Best Coconut Cake

Enjoy this delicious coconut cake recipe with coconut cream cheese frosting all year round!

A Tropical Treat to Love!

We are obsessed with coconut and have been making as many coconut goodies as possible including this no-fuss coconut cake recipe that is loaded with tropical flavor!

This easy-to-make dessert is smothered in delicious coconut cream cheese frosting and is sure to impress any coconut lover (trust us – it’s delicious). Plus, it’s perfect for summer, and is one of our favorite cakes with fruit recipes.

Ingredients

PREP TIME: 20 minutes

COOK TIME: 40 minutes

Coconut Cake

• 2¾ cups all-purpose flour – or use cake flour for a tender texture. Coconut flour cannot be substituted without making significant changes to the other ingredients.
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 room-temperature egg whites – Room-temperature egg whites whip up fluffier than cold ones.
• ½ cup unsalted butter – How to Soften Butter Quickly
• ½ cup coconut oil
• 1¾ cups sugar
• 1 cup sweetened cream of coconut – do not grab canned coconut milk/coconut cream.
• 4 egg yolks – check out our How to Separate Egg Whites post
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk – How to make Buttermilk – check out this article in case you don’t have buttermilk on hand

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

• 4 ounces cream cheese – softened
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter – softened
• 1 pinch salt
• ½ teaspoon coconut extract
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons sweetened cream of coconut – use regular or sweetened toasted coconut

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How to Make a Homemade Coconut Cake

1. PREP. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray. 
2. TOASTED COCONUT. Make toasted coconut. Spread 1 cup shredded coconut flakes (sweetened or unsweetened coconut) on a cookie sheet.
   • Bake for 6-7 minutes, watching closely, and toss often. Once golden brown, pull them out right away.
3. BATTER. Whisk 2¾ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
   • Beat 4 egg whites in a glass bowl until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
   • In a large mixing bowl, beat ½ cup butter, ½ cup coconut oil, and 1¾  cups sugar till creamy. Beat in 1 cup cream of coconut, 4 egg yolks, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
   • Add the dry ingredients and the 1 cup buttermilk. Beat until just combined.
   • Gently fold in the stiff egg whites until well incorporated.
4. BAKE. Pour batter evenly into prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Frost and Decorate

1. FROSTING. Beat 4 ounces cream cheese and butter till smooth and creamy.
   • Beat in 1 teaspoon coconut extract, 1 pinch salt, 5-6 cups powdered sugar, and 2-4 tablespoons cream of coconut to make a spreadable consistency.
2. DECORATE. Level the tops of each of the cake layers with a serrated knife. Place one cake layer down on a cake turntable or serving platter. Spread with 1-1½ cups of the frosting.
   • Place the second cake layer on top, then spread the frosting around the top and sides.
   • Sprinkle with toasted coconut on top and untoasted coconut on sides.

5 from 6 votes

Coconut Cake Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna

Tropical coconut cake is topped with a scrumptious cream cheese frosting. It's a tasty dessert to enjoy all year long!

Servings: 15

Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 40 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr

Equipment

• cake pans
• whisk
• cake cutter and leveler

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 4 room temperature egg whites
• ▢ ½ cup butter, softened
• ▢ ½ cup coconut oil
• ▢ 1¾ cups sugar
• ▢ 1 cup cream of coconut, (sweetened, not coconut milk)
• ▢ 4 egg yolks
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 cup buttermilk

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

• ▢ 4 ounces cream cheese , softened
• ▢ 5 tablespoons butter, softened
• ▢ 1 pinch salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon coconut extract
• ▢ 3 cups powdered sugar
• ▢ 1-2 tablespoons cream of coconut, (sweetened)

Instructions 

Coconut Cake

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray. 
• Make toasted coconut. Spread 1 cup shredded coconut flakes (sweetened or unsweetened coconut) on a cookie sheet.
• Bake for 6-7 minutes, watching closely, and toss often. Once golden brown, pull them out right away.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Beat 4 egg whites in a glass bowl until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, coconut oil, and sugar till creamy.
• Beat in cream of coconut, egg yolks, and vanilla.
• Add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk. Beat until just combined.
• Gently fold in the stiff egg whites until well incorporated.
• Pour batter evenly into prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

• Beat cream cheese and butter till smooth and creamy.
• Beat in coconut extract, pinch salt, powdered sugar, and cream of coconut to make a spreadable consistency.
• Level the tops of each of the cake layers with a serrated knife. Place one cake layer down on a cake turntable or serving platter. Spread with 1-1½ cups of the frosting. Place the second cake layer on top, then spread the frosting around the top and sides.
• Sprinkle with toasted coconut on top and untoasted coconut on sides.

Notes

Recipe inspired by Broma Bakery.

Nutrition

Calories: 561kcal, Carbohydrates: 80g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 18g, Cholesterol: 88mg, Sodium: 265mg, Potassium: 95mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 61g, Vitamin A: 505IU, Calcium: 53mg, Iron: 1.3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

For More Coconut Recipes:

Coconut Poke Cake

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Coconut Cookies

20 mins

Coconut Macaroons

23 mins

Coconut Cream Pie Recipe

3 hrs 15 mins