Coconut Cake Recipe
Published April 7, 2023. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This homemade triple-layer coconut cake recipe with cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut is the ultimate go-to cake dessert. You won’t believe how moist and flavorful this cake is.
Is there anything better than a tasty cake for a treat? In addition to this one, I often make my simple pound cake and funnel cake for quick, tasty sweets for the family.
Coconut Cake
Coconut cake is a classic Southern cake consisting of layers of coconut-flavored white sponge cake coated in cream cheese frosting and then covered in coconut flakes or shreds. The recipe for coconut cake was first recorded in the Mineral Point Tribune in 1869 as “cocoanut cake.” The early version of the recipe also used meringue as the icing but has since moved onto the more common cream cheese buttercream.
This cake is incredibly moist and has just the right coconut flavor. Coconut cake is great to serve up during the summer months as the coconut flavor evokes a tropical feel. I personally prefer to serve this cake at room temperature so that the frosting is soft, which will immensely complement the flavors of the cake layers.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Flour – I used all-purpose flour for this coconut cake.
- Cornstarch – This is used to help make the flour fluffier to emulate cake flour.
- Leavening Agents – I used baking soda and baking powder to help leaven the cakes.
- Butter – I always use unsalted butter in my cooking and baking so that I can control the salt content.
- Oil – Any neutral-flavored oil will work. For the record, I used vegetable oil.
- Coconut Extract – A little bit of this will help add some great coconut flavors to the cake and icing.
- Coconut Shreds – Use sweetened coconut shreds for this recipe that will go in the cake batter and be used after being toasted on top of the icing.
- Egg Whites – Use large cold or room temperature egg whites.
- Coconut Milk – The full-fat canned version is what you will need.
- Sugar – You will need both granulated sugar and confectioner’s sugar for the batter and frosting.
- Cream Cheese – This is used for the frosting.
- Salt – I almost exclusively use coarse sea salt in all my cooking and baking.
How to Make Coconut Cake from Scratch
Whisk the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and coconut shreds until thoroughly combined and set it to the side.
Next, cream the butter and sugar in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, which takes about 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the coconut extract to the mixer, and then add 1 egg white at a time until it is thoroughly mixed in.
Pour in the oil. Stop and scrape the bowl.
Alternate adding the dry ingredients with the 1 cup of liquid only from the canned coconut milk beginning with dry and ending with dry, until mixed in on low speed. You should add the dry in 3 batches and the wet in 2 batches.
Distribute the batter evenly between three 9” cake pans with parchment paper that have also been greased with butter. Bake at 350° for 27 to 29 minutes or until lightly browned, firm in the center, and when sticking a toothpick in the center, it comes out clean.
Cool completely on a rack, which takes about 90 minutes to 2 hours.
With about 15 to 30 minutes left in the cake-cooling process, make the buttercream recipe.
Whip the softened butter, cream cheese, and coconut cream leftover from the can to a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and whip on high speed for 5 to 7 minutes or until creamy and smooth.
Pour in the coconut extract, then add 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time on low to medium speed until mixed in and completely smooth.
Ice the cake in layers until it is completely coated.
Cover the cake entirely on all sides with toasted coconut.
Slice and serve.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make this cake up to 1 day ahead of time.
How to Store: Cover and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. Place it in the refrigerator and cover it for up to 5 days. You can freeze this covered for up to 3 months and thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before serving.
How to Serve: Pull the cake out of the refrigerator and let it sit for 1 hour at room temperature before serving.
Chef Notes + Tips
- If you have cake flour on hand, replace the all-purpose flour and cornstarch in this recipe with 3 ¾ cups and 3 tablespoons of cake flour.
- Do not use coconut milk from the carton in the milk section of the grocery store. That will not work.
- I highly recommend sprinkling additional toasted coconut to each slice when serving.
- Try using the leftover egg yolks in my pasta carbonara.
More Cake Recipes
Video
Coconut Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 7 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 1 packed cup sweetened coconut shreds
- 1 ½ cups softened unsalted butter
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons coconut extract
- 7 egg whites
- ½ cup neutral-flavored oil
- Liquid from 1 15-ounce can full fat coconut milk
For the Frosting:
- 2 x recipe for butter cream cheese frosting using coconut extract instead of vanilla extract
- Coconut cream from 1 15-ounce can full fat coconut milk
- ½ recipe for toasted coconut
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, corn starch, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and coconut shreds until completely combined and set it to the side.
- Next, cream together the butter and sugar in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, which takes about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add in the coconut extract to the mixer and then add in 1 egg white at a time until it is completely mixed in.
- Pour in the oil. Stop and scrape the bowl.
- Alternate adding in the dry ingredients with the 1 cup of liquid only from the canned coconut milk beginning with dry and ending with dry until mixed in on low speed. You should be adding the dry in 3 batches and the wet in 2 batches.
- Distribute the batter evenly between three 9” cake pans with parchment paper that have also been greased with butter. Bake at 350° for 27 to 29 minutes or until lightly browned, firm in the center, and when sticking a toothpick in the center it comes out clean.
- Cool completely on a rack, which takes about 90 minutes to 2 hours.
- With about 15 to 30 minutes left in the cake cooling process, make the buttercream recipe.
- Whip together the softened butter, cream cheese, and coconut cream leftover from the can to a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and whip on high speed for 5 to 7 minutes or until creamy and smooth.
- Pour in the coconut extract then add in 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time on low to medium speed until mixed in and completely smooth.
- Ice the cake in layers until it is completely coated.
- Cover the cake entirely on all sides with toasted coconut.
- Slice and serve.
I made this & it was so moist and delicious! I’m not a big fan of really sweet icings but the butter cream recipe with the coconut was sublime and was just the right amount of sweetmess!
Made the cake exactly as the recipe. No substitution and it turned out great! Worth making.
I made this recipe using coconut oil, and coconut milk from the can as you said. My partner loved the frozen brand, but no more thanks to this rich and so dang delicious recipe! I had lots of crème left over but next time I know to put it all in between layers! You all just have to make it at least once. You won’t regret it!
Appreciate you trying this!
I love this cake.
Thank you for trying it!
Would I be able to make this in a 9×13 pan? Thanks
I’m sure you could, but without testing it myself, I’m not 100% sure.
This was superb, the flavors of the cake and the frosting were outstanding. I made the mistake of overtaxing, so the cake was too dense, but that’s on me. People ate it up and I’ll try again and not be nervous. It was a slightly more complex process than I was expecting, but I am not a regular baker. All the more reason to do more baking with Billy’s recipes in tow…
Made this for a wedding reception and it was very well received by those who had a piece. We like it very much. I received many compliments.
Awesome!
Awesome cake! We made this for my birthday. It was a hit!
Excellent!
This recipe is fabulous! I bought sweetened coconut flakes. Wasn’t paying attention. It was still amazing and frosting wasn’t even necessary.
thanks for giving it a shot!!
Followed Billy’s recipe exactly. First time, came out amazing!
Excellent!
First time making a coconut cake and it came out pretty perfect. I had to reduce the baking time by a couple minutes and I didn’t cut off the top of the cakes as there was no real dome to speak of. I didn’t have a whole cup of the coconut cream liquid but still came out ok with 3/4 cup. It is super coconuty and feeds a lot as it’s very rich. Thanks so much!
thanks for giving it a shot!!
Best. One. Yet. 😁
Awesome!
Oh my! Such a great coconut cake! The cake is moist and delicious. I’ve been looking for a coconut cake recipe of this quality for years. I’m so thankful to have this recipe!
My pleasure!
making this for Easter. I’m confused with ingredients;;;You refer to liquid only in coconut milk and then talk about coconut cream in frosting…Please explain
Can of coconut milk. Be sure to watch the video.
This cake is lovely. I grew up eating a cake like this. My Gramma always had a dessert on the table for lunch and dinner. She loved Coconut Cake and made them often. I really like them alot myself. My family doesn’t care for coconut, why I don’t know, but they don’t so I don’t get to make this cake to much because I would eat the whole thing. Once a month I have some of the Ladies from Church come by for a light lunch and dessert and coffee. We get together and talk about everything and enjoy our food and desserts. This cake will be at my next event I promise….
thanks for giving it a shot!!
I have not made yet. Billy, can you please give the flour measurements in grams rather than cup measurements. So much more accurate. Thank you. Will definitely make this recipe as I am a coconut cake freak.
Click the metric version in the recipe card.
I made this cake for a friend for Easter, I did not use the Bob’s Red Mill flour but used regular flour. You did not say how much to beat the cake after adding all the ingredients. My cake rose but did not brown. I will ask her to save me a slice so I can see how it tasted but it smelled like flour not coconut.
Mix until combined the recipe says. You don’t want to over do it or else you risk the cake falling. There should be a hint of coconut flour in the cake but most of the coconut flavor comes from the butter cream icing with coconut shreds. All oven’s cook different, did you consider leaving it in for longer? May have helped it brown up a bit more. The cake doesn’t have to be brown, just as long as it’s firm and risen. Thanks for the feedback though, I’m always looking to improve my recipes.