Fun German Christmas Traditions (and Super Delicious German Chocolate Cake!)
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Fröhliche Weihnachten!
(That’s “Merry Christmas” in German!)
From Santa Claus to Christmas trees, many of our most beloved Christmas traditions in the United States actually originate from Germany. But more than just these German Christmas traditions, I think we inherited Germany’s over-the-top Christmas spirit, as evidenced by the incredibly decadent (and surprisingly American invention), German chocolate cake!
German Christmas Traditions
With St. Nicholas Day, Tannenbaum, and Christmas markets, the holidays in Germany would feel surprisingly familiar to us, despite a few different sounding names.
St. Nicholas Day
St. Nicholas Day is celebrated on December 5th in Germany. While we don’t have this sub-Christmas holiday in the States, we do have Saint Nick. Right?
While our Santa Claus is based on the same person, Germany’s St. Nicholas is a more historically accurate portrayal of the generous bishop who lived in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).
On the night of December 5th, children polish their boots and place them outside of their bedroom doors, hoping to receive little gifts and treats (like nuts and candy) from Saint Nicholas. Sometimes, a family friend will even dress as the saint and enter the house, asking the children if they have been good that year.
If they haven’t… Nicholas’s stern assistant, Knecht Ruprecht, will leave a piece of coal in their boots instead!1
In the United States, we still talk about being “naughty or nice” and receiving lumps of coal, but our Santa Claus isn’t significant enough to warrant his own holiday apart from the rest of Christmas. At least, not yet!
Now, I can’t leave a chat about St. Nick without talking about the time he punched a heretic in the nose. Yup – you read that right! During the Council of Nicea, the historic bishop Nicholas became so enraged at Arius (who said Jesus was not equal to God) that he slapped him in the face in the middle of the council!2
(Note: Nicholas was quite ashamed of himself afterward, even though it was kind of epic.)
Tannenbaums
We all know the song “Oh, Christmas Tree,” – but the original is “O Tannenbaum!”
Initially, German families decorated their homes with evergreen branches, but at some point, someone said, “why not bring an entire tree inside??” When you think about it, it’s actually a little weird. But so festive! Trees in the 17th century were adorned with apples, gingerbread, and fake flowers. This fun winter tradition was most likely brought to our shores by German immigrants shortly after the Revolution.3
So, when you go hunting for your Christmas tree, you’re participating in the prettiest of German Christmas traditions!
Christmas Markets
Christmas markets have started gaining popularity around the world, but their origin is in Germany. Covered in twinkling lights, these winter markets are like miniature festivals, brimming with mouth-watering food and local arts and crafts.
Walt Disney World becomes a gigantic version of this during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party!
German Christmas Food Traditions
Of course, the best (and most exciting) traditions are those of the culinary variety.
Germany is well known for distinctive flavors and dishes, as well as delicious desserts, including Christmas stollen, gingerbread, and chocolate cake.
Christmas Stollen
This famous pastry is like fruitcake – except it’s actually good. Better than good! It’s a rich, sweet cake filled with fruits and nuts, then slathered with butter and dusted with confectioner’s sugar. (As we said, Germany’s Christmas spirit is off the charts!) Stollen’s characteristic shape – a loaf with a ridge down the middle – and its pure white appearance are meant to symbolize baby Jesus in his swaddling clothes.4
Gingerbread
The first known gingerbread recipe has been attributed to ancient Greece, but by the late Middle Ages, just about everyone in Europe had their own version.5 As usual, Germany outdid themselves.
Their delicious take on gingerbread is called “Lebkuchen,” and it’s popular during the holidays. It’s much softer and chewier than our crisp American counterpart, and rather than being shaped into little men, this cakey gingerbread is served up in bars.6
If you decide to make gingerbread this Christmas, you may just want to give “Lebkuchen” a go!
German Chocolate Cake
Of course, the recipe we probably know and love best is German chocolate cake! Which isn’t actually German at all.
(Photo: MouseEars TV Creative Team)
Here’s the scoop. Samuel German was an English-American baker who made sweet baking chocolate called “Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate” in the 1850s. About a century later, Mrs. George Clay from Texas used this chocolate to make a cake. She called it “German Chocolate Cake.”7 After the brand name. Not the country.
However, there’s still something distinctly German about it: this cake is absolutely off-the-charts awesome! Just like an impassioned bishop, a market dedicated to nothing but Christmas stuff and unnecessarily thick gingerbread delights… German Chocolate Cake goes the extra mile.
It doesn’t have to be so extra – you know, with custard instead of canned frosting – but it is. And yet it doesn’t come across as “chocolatier than thou” (although it is) – it simply presents itself as a yummy chocolate cake.
Nevertheless, a single bite is all you need to discover that it’s the best chocolate cake.
That’s why, among all of our other fun German Christmas traditions, we recommend adding the German (in name, at least) chocolate cake! It will certainly lift that Christmas spirit to new and chocolatey heights.
German Chocolate Cake
A rich, chocolate cake with creamy coconut custard filling and chocolate ganache frosting.
- Total Time: 56 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter ((softened))
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs ((large))
- 1 cup sourcream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup whole buttermilk
- 1 4 oz chocolate bar ((melted and cooled))
Coconut Pecan Filling
- 1 1/2 cups heaving whipping cream
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 5 egg yolks
- 6 tbsp butter
- 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
- 1 1/2 cups toasted and chopped pecans
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
- 2 4oz chocolate bars ((chopped))
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 1/2 tbsp light corn syrup
- 1 cup boiling heavy whipping cream
Garnish
- pecan halves
- chocolate curls
Instructions
- Preheat over to 350F.
- Spray 3 (9-inch) cake pans with nonstick spray with flour.
- In a large bowl, combine 1 cup butter and 2 cups sugar, using electric mixer at medium-high speed. Beat until fluffy.
- Add eggs, beating each one before adding the next.
- Add sour cream and vanilla; mix well until fully combined.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add some of the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Then add a bit of buttermilk. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and buttermilk until everything is combined. Note: begin and end with the flour mixture.
- Add one melted chocolate bar, beating until combined.
- Spoon batter evenly into the 3 pans and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean from center of the cakes.
Let cool in pans for 10 minutes.
Remove from pans to cool completely on wire racks. - Spread 2/3's of the Coconut Pecan Filling between the layers of cake and place in freezer for at least one hour.
- Spread Chocolate Ganache Frosting evenly over entire cake. Spread remaing Coconut Pecan Filling on top of cake. Add pecan halves and chocolate curls for presentation if desired.
Coconut Pecan Filling
- In medium saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, 1 1/2 cups sugar, and egg yolks. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Mixture should coat the back of a spoon. (Average cook time: 10 minutes.)
- Remove from heat and add 6 tbsp of butter, coconut flakes and chopped pecans. Stir until the butter is completely melted. Let mixture sit until it reaches room temperature.
Note: Makes 5 cups.
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
- In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup heavy whipping cream to a boil.
- In a medium bowl, combine 2 chopped up chocolate bars, 1/4 cup butter, and light corn syrup.
Pour cup of boiling heavy whipping cream over the mixture. Let stand for 1 minute. Stir until mixture is smooth and chocolate is melted. - Chill for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally until frosting is good for spreading.
Note: Makes 1 1/2 cups.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 26 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: German Cuisine
Cover Image
Photo: MouseEars TV Creative Team
