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READY IN 35 mins

Coconut Pecan Frosting I

Read Reviews (76)

"Traditional frosting and filling for German Chocolate cake." — Marsha

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Original recipe makes 1 cake's filling and frosting Change Servings

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup butter

1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Directions

In a heavy 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, cook the condensed milk, egg yolks, and butter 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until bubbly. Remove from heat, and stir in the coconut, pecans, and vanilla.
Allow to cool for 15 minutes before spreading on cake.

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PREP 10 mins
COOK 10 mins
READY IN 35 mins

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YUM! But really, how can you go wrong with coconut and pecans! As another reviewer stated, don't be put off by the odd macaroni and cheese-like odor while you're cooking this up. You'll smell the difference immediately when you add the coconut and pecans. Important to note - when cooking with eggs, unless you want scrambled egg bits in your frosting, I would highly recommend heating the butter and condensed milk in the saucepan first, then slowly incorporating a small amount of the hot butter/milk mixture(about 1/2 cup) into your egg yolks in a small bowl, whisking while you add. Once you do that, add your egg mixture into the saucepan. You should be able to avoid cooked egg bits with this method.

—WeirdAuntMartha

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Nov 14, 2006

not too good, I am used to tasting coconut, but all you can taste is the condensed milk. I'll keep looking for the recipe that'll work for me. thanks though,

—Mama Rivas aka Pablo's Hottie

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86 Ratings

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Jan 01, 2009

By far THE best German chocolate cake topping I have ever tried. This is a keeper. SIDE NOTE: I stuck the frosting in the freezer for about 10 minutes after cooking, and it spread perfectly!NEWLY ADDED: 01/01/2009 I have never made this recipe with the egg yolks. It works great drizzled over a bundt cake...just let it cool for a few minutes. If it is too runny, add more coconut! Enjoy!

—Mom*Of*Two*Angels

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Jan 16, 2005

Be patient and you will be richly rewarded! I cooked the first three ingredients until bubbly just like the recipe said, but it looked too yellow, so I decided to cook it further to "caramelize" it a bit and give it a tan color. The mixture bubbled, seized and separated, scaring me a bit. It looked curdled and smelled strongly of macaroni and cheese. Finally after boiling it for about 10 minutes after the cutoff time, I took it off the stove. It was light tan and completely separated. I whisked the mixture until the goo came together in a cohesive tan sweet goo. The smell was gone, it tasted great and with the coconut, pecans and vanilla, it tasted and looked far better than the storebought stuff. Good stuff!

—EATSCAKE

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Feb 09, 2008

Really good - I followed someone else's advice and tempered by egg yolks, so I didn't have any problems with lumpiness. But after cooking it for ten minutes and adding the pecans and coconut it was way too thick, almost like taffy. Tasted good but wouldn't spread. So I just put it back on low heat and added heavy cream until it was smooth enough to spread, turned out great. I like a recipe that you can go back and fix after messing it up!

—Snacky Liz

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Dec 03, 2006

AWESOME!! A LITTLE BUTTERYIER THAN I'D LIKE, BUT STILL EXCELLENT! I TOASTED MY PECANS AND COCONUT FOR EVEN YUMMIER FLAVOR!

—Todzwif

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Oct 19, 2010

I thought that this recipe was O.K., but I agree with Laura B. that version that uses evaporated milk and sugar tastes better. The evaporated milk version (which I found on a box of Baker's chocolate) has more flavor dimensions to it. This version is kinda flat, by comparison. But it will do if you don't have evaporated milk on hand. Also, you don't have to temper the yolks if you thoroughly whisk them into the milk before you start cooking the mixture. FYI, the evaporated milk version calls for 1 (12 oz.) can evap. milk, 1.5 cups sugar, 1.5 sticks butter, 4 egg yolks, 1.5 teaspoons vanilla, 7 oz. coconut, and 1.5 cups chopped pecans. Prepare according to the directions noted in this recipe.

—csamfly

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Mar 10, 2003

Yumm! This recipe was very, very good! I almost did not try because of previous review, but obviously this person did not know what they were talking about. Nothing, is better than the homemade taste of baked goods and this rates right up at the top in my recipe book! Thanks for the great recipe Marsha!

—SCABOLINA

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Nutrition

Calories
287 kcal
14%

Carbohydrates
23.5 g
8%

Cholesterol
83 mg
28%

Fat
20.5 g
31%

Fiber
1.7 g
7%

Protein
4.4 g
9%

Sodium
121 mg
5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Coconut Pecan Frosting I

Serving Size: 1/12 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 12
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 287
Calories from Fat: 184

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 20.5g 31 %
Saturated Fat 9.8g 49 %
Cholesterol 83mg 28 %
Sodium 121mg 5 %
Potassium 195mg 5 %
Total Carbohydrates 23.5g 8 %
Dietary Fiber 1.7g 7 %
Protein 4.4g 9 %
Sugars 21.2g
Vitamin A 8 %
Vitamin C 2 %
Calcium 13 %
Iron 5 %
Thiamin 10 %
Niacin 9 %
Vitamin B6 3 %
Magnesium 9 %
Folate 7 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.