Coconut Cake

This gorgeous coconut cake is soft, rich, and tender bursting with sweet coconut flavor. The fluffy cream cheese frosting and shredded coconut complete this cake for the perfect bite every time.

Why this recipe works

The main ingredient in this tiered coconut cake truly shines between the coconut extract, cream of coconut, and coconut milk so you won’t be lacking in the flavor department.

The cake itself is soft, moist, and delicate with a chewy crumb while the cream cheese frosting adds tangy richness between each layer. The shredded coconut snuggled against the frosting provides texture, further flavor, and a beautiful presentation. You can’t go wrong with this stunning cake!

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

CAKE – Whole milk or 2% milk can be substituted for the unsweetened coconut milk in the recipe. As long as you are using coconut extract and the cream of coconut, I don’t think you will miss out on any coconut flavor.

COCONUT – Toasted coconut can be used on top of and/or within the cake. To toast coconut, spread it in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 3-5 minutes in a 350°F oven until golden brown. Remove from hot baking sheet immediately. Flaked or shredded coconut, sweetened or unsweetened, can be used.

FROSTING – In place of cream cheese frosting you can also use a simple vanilla buttercream.

How to Make Coconut Cake

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray three 8” round cake pans with non-stick baking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and creamy with a hand mixer. Add one egg at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Add vanilla extract, coconut extract, and cream of coconut and beat well.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. Rotate between adding the coconut milk and the flour mixture to the cake batter, mixing only enough to combine the ingredients.
6. Fold 1 cup of shredded coconut into the batter.
7. Divide the batter between the three prepared cake pans.
8. Bake for 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs.
9. Cool cakes on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes, then turn out from the pans and cool the rest of the way.
10. To make the frosting, cream together the butter and cream cheese with a hand or stand mixer until smooth and fluffy.
11. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and beat to combine.
12. Add in vanilla extract and heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the frosting is fluffy and spreadable.
13. Assemble the cake by spreading about 1⁄2 cup of frosting on top of each cake layer. Top with the next layer, etc.
14. Spread the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle coconut over the top of the cake. Pat handfuls of coconut onto the sides of the cake to cover the cake completely.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

You can prepare your coconut cake a day ahead of time and store it in a cake stand fitted with a lid or a portable cake carrier. Because this cake has cream cheese frosting, it will need to be refrigerated.

You can freeze the cake layers before assembling the cake. To do so, wrap the fully cooled cake layers a couple of times with plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

For freezing an already frosted cake – flash freeze the cake (with the frosting) until the frosting is solid to the touch. Then, wrap it with plastic wrap a few times followed by aluminum foil. Store for up to 3 months. The same goes for slices of cake

Store the cake covered with a lid or in a cake stand or carrier in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Serving Suggestions

Coconut cake is a treat for any kind of celebration from birthdays, retirements, graduations, holidays, or just because.

Optionally garnish the cake with toasted coconut instead of shredded coconut, see the recipe card below for instructions. Enjoy!

More Cake Recipes

• Lemon Cake
• Marble Cake
• Funfetti Cake
• Snowflake Cake
• Classic White Cake
• Pineapple Coconut Cake

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