Coconut Cake Recipe

A coconut cake on a cake stand with a slice cut out. Flowers, plates, napkin, and a cake spatula on the side.

This easy Coconut Cake recipe has soft, moist cake layers, creamy coconut cream cheese frosting, and lots of shredded coconut. There is so much coconut flavor in every bite!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 30

Chill Time 30

Total Time 2

Servings servings

Calories 1003kcal

Author John Kanell

Equipment

3 9" cake pan
Electric or stand mixer
Mixing Bowls

Ingredients

For the Cake:

3 cups cake flour (360g)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups granulated sugar (400g)
½ cup unsalted butter softened (113g)
½ cup vegetable oil (120mL)
4 large egg whites lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon coconut extract
1 cup coconut milk (240ml)
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut (100g)

For the Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 cup unsalted butter softened (227g)
8 ounces cream cheese room temperature (227g)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon coconut extract
¼ teaspoon salt
6 cups confectioners’ sugar (720g)
2½ cups sweetened shredded coconut (250g)

Instructions

For the Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 3 (9-inch) round cake pans or spray with baking spray. Line the bottom of each pan with a circle of parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine sugar, butter, and vegetable oil. Beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until light and creamy. Add the egg whites, vanilla, and coconut extract and mix until combined, about 1 minute.
With the mixer on low speed, add about one-third of the flour mixture. Mix until completely combined. Add ½ of the coconut milk and mix until combined. Repeat adding another one-third of the flour mixture, remaining coconut milk mixture, then all of the remaining flour mixture. Stop and scrape down the bowl at least once during mixing, then mix until completely combined.
Fold in the shredded coconut. Divide the batter evenly among the cake pans and smooth out to the sides with a spatula (the batter will be thick).
Bake for 30 to 32 minutes, rotating the pans after 20 minutes, or until the center of the cake springs back when gently pressed.
Let the cakes cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Carefully invert, remove the parchment paper, and continue cooling on a wire rack.

For the Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until creamy and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract, coconut extract, and salt. Beat until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Add the sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing on low speed between each addition. Once combined, scrape down the bowl, then mix on medium speed until fluffy, about 1 minute.

For the Assembly:

Place one cake layer on a cake stand. Spread about 1 cup of frosting evenly over the top. Top with another cake layer and repeat with more frosting. Top with the remaining cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting all over the outside of the cake. Press the coconut to the frosting all over the top and sides of the cake to cover completely. Chill for 30 minutes for easy slicing, or keep refrigerated for up to 3 days or until ready to serve.

Video

Notes

I baked these layers with cake strips to create flat, even layers. You can follow my guide for how to bake flat cake layers using fabric strips, or you can make your own. If you bake without them, the layers will bake a bit faster. Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, rotating the pans after 15 minutes.
Check your cake flour brand. I used King Arthur cake flour. If you are using Swans Down, the flour is a little bit lighter, so I recommend using 3¼ cups (364g) of flour in the cake batter.
When using canned coconut milk, be sure to shake it vigorously before opening the can. The coconut solids in the can need to be fully combined with the liquid before mixing into the cake. If it still looks separated when you open the can, pour it into a bowl and whisk until combined and thickened throughout. You can gently warm it for 5 to 10 seconds in the microwave to help if needed.
If your coconut extract is particularly strong, go on the lighter side by using less. Or, if you don't like the flavor of coconut extract, you can leave it out altogether or use more vanilla extract!
Don't overmix the cake batter. This will cause the gluten to overdevelop, leading to tough cake layers.

Nutrition