Everyone loves a good cake, but there’s just something extra special about a classic southern coconut cake. Even if they’re a little messy—like the first one I ever baked for my dessert-loving grandfather on his birthday—they still turn out delicious. And if you love coconut recipes as much as my grandfather loved his birthday cake, this is the cake for you.
One of the most iconic layer cakes ever invented, this coconut cake recipe uses both sweetened coconut and coconut extract in the cake batter, plus a coconut-flavored cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut sprinkled throughout. The tropical flavor and perfectly fluffy crumb makes coconut cake a no-brainer for spring or summer celebrations like Easter and Mother’s Day. It’s versatile, too, so you can prepare it as a sheet cake, Bundt cake or even cute cupcakes.
Ingredients for Coconut Cake
- Eggs: The yolks and whites are separated and added in two stages. The yolks bring moisture and tenderness to the baked cake. The egg whites are whipped into stiff peaks and folded into the batter to add lightness and lift to the baked cake.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens this cake batter. When mixed with the wet ingredients, it dissolves quickly.
- Butter:Â Butter not only contributes flavor, it helps create a tender crumb. The recipe calls for unsalted butter as well as vegetable oil, which together make a pleasingly moist cake.
- Cake flour:Â Cake flour has a lower protein content than all-purpose flour; less protein means less gluten formation, which helps keep the cake especially tender.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Double-acting baking powder works twice to leaven the cake: once when it’s mixed with the wet ingredients, and again when it hits the heat of the oven. Baking soda also acts as a leavening ingredient, activating when mixed with acidic ingredients (in this case, the buttermilk). Don’t confuse the two; it’s one of the most common cake mistakes.
- Buttermilk: It’s not just here to react with the baking soda; buttermilk lends its rich, buttery and tangy flavor to the cake. That tang helps to balance the sweetness.
- Sweetened shredded coconut: The cake boasts a whopping four cups of shredded coconut! It’s used in two ways: folded into the cake batter, and added to each baked layer. Before adding it to the layers, you need to toast the coconut (which can be done using an air fryer!).
- Extracts: Coconut extract boosts the tropical flavor of both the cake and its frosting. Vanilla and almond extracts are also added to the cake to complement the coconut.
- Cream of tartar: Just 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar added to the egg whites helps stabilize them as they’re whipped up. Look for cream of tartar in the spice aisle. (Psst: Did you know you can use cream of tartar to make your own baking powder substitute?)
- Cream cheese: Lightly sweet with just a little tanginess, cream cheese frosting is the perfect match for this coconut cake. To soften cream cheese, leave it out on the counter for at least 30 minutes before using it.
- Confectioners’ sugar: With its fine, silky texture, confectioners’ sugar blends in smoothly with the other frosting ingredients. It’s best to first sift it into a bowl with a flour sifter to eliminate any lumps that could mar the finish.
Directions
Step 1: Separate the eggs
Separate the egg whites into a large bowl and let them stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Reserve the yolks.
Editor’s Tip: It’s always best to separate egg whites from yolks when the eggs are cold, since the yolks are less likely to break.
Step 2: Combine the wet ingredients
Preheat the oven to 325°F. In another large bowl, beat the granulated sugar, melted butter and oil until they’re well blended.
Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating the wet ingredients well before adding the next yolk.
Step 3: Alternate the dry and wet ingredients
Combine the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate large bowl. Add this to the creamed mixture a bit at a time, alternating with the buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Stir in the coconut and the coconut, vanilla and almond extracts.
Step 4: Beat and fold in the egg whites
Add the cream of tartar to the bowl with the egg whites. With clean beaters, beat the egg whites on medium until stiff peaks form. Use a rubber spatula to fold a fourth of the egg whites into batter, then fold in the remaining whites.
Editor’s Tip: Fold in the egg whites using gentle strokes, scooping down to the bottom of the bowl and pulling up and over, so that they keep as much of their volume as possible.
Step 5: Bake the cake
Transfer the batter to three greased and floured 9-inch round baking pans. Bake the cakes for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool the cakes for 10 minutes before removing them from the pans and transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
Editor’s Tip: Adding circles of greased parchment paper to the pans ensures the cakes will come out cleanly.
Step 6: Make the frosting
In a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and softened butter together until they are fluffy. Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar and the coconut extract, and continue to beat until the frosting is smooth.
Editor’s Tip: If the cakes have domed tops, wait until the cakes are cool, then use a serrated knife to carefully slice off the top to make a flat surface for easier frosting.
Step 7: Frost the first layer
Place one cake layer in the center of a serving plate or cake turntable. Dollop 1/2 cup of frosting in the center and use an offset spatula or a rubber spatula to spread the frosting over the cake. There should be an even layer that reaches all the way to edge or just a little over the edge.
Sprinkle 1/3 cup of the toasted coconut over the frosted cake layer.
Editor’s Tip: Try a professional cake decorating technique and add a crumb coat before frosting. To do this, spread a very thin layer of frosting over the cakes to seal the surface, then use a bench scraper to gently remove excess frosting and loose crumbs. Refrigerate the cakes for 30 minutes, then frost as directed. A crumb coat helps keep the cake from tearing as you frost it.
Step 8: Frost and assemble the rest of the cake
Repeat Step 7 with the second cake layer. Place the last cake layer on top. Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake, then sprinkle the remaining coconut on top. Refrigerate the cake for at least two hours before cutting it. Store it in the refrigerator.
Recipe Variations
- Make it a pina colada cake: Add drained, crushed pineapple between the coconut cake layers. Put the frosting in a piping bag and create a dam by piping a circle around the edges of the first two cake layers. Spoon drained, crushed pineapple inside the circles, and spread it evenly. Add the final cake layer, frost the cake and top it with coconut.
- Coat the whole cake in coconut: Double the amount of toasted coconut and press it onto the frosted sides of the cake as well as onto the top.
- Make it a Bundt cake: Convert this layer cake to a Bundt cake. Increase the oven temperature to 350°. Grease and flour your Bundt cake pan very well. Pour in the cake batter to fill the pan only two-thirds full (any extra batter can be saved to make a few cupcakes or mini loaf cakes). Bake the Bundt cake and begin to check for doneness after 45 minutes. Once it has cooled, finish it with frosting and coconut.
- Make it a 13×9 cake: Instead of three round cake pans, pour the batter into a greased and floured 13×9-inch baking pan. Increase the oven temperature to 350°, and bake it for about 40 minutes. Once it has cooled, frost the cake and top it with toasted coconut.
- Turn it into coconut cupcakes: Use a standard cupcake pan with paper liners, and fill each liner about four-fifths of the way full of batter. Bake the cupcakes at 325° for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out of the centers clean. Once they’ve cooled, frost the tops and add a sprinkle of toasted coconut. The recipe for coconut cake should make enough batter for about three dozen cupcakes.
Can you make coconut cake ahead of time?
Yes, and readers report that this cake tastes even better the next day. (That could be one reason why it’s one of our most popular five-star cake recipes!) You can bake and assemble this coconut cake three to four days in advance. Keep it tightly covered, so it doesn’t dry out.
How to Store Coconut Cake
Because the cake is made with cream cheese frosting it must be stored in the refrigerator. Cover the cake with storage wrap or place it in a cake carrier with a lid. If you’re storing individual slices or a cake that’s been cut, press storage wrap or wax paper to the cut surfaces to prevent them from drying out. Store the cake in the fridge for three to four days.
Can you freeze coconut cake?
Yes, you can freeze cakes like this one. The cream cheese frosting protects the cake and holds up well to freezing and defrosting. As soon as possible after decorating, place the coconut cake in the freezer. Once it’s very firm, wrap it in two layers of storage wrap, followed by a layer of foil. Keep the cake in the freezer for up to two to three months. The day before you’d like to serve it, place the cake in the fridge to defrost.
Coconut Cake Tips
Can you make this coconut cake recipe without coconut extract?
You can certainly skip the coconut extract and replace it with vanilla extract if you like—this will, of course, make the coconut flavor of the cake milder. If you’re avoiding coconut extract because you’re unsure what else you’d use it for, there are plenty more tasty ways to use coconut extract—from cream pies and rum cakes to fudge and biscotti.
What other kinds of frostings can you put on coconut cake?
While we love a cream cheese frosting for this coconut cake recipe, we have a few other frosting recipes that pair very well with coconut—like vanilla buttercream, lemon frosting or chocolate frosting. Looking for a less sweet frosting option? Try an old-fashioned ermine frosting with coconut extract instead of vanilla.
