Best Coconut Cake Recipe

I have to admit that Coconut Cake is my favorite layer cake. This cake is a coconut lover’s dream. Moist and delicious with a soft fluffy crumb and amazing coconut flavor, this is by far the best coconut cake you’ll ever make.

coconut cake on spatula being taken out of whole cake.

I’ve made a lot of coconut cakes in my career as a chef, and over the years, I’ve learned a lot about baking which has helped me develop this into the best coconut cake recipe I’ve ever made.

To make this cake even more delicious, I’ve added a coconut cream cheese frosting between the cake layers and around the entire coconut cake. Then for pièce de résistance, I’ve covered the cake in tender shredded coconut. Do I have your attention?

Ingredients to make Coconut Cake

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make the Best Coconut Cake. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”

Not only does setting up your ingredients ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

If you love coconut cakes, check out my Easter Coconut Cake.

How to make Coconut Cake

collage of images to begin making recipe

Add the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl.
Whisk the dry ingredients together until well blended. Set aside until needed.
Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
Whip the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy (about 2 minutes). *Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
Add the egg whites to the butter mixture.
Whip until well combined. *Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.

*Butter and egg whites should be at room temperature. Save the egg yolks for another recipe.

collage showing how to finish making batter.

Add the sour cream, vanilla extract, and coconut extract to the mixture.
Whip the ingredients on medium speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. *The mixture may look curdled do the different ingredients being combined with the butter.
Set the mixer to low speed and slowly add the dry ingredients and coconut milk to the mixture.
Continue to whip the ingredients on low speed until they are well combined.
Add the shredded coconut flakes and mix by hand to make sure there’s no batter stuck to the bottom of the bowl. *The cake batter will be very thick.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Grease three 9-inch cake pans and place a parchment circle in the bottom of the pans, then grease the parchment paper.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans, evenly distributing the batter between the pans. *Using a scale is the best way to make sure the amounts are equal.
Place the cake pans on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Place the cakes (in the pans) on a wire rack to cool. *The layers must be completely cooled before assembling and frosting.

How to make coconut cream cheese frosting

collage showing how to make cream cheese frosting

Add the softened butter and cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Whip the butter and cream cheese together on medium speed until creamy and smooth (about 2 minutes). *Make sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl during the process.
Add the confectioners’ sugar, coconut milk, vanilla extract, coconut extract, and salt to the mixer while it’s running at a low speed. *Make sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl during the process.
Increase the mixer speed to high and continue mixing for about 3 minutes. *If the frosting is too thin, add additional powdered sugar ¼ cup at a time until the right consistency has been achieved. If the frosting is too thick, add coconut milk until it’s the right consistency.

How to assemble Coconut Cake

Using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cake layers to create a flat surface.

Place one cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Cover the top of the layer with about 1 ½ cups of frosting. *Use a frosting spatula to create an even layer.
Place the second layer on top of the frosted first layer and top the second layer with about 1 ½ cups of frosting, spreading the frosting evenly using a frosting spatula.
Place the third layer on top of the frosted second layer. Spread the remaining frosting on the top and sides of the cake.
Add coconut to the sides and top of the cake, covering all the exposed frosting with coconut.

Refrigerate the cake for at least one hour before slicing. This is essential and will help the cake set up, making it easier to slice and allowing the cake to hold its shape.

Wouldn’t you love to sit down to a slice of this ah-mazingly delicious coconut cake? I know I’m ready for another slice. This cake truly is a Southern Classic, and I promise you’re friends and family are going to love it!

Recipe FAQ’s

Is coconut milk the same as coconut cream or cream de coco?

No, it is not. Coconut milk is more like the consistency of cow’s milk. Coconut cream is much thicker and richer and is made by using four times the amount of coconut that coconut milk does. Do not substitute one for the other in a recipe.
Cream de coco is another product entirely and is a coconut version of sweetened condensed milk and is not interchangeable with coconut milk.

Does a coconut cake need to be refrigerated?

Yes, it does. The frosting contains butter and cream cheese which will spoil if left at room temperature for too long. Keep the cake covered and refrigerated when not serving. Let the cake sit at room temperature for 2 hours before serving.

How long will a coconut cake stay fresh?

Covered and refrigerated, a Coconut Cake will remain fresh for one week. when refrigerated. It can be kept frozen in an airtight container for up to four months.

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Moist and delicious with a soft fluffy crumb and amazing coconut flavor, this Coconut Cake is a coconut lover’s dream. And I promise it will be the best coconut cake you’ll ever make.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 16

Calories: 662kcal

Author: Chef Dennis Littley

Ingredients

2 ½ cups cake flour added to the cup with a spoon & leveled with a knife
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
6 oz unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks)softened to room temperature
1 ⅔ cups granulated sugar
5 large egg whites room temperature
½ cup sour cream room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp coconut extract
1 cup coconut milk (canned) at room temperature
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

Coconut Cream Buttercream

1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
8 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
5 cups confectioners’ sugar
¾ tsp vanilla extract
¾ tsp coconut extract
⅛ tsp salt
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1-2 tbsp coconut milk (canned) use one or two tbsp of coconut milk to get the right consistency

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Grease three 9-inch cake pan, place a parchment circle in the bottom of the pans, then grease the parchment paper. *The parchment will allow the cakes to come out of the pans easily.

Cake

Add the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk together until well blended. Set aside until needed.
Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
Whip the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy (about 2 minutes). *Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
Add the egg whites to the butter mixture and whip until well combined.
Add the sour cream, vanilla extract, and coconut extract to the mixture and. whip until well combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as neededThe mixture will look curdled do the different ingredients being combined with the butter.
Set the mixer to low speed, and slowly add the dry ingredients and coconut milk to the mixture. Continue to whip the ingredients on low speed until they are well combined.
Add the shredded coconut and mix by hand to make sure there’s no butter stuck to the bottom of the bowl.This is a thick batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans, evenly distributing the batter between the pans.*Using a scale is the easiest way to make sure the amounts are equal.
Place the layers on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Place the cakes (in the pans) on a wire rack to cool.*The layers must be completely cooled before assembling and frosting.

Assembly

Using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface.
Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate
Cover the top of the layer with about 1 ½ cups of frosting. Use a frosting spatula to create an even layer.
Place the second layer on top of the frosted first layer and top the second layer with about 1 ½ cups of frosting spreading the frosting evenly using a frosting spatula.
Place the third layer on top of the frosted second layer. Spread the remaining frosting on the top and sides of the cake.
Add coconut to the sides and top of the cake, covering all the exposed frosting with coconut.
Refrigerate the cake for at least one hour before slicing.This helps the cake set up, making it easier to slice and allows the cake to hold its shape.

Notes

Is coconut milk the same as coconut cream or cream de coco?
No, it is not. Coconut milk is more like the consistency of cow’s milk. Coconut cream is much thicker and richer and is made by using four times the amount of coconut that coconut milk does. Do not substitute one for the other in a recipe.
Cream de coco is another product entirely and is a coconut version of sweetened condensed milk and is not interchangeable with coconut milk.

How long will a coconut cake stay fresh?
Covered and refrigerated, a Coconut Cake will remain fresh for one week. when refrigerated. It can be kept frozen in an airtight container for up to four months.