Last Updated on March 31, 2025 by Christin Gillespie

This German Chocolate Cake Protein Pudding is a decadent healthy vegan dessert! It’s rich in cacao, high in plant protein, & loaded with coconut essence. Easy to make, full of nutrition, & will have you digging in!

German Chocolate Cake Protein Pudding recipe in a martini glass topped with dark chocolate, pecans, and shredded coconut, sitting on a wood cutting board.

If you’re a German chocolate cake fan, then this healthy & protein-packed vegan dessert recipe is for you!

While what is used to make this decadent creation is a tad untraditional, the flavor is spot on.

The base is comprised of raw pecans, shredded coconut, coconut water, cacao plant protein, a medjool date, & a frozen avocado. Yes, I know an avocado is probably the most out there ingredient to incorporate, but it transpires the most velvety consistency. Trust me!

While the pudding itself is dreamy in itself, the toppings are equally as important. Dark chocolate, extra coconut, as well as pecans, are what takes the cake to this healthy vegan dessert!

Why You’ll Love This Vegan Protein Dessert Recipe

Perfect Protein Dessert: With the combination of plant protein, nuts, & seeds, this dessert is packed with over 25 grams of plant protein!
Rich, Creamy, & Dairy Free: While there is no dairy in this cake, it still embodies the decadent flavor that we all love.
Tastes like Cake: Sort of. The flavor is that of a slice of German chocolate cake in a decadent protein pudding form.

Pecan Health Benefits

To make this German Chocolate Cake Protein Pudding recipe, we’ll be adding in a handful of pecans. Beyond their delicious tastes, pecans are also loaded with nutrition. They’re such a healthy + tasty addition to your lifestyle & gives you every excuse to have this vegan protein dessert. Here are just a few health benefits of consuming pecans.

Enhance Immune Health: Full of immune-boosting vitamins, pecans have significant amounts of vitamin E, A, & B12, while also containing essential trace elements like magnesium, copper, & zinc.
Promote Healthy Gut: Loaded with fiber, pecans help promote elimination of toxins to support a healthy gut.
Reduce Inflammation: Pecans contain high amounts of beta carotene, Omega-3, copper, & vitamin E, to reduce the amount of unhealthy inflammation in the body.
Brain Boosting: Nutrients found in pecans, such as thiamine, manganese, & copper, connect to optimal brain function.
Supports Bone Density: Pecans are high in phosphorus, as well as calcium. These key nutrients are essential for preventing symptoms of osteoporosis.

Healthy German Chocolate Cake Protein Pudding recipe in a martini glass topped with dark chocolate, pecans, and shredded coconut, sitting on a wood cutting board.

Ingredients

Organic Coconut Water: To get things blended we’ll be using coconut water. It’s honestly the perfect addition to achieve the optimal coconut flavor. Not only is coconut water super delicious, but is also full of electrolytes. My favorite brand is Harmless Harvest. It’s just one ingredient, organic coconut water. Oh & it’s pink! So cute.
Organic Cacao Plant Protein: To make amp up the protein, which will keep you feeling nourished, full, & satisfied longer. I love Four Sigmatic’s Creamy Cacao Plant Protein for this recipe. It’s made with real unrefined cacao with no grains, gums or fillers. Oh & it’s super delicious. Nevertheless, if you have yet to try Four Sigmatic’s Creamy Cacao Plant Protein, add your favorite chocolate plant protein.
Organic Cacao Powder: To be clear, cacao powder is different from regular dutch cocoa powder. Check out this Cacao Powder 101 to learn more!
Organic Raw Pecans: Duh! It wouldn’t be a German Chocolate Cake Protein Pudding recipe without them.
Organic Unsweetened Shredded Coconut: Another essential ingredient & don’t forget to save some for topping too!
Organic Chia Seeds: Organic chia seeds add some omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, selenium, phosphorus, calcium, etc. + it helps thicken this chocolate pudding.
Sea Salt: A healthy pinch of sea salt is rich in a ton of minerals & beautifully enhances the flavor.
Organic Medjool Date: I recommend buying pitted dates, that way you don’t have to remove the pits yourself. Oh, & my favorite brand of dates is Joolie’s!
Organic Avocado: Fresh or frozen both work!
Organic Servings: Completely optional, but if you want to be extra, top with some melted dark chocolate, extra coconut, & pecans.

How To Make

Blend the Liquids & Powders. To a high-speed blender, add the coconut water, plant protein, cacao powder, pecans, shredded coconut, seeds, & sea salt. Blend these ingredients until smooth.
Blend the Medjool Date. Add the soft medjool date to the blender & blend until smooth.
Blend the Frozen Ingredients. Next, add in the frozen avocado & optional ice cubes. Blend until smooth and creamy. If needed, you can pause the blender, remove the lid, and scrape down the sides so that everything is fully incorporated. You may need to add a little more liquid depending on how thick/thin you like your pudding.
Serve. Transfer to a chilled glass. Garnish with melted dark chocolate, extra coconut, & pecans, if desired. Enjoy!

Optional Chocolate Pudding Add-Ins

Feel free to truly make this healthy vegan dessert your own! Here are a few suggestions to amp-up this German Chocolate Cake Protein Pudding recipe:

Organic Ground Flax Seeds: Organic ground flax seeds adds a great little boost of fiber & minerals to this pudding.
Organic Hemp Seeds: Add in a tablespoon of organic hemp seeds for a boost of healthy fats, protein, omegas & minerals.
Organic Coconut Yogurt: Add some creaminess to this pudding with a scoop of coconut yogurt. You may have to reduce the liquid to ¾ cup in this pudding when adding yogurt.

Tips for Making the Perfect Pudding

Interested in how to make the absolute perfect German Chocolate Cake Protein Pudding? Here are my TOP tips:

Adjust Liquid Amount: If you find that your pudding is too thick to blend, not to worry! Just add a bit more liquid, blend, open the cover, scrape down the sides if needed, and blend again. And when possible, always use a larger high-speed blender instead, as it will blend the ingredients much better.
How To Make: Add your liquid first & blend your powders first, then the medjool date, before adding your frozen ingredients. By blending the liquid & powders first, it ensures that your powders blend completely.
Blending Tip: Start your blender on low to medium speed. If you blend the pudding to quickly from the beginning, it’s really hard for the blender to properly blend the frozen ingredients – so start lower and then gradually increase the speed.

Pudding FAQ’s

Is it healthy to have pudding?

It depends, but I wouldn’t post something that was unhealthy. This chocolate pudding is full of protein, healthy fats, & superfoods. However, some puddings on the market or on the web can be loaded with tons of fruit, added sugar, & nonsense, making them a less healthy option.

What is the best protein powder to use?

For this particular German Chocolate Cake Protein Pudding recipe, I love using Four Sigmatic’s Cacao Plant Protein. It’s made with real organic ingredients with no grains, gums, or fillers. When selecting a plant protein, it’s crucial to look at the protein content and most importantly, the ingredients.

How can I add protein without using protein powder?

If you don’t have cacao protein powder on hand, no worries! Just use a total of 2 tablespoons of cacao powder & to increase the protein content, you can add a tablespoon or two of organic hemp hearts, without changing the taste that much.

Can I make this pudding recipe in advance?

Yes! Feel free to make this vegan protein dessert recipe as is or double it for later. Check out this “How to Prepare Smoothies in Advance” post to achieve the best results.

Healthy Vegan German Chocolate Cake Protein Pudding Dessert recipe in a martini glass topped with dark chocolate, pecans, and shredded coconut, sitting on a wood cutting board.

More Healthy Vegan Dessert Recipes You’ll Love

If you make this recipe, please leave a review & rating below! I love hearing from you and it helps others learn more about the recipe too. Lastly, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, & TikTok for even more deliciousness & wellness tips!

Xoxo.

Christin.