rolling boil, or the yolks can set into small specks. If that happens, pour the base through a fine sieve before you go on.
Folding In the Coconut, Pecans and Optional Cinnamon
Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the vanilla and the pinch of salt, then fold in the coconut and toasted pecans while the base is still warm, so every shred gets coated.
Sweetened shredded coconut adds chew as well as sweetness, and it keeps the frosting moist. Unsweetened coconut on its own makes the texture drier. If your cake is already very sweet, use half sweetened and half unsweetened.
The two add-ins on the card are optional and go in at this point. A ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon gives a quiet warm spice that suits brownies and fall cupcakes. A ¼ cup of heavy cream softens the texture and adds gloss. For a layer cake, I leave both out and keep it traditional.
Why Coconut Pecan Frosting Needs 30 Minutes to Cool
Straight off the stove, the frosting is loose and glossy. It thickens as it cools, and after about 30 minutes at room temperature it reaches a thick, spreadable texture. Stir it now and then while it cools. To speed things up, spread it out in a shallow dish.
The cake has to be cool too. Warm frosting on a cool cake, or any frosting on a warm cake, slips off the layers and pools on the plate.
How Far One Batch of Coconut Pecan Frosting Goes
One batch covers the filling and the top of a two layer 9 inch cake. That is the traditional German chocolate cake look, with bare sides showing the chocolate layers. If you want the sides covered too, or need enough for 24 cupcakes, my German chocolate frosting is a bigger batch of the same cooked frosting.
This frosting does not pipe. The coconut and pecans jam the tip. On cupcakes such as German chocolate cupcakes, spoon a mound on top and spread it with an offset spatula.
Coconut Pecan Frosting Beyond German Chocolate Cake
It is dense and sturdy, so it suits desserts that can carry some weight. Spread it over a cooled pan of fudgy brownies and chill until it sets, use it as a filling between banana cake layers, or spoon it onto spice muffins. It is also good on a moist chocolate coconut cake and with a carrot spice cake on the Thanksgiving table.
For a lighter topping, try whipped cream frosting. For pumpkin or spice cake without the texture, maple frosting brings a darker sweetness. When you need a frosting that pipes, vanilla buttercream frosting is the better choice.
Runny, Greasy or Stiff: Coconut Pecan Frosting Fixes
- Still runny after cooling: the custard was undercooked. Before adding more, return it to low heat and stir for another 2 to 3 minutes until it coats a spoon, then cool again.
- A layer of butter on top: the base got too hot. Take it off the heat and stir hard for a minute; it usually comes back together as it cools.
- Small cooked egg bits: the heat was too high or the stirring stopped. Strain the base before folding in the coconut and pecans.
- Too stiff from the fridge: leave it out for about 20 minutes, or warm it gently and stir.
- Too sweet for your cake: next time, use half unsweetened coconut.
Keeping Coconut Pecan Frosting for Later
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It firms up when cold. Leave it at room temperature for about 20 minutes or rewarm it slightly, then stir before spreading.
I have frozen extra batches with good results. Thaw it in the fridge, stir, and use it within 24 hours. For Thanksgiving, that means the frosting can be made a few days early and the cake assembled on the day.
Questions About Coconut Pecan Frosting
Can I make coconut pecan frosting without evaporated milk?
Yes. Heavy cream works in the same amount, but the frosting sets softer and is better for brownies than for stacked layers.
Can I use sweetened condensed milk instead?
Not as a straight swap. This recipe already has a full cup of brown sugar, and condensed milk would make it far too sweet. Recipes built on condensed milk leave out most of the sugar.
Is coconut pecan frosting the same as German chocolate cake frosting?
Yes. German chocolate cake frosting is a cooked coconut pecan frosting like this one, sometimes called coconut pecan icing or coconut caramel frosting.
Can I make it without egg yolks?
Not with this recipe. The yolks are what thicken the custard. Without them the frosting stays loose and slides off the cake.
Pin this coconut pecan frosting so it is ready for the next German chocolate cake or pan of brownies, and tell me in the comments what you spread it on.
Coconut Pecan Frosting
This coconut pecan frosting is the cooked German chocolate cake frosting made with evaporated milk, light brown sugar, egg yolks, butter, sweetened shredded coconut and toasted pecans. It takes about 25 minutes of hands-on time plus 30 minutes to cool and fills and tops one two layer 9 inch cake. The custard is stirred over medium heat until it coats a spoon, and it thickens into a spreadable, chewy coconut pecan icing as it cools. Use it on German chocolate cake and cupcakes, as a topping for brownies, or as a filling for banana or spice cake layers. Swap half the coconut for unsweetened for less sweetness, and refrigerate up to 5 days.
Ingredients
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
- Pinch of salt
- Optional:
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- TOAST THE PECANS: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread the chopped pecans on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast for 5 to 7 minutes, or until fragrant and golden. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
- COOK THE BASE: In a medium saucepan, whisk together evaporated milk, light brown sugar, egg yolks, and unsalted butter. Set the pan over medium heat and stir continuously with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and starts to bubble gently.
- ADD VANILLA AND SALT: Remove the saucepan from heat. Stir in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt until fully incorporated.
- MIX IN THE COCONUT AND PECANS: Fold in the sweetened shredded coconut and the toasted pecans. If using cinnamon or heavy cream, add them at this stage and stir until evenly combined.
- COOL AND USE: Let the frosting cool to room temperature before spreading. It will thicken further as it cools, reaching a spreadable, spoonable texture ideal for layer cakes, cupcakes, and other desserts.
Notes
Toast the pecans until fragrant and let them cool before adding them. Whisk the yolks into the cold milk, sugar and butter before heating, and stir constantly over medium heat so they do not scramble; the base is ready when it coats the back of a spoon. Let the frosting cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, and spread it only on a fully cooled cake. If it is still runny after cooling, return it to low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. For a less sweet option, substitute half of the sweetened coconut with unsweetened shredded coconut. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Rewarm slightly or let it stand 20 minutes, then stir before using.
