Triple Layer Coconut Cake Recipe
Published March 24, 2016. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
It is so hard to make cake in my house, not because the procedures but simply because we eat the entire thing with ease, and this coconut cake is no different. In fact, even the batter is ridiculously delicious, but be careful eating because there are raw eggs in it. If you are looking to make a really awesome dessert than this coconut cake is where it’s at! It’s easy to make, loaded with flavor and something that’s a little different than the norm, which to me is always good. It’s also perfect for Easter because you can dye the coconut shreds using food coloring to make a really festive cake, but I’m simple so all white will do.
It all starts with the batter, which is incredibly easy to make. Cream together the butter and sugar, and then add in the eggs, coconut milk and coconut extract. I used Bob’s Red Mill Unbleached All-Purpose Flour which is perfect for not just this cake, but any cake. Bob’s Red Mill Unbleached All-Purpose Flour is freshly milled from premium U.S. dark northern hard red wheat. Both the bran and the germ have been removed leaving the endosperm that is made into white flour. Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Flour is unbleached white flour made from U.S.-grown wheat that is carefully milled and mixed with just the right amount of malted barley flour to helps yeast breads rise. Definitely try a bit of the batter as it is AMAZING, but not too much!
Once the batter is done distribute it between 3 9” greased cake pans. If you want, you can make a double layered cake by using some deeper cake pans but I personally think 3 looks better. From there it’s as simple as baking it and letting it cool, and I mean that! For the sake of icing cakes, you have to let it cool or else your icing runs because it melts, so have some patience and chill while the cake cools.
The Coconut frosting is a delicious combination of cream cheese and butter, and to me this makes for the best frosting! You could also add in some coconut shreds to the icing while mixing it for a more intense coconut flavor.
Once the icing is done and the cakes have cooled it’s time to stack and frost. I really wish there was an easy way to ice cakes, but honestly its just about reps. Ice as many cakes as you can to perfect the art, and it will take quite a few. At times I even struggle to ice a cake, but more often than not it’s because I’m not set up on a cake round where I can easily do it. A cake round is simply a cardboard round that helps you mobilize the cake once it’s stacked up.
Put a little bit of icing in between each layer and then frost the top and outside of the cake. To help really smooth out the icing around the outside of the cake try using a pastry knife, it’s helped me immensely.
To finish the cake, add some coconut shreds to your hand and press them right into the cake to stick. You will use up to 4 cups and be sure to not hold back because the more coconut flavor the better! Enjoy!
Triple Layer Coconut Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 cup of softened unsalted butter
- 2 cups of sugar
- 8 egg whites
- 1 ½ teaspoons of coconut extract
- 1 cup of shredded sweetened coconut
- 3 ½ cups of Bob’s Red Mill Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tablespoon of baking powder
- 1 1/3 cups of canned coconut milk
For the Icing:
- ¾ cup of softened cream cheese
- ¾ cup of softened unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon of coconut extract
- 3 cups of powdered sugar
- 4 cups of shredded sweetened coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- For the Cake: Cream together the butter and sugar in a standing mixer with the paddle attachment on high speed until light and fluffy.
- Next slowly add in the egg whites, coconut extract and coconut shreds on low speed until it is combined.
- In a large bowl mix together the flour and baking powder and set aside.
- Alternately add the dry ingredients and coconut milk beginning with the dry and ending with the dry ingredients. Stop and scrape often.
- Transfer the batter to 3 9” greased cake pans and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned on top and firm in the center. Cool completely.
- For the Icing: Whip the cream cheese and butter in a standing mixer with the paddle attachment on high speed until light and fluffy.
- Stop and add in the coconut extract and powdered sugar and slowly turn on the speed to low making sure to stop if powdered sugar begins to come out.
- Mix until combined.
- Frost each layer of the cake and stack. Frost the top and outside of the cake and gently press the coconut shreds around the entire cake.
- Serve at room temperature.
Nutrition
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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.