This is a combination of a few different recipes and many years of attempts and practice.  I made a German chocolate cake from scratch right after Richard and I first got married.  The first time did not turn out very well.  I found the Bakers German Chocolate cake recipe and made that for many year including eggs and dairy.  I finally went 100% plant based in 2015 and then I have been experimenting with this cake every year for Richards birthday since then.  It is a combination of the recipes from Bakers and from thegreenspork.com  and I have even tweaked it a bit in addition to that.

1 pkg 4 oz Bakers Germans sweet Chocolate OR
3/4 cup cocoa powder, 1/4 cup coconut oil or coconut butter, 1/3 cup sugar or maple syrup
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup flax seeds + 3/4 cup water or another egg replacer
3 cups flour ( I use whole wheat flour or sprouted whole wheat flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup applesauce or coconut milk
2 cups sugar, coconut or sucanat
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup plant milk w/ apple cider vinegar

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350. cover bottom of 3 9 inch cake pans with parchment paper. Dust the parchment paper with flour. 
2. Melt the chocolate mixture in the water in the microwave.
3. Put milk and vinegar together to make buttermilk. 
4. Mix flax with water and set aside.
5. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside. 
6. Beat sugar and applesauce together until light and fluffy.
7. Add flax eggs and mix well. 
8. Add chocolate mixture and mix well. 
9. Add flour mixture alternating with buttermilk, mixing after each addition. 
10. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. 
11. Immediately run knive around cakes to loosen from pans.
12. Cool cakes in pans 15 minutes
13. Remove cakes to wire racks.

German Chocolate Frosting
1 1/3 cup coconut milk (lite is ok)
1 1/4 cup sugar coconut
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup arrowroot powder mix w/ 1/4 cup cold water
1 1/2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut flakes or shredded
1 cup pecans chopped

In a sauce pan combine all ingredients except for the coconut flakes and pecans. 
Over medium high heat slowly bring the mixture to a boil.  Stirring constantly, reduce heat to medium and continue stirring until the mixture begins to thicken.  Remove from heat when it is thick enough.  If mixture gets too thick add a few tablespoons at a time to get the right thickness.

 Chocolate Coconut Cream Frosting

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup refrigerated coconut cream (250 ml)
• 2 Tbsp cacao or cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup or finely ground coconut sugar
• pinch sea salt

METHOD

Refrigerate 1 large or two smaller cans of coconut cream overnight. Open carefully and scoop the thick cream into a bowl, leaving any clear(ish) water in the bottom of the can. Save the water for another use. Beat cold coconut cream with a hand-mixer or whisk until smooth and thick. Sift over cocoa powder and beat again. Whisk in maple syrup (or coconut sugar dissolved in 1 tsp water).Refrigerate until needed, then whisk once again before spreading onto the top, or between, cake layers.