Coconut Cake Recipe

Moist layers of fresh coconut cake filled with cream cheese frosting. This coconut cake has real coconut flavor built right into the cake with toasted coconut flakes, coconut oil, and a touch of coconut extract.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 35

Total Time 50

Servings cups

Calories 1300kcal

Author Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

Stand mixer with whisk and paddle attachment
Three 6" cake pans or two 8" cake pans

Ingredients

Coconut Cake Ingredients

11 ounces All purpose flour (2 cups)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
4 ounces unsalted butter (½ cup) room temperature
14 ounces granulated sugar (2 cups)
4 ounces coconut oil (½ cup) or vegetable oil
4 large egg yolks room temperature
4 large egg whites room temperature
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons coconut extract
8 ounces buttermilk (1 cup) room temperature
6 ounces sweetened flaked coconut (2 cups) toasted until lightly browned
1 ounce sweetened flaked coconut (½ cup) for garnish

Cream Cheese Frosting

16 ounces cream cheese (2 cups) cut into cubes and softened
8 ounces unsalted butter (1 cup) softened
1 teaspoon coconut extract
½ teaspoon salt
36 ounces powdered sugar (8 cups) sifted

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Making the Coconut Cake

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 350ºF/176ºC. Prepare three 3 6-inch round cake pans with cake goop, parchment paper, or another preferred pan release. Making sure to coat the bottom and sides of the pan.
Spread your coconut flakes evenly onto a cookie sheet pan.
Broil the coconut flakes on high for 2-3 minutes or until they just begin to turn brown around the edges. Stir the coconut and broil for 1-2 minutes more until lightly golden. Watch it closely because it can burn quickly. Remove it from the oven and let it cool.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set the dry ingredients aside.
Heat the coconut oil in a small bowl in the microwave until it is very soft and beginning to melt, but not hot.
Add the coconut extract and vanilla extract to the room-temperature buttermilk.
Add the butter and coconut oil to a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat at medium-high speed until smooth and shiny, about 30 seconds.
Gradually sprinkle in the sugar, and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
Add the egg yolks one at a time to the mixture, combining after each.
With the mixer on low speed, add about a third of the flour mixture to the batter, followed immediately by about a third of the milk, mix until the ingredients are almost incorporated into the batter.
Repeat the process 2 more times. When the batter appears blended, stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl.
Carefully fold in the toasted coconut until it’s all combined.
Place the egg whites in a mixing bowl with the whip attachment. Whip on medium-high speed until it's foamy.
Add in the cream of tartar and whip until semi stiff peaks form.
Fold in the whipped egg whites carefully into the cake batter, and try not to beat out too much of the volume in the egg whites.
Divide the cake batter evenly between 3 6-inch cake pans or 2 8-inch pans.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let them cool in the pans for 10 minutes.
Invert the cakes onto a cooling rack and cool completely before frosting. I like to flash freeze them for 30 minutes if I’m using them right away, or wrap them in plastic and freeze them overnight. Pro-Tip: Wrapping your cakes while warm and then freezing them will lock in the moisture.

Making Cream Cheese Frosting

Make sure the butter and cream cheese are both slightly warm and at the same temperature. If one is colder than the other, they will not mix together properly and create lumps.
Place softened butter in the bowl of your stand mixer with a whisk attachment and cream on low until smooth. Pro: Tip: Use an electric hand mixer to get extra smooth cream cheese frosting.
Place softened cream cheese in the bowl with the butter in small chunks and blend on low until smooth.
Add sifted powdered sugar one cup at a time until combined.
Add your vanilla extract and salt, and mix until combined.
Cover the frosting with plastic wrap and refrigerate until your cake is chilled and ready to frost. Refrigerate any remaining frosting, or keep in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Assembling the Coconut Cake

Trim the top of the cake layers so they are flat.
Place the first cake layer down on a cake board, spread a layer of cream cheese frosting evenly across the top and repeat this process with the remaining 2 layers.
Spread a thin layer of cream cheese frosting around the entire cake as a crumb coat and then refrigerate it for 15 minutes. Pro-Tip: Cream cheese frosting is stickier than buttercream, and can pull more crumbs off your cake. Working with a cold cake will be easier.
Once the crumb coat has set, apply another thicker layer of the frosting to the entire cake for its final coat. Pro tip: I chose to cover the exterior of this cake with coconut, but cream cheese frosting makes really pretty rustic swirls if you want a different look.
Place the cake on the board or plate you plan to serve on.
Gently press shredded coconut or large shaved coconut flakes onto the sides of the cake all the way around the exterior, keeping the top free of shreds.
Use a star piping tip and pastry bag filled with cream cheese frosting to pipe swirls around the top edge of the cake.
To save this cake for later, apply plastic wrap around the cake and place it in the refrigerator. Cream cheese frosting can sit out at room temperature for about 4 hours maximum.

Notes

Important Things To Note Before You Start

1. Bring all your ingredients to room temperature or even a little warm (eggs, buttermilk, butter, etc) to ensure your batter does not break or curdle.

2. Use a scale to weigh your ingredients (including liquids) unless otherwise instructed (Tablespoons, teaspoons, pinch etc). Metric measurements are available in the recipe card. Scaled ingredients are much more accurate than using cups and help ensure the success of your recipe.

3. Practice Mise en Place (everything in it's place). Measure out your ingredients ahead of time and have them ready before you start mixing to reduce the chances of accidentally leaving something out.

4. Chill your cakes before frosting and filling. You can cover a frosted and chilled cake in fondant if you wish. This cake is also great for stacking. I always keep my cakes chilled in the refrigerator before delivery for easy transporting. Learn more about decorating your first cake.

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