A reader favorite recipe, lemon coconut cake features deliciously moist coconut cake layers, homemade lemon curd, toasted coconut, and cream cheese frosting. It’s buttery, moist, and tenderโthe cake of your dreams!
Today’s lemon coconut cake recipe combines everything we love about lemon cake and coconut cake in one. Sandwiched between three deliciously moist and buttery coconut cake layers is homemade lemon curd and tangy cream cheese frosting. It’s sweet, bright with citrus, indulgent, and a must make for any occasion.
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Coconut Cake
What I love about this lemon coconut cake, besides the flavor, is the dense and fluffy texture. It’s much lighter than my lemon coconut Easter cake, but there is A LOT of dense flavor in each buttery bite. And readers all around the world agreeโgiving this cake rave reviews.
Here’s why you’ll love it, too:
- Not just for springโthis cake brightens up cold and gloomy winter days
- Great for all occasions
- Mega flavorful
- Extra buttery
- Moist and soft
- Simple yet impressive
- Completely from scratch
- Filled with lemon curd
- Topped with cream cheese frosting
- Garnished with toasted coconut
How to Make Lemon Coconut Cake
- Make lemon curd. We use 1 full batch for this cake. Let it cool while you make the cake.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together.
- Combine the milks. Set aside.
- Cream the wet ingredients together.
- Add the milk and dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Alternate additions.
- Fold in the coconut. The batter will be lumpy– don’t be alarmed by this.
- Pour the batter evenly into 3 prepared cake pans.
- Bake. About 22-25 minutes.
- Make the frosting.
- Assemble and frost.
- Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes. This ensures the cake will stay intact as you cut it.
- Slice, serve, enjoy!
Lemon Curd Filling is the Best
You’ll find homemade lemon curd between each layer of this elegant spring dessert. It’s light, fresh, citrus-y, pairs wonderfully with coconut, and adds so much delicious flavor. Made with only 5 simple ingredients, homemade lemon curd is best and incredibly easy to make. No crazy ingredients eitherโyou likely have them in your kitchen already. There is no flavor comparison between homemade and store-bought!
Lemon curd is too liquid-y to use by itself, so we pair it with a layer of cream cheese frosting. But not just any cream cheese frosting, coconut cream cheese frosting. Let’s add coconut milk and heavy cream to make it extra thick and creamy, and a drop of coconut extract (optional) to kick it up a notch. You’ll never want to use regular cream cheese frosting again!
4 Lemon Coconut Cake Success Tips
For the best results, follow my tips for success.
- Use cake flour. Cake flour is key to this cake’s soft and light crumb. Do not use all-purpose flour in this recipe unless you’re making this cake flour substitute.
- Use coconut milk and buttermilk. Why both? For the best possible texture and flavor. I use canned coconut milkโit’s super thick. Buttermilk is used for moisture, as well as in conjunction with the baking soda. (More about baking soda vs. baking powder and baking with buttermilk here.)
- Use brick-style cream cheese. To make cream cheese frosting, you must use full-fat brick-style cream cheese. The kind that is sold in a little boxโnot the kind sold in a tub that you spread on your bagels.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Your coconut milk, buttermilk, butter, eggs, and cream cheese should all be at room temperature before beginning. Room temperature ingredients truly make a differenceโthere is science and legitimate reason behind it!
In short, no ingredient substitutions. For 3 moist, soft, and flavorful coconut cake layers, make the recipe using the ingredients listed. I don’t recommend substituting any of theseโthe cake’s wonderful texture and flavor will change.
More Favorite Lemon Recipes
- Lemon Bars
- Lemon Blueberry Cake
- Lemon Berry Yogurt Cake
- Lemon Meringue Pie
- Lemon Ricotta Cookies
- Iced Lemon Pound Cake
- Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake
If you simply can’t get enough of this flavor combination, try these lemon coconut shortbread cookies next!
Print
Lemon Coconut Cake
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: serves 12-14
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Lemon coconut cake features deliciously moist coconut cake layers, homemade lemon curd, toasted coconut and cream cheese frosting. It’s a family favorite recipe! To make the best possible lemon coconut cake, make sure to read my notes in the post and below before beginning.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (315g) sifted cake flourย (spooned & leveled)*
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (120ml) canned coconut milk, at room temperature*
- 1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk, at room temperature*
- 1 and 1/2 cups (340g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) pure vanilla extract
- optional: 1 teaspoon coconut extract (I prefer the cake without it, but it’s still tasty!)
- 6 ouncesย sweetened shredded coconut (about 2 loosely packed cups)
- 1 and 1/2 cups homemade lemon curd (full recipe)
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3ย cups (360g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) coconut milk or heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- topping: toasted (or not!)ย sweetened shredded coconut and lemon slices for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ยฐF (177ยฐC). Grease three 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
- Make the cake:ย Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.ย Combine the coconut milk and buttermilk together in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup. Set aside.
- With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed in a large bowl until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the granulated and brown sugars and beat on high speed for 3-4 minutes until creamed. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer running on low speed, add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla extract and the coconut extract (if using). Beat on medium-high speed until combined.ย Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer running on low speed, add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the milk mixture and mixing each addition just until incorporated. Do not overmix. Use a whisk to rid any large lumps, if needed. The batter will be slightly thick. Finally, fold in the coconut. The batter will be lumpy. See photo above for a visual.
- Spoon/pour batter evenly into each cake pan.ย Bake for around 22-25 minutes or until the cakes are baked through. Remember to rotate the pans halfway through baking to ensure even baking. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it is done. Allow cakes to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
- Make the frosting:ย In a largeย bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddleย attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.ย Add confectioners’ sugar, 1 Tablespoon coconut milk/cream, vanilla extract, and salt with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes. Add 1 more Tablespoon of milk/cream to thin out, if desired.
- Assemble and frost:ย First, using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Discard (or crumble over ice cream!). Place 1 cake layer on your cake turntable, cake stand, or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with a thin layer of frosting, then half of the lemon curd. Top with 2nd layer and evenly cover the top with a thin layer of frosting, then the remaining lemon curd. Finish with the third cake layer and spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides. Garnish the top with coconut and/or lemon slices. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before cutting or else the cake may fall apart as you cut.
- Slice, serve, enjoy!
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: The cake layers can be baked, cooled, and covered tightly at room temperature overnight. Likewise, the frosting can be prepared then covered and refrigerated overnight. Assemble and frost the cake the next day when you are ready to serve. Frosted cake can be frozen up to 2 months if you have room in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving. Honestly, it tastes much better fresh.
- Special Toolsย (affiliate links): 9-inch Round Cake Pans | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Cooling Rack | Cake Turntable, Cake Stand, or Serving Platter | Icing Spatula | Cake Carrier (for storage)
- Flour: Do not replace the cake flour with all-purpose flour. Your cake will be dense, solid, and heavy. In a pinch, you can use this homemade cake flour substitute which is a careful ratio of all-purpose flour and cornstarch.
- Milk: This recipe has been tested with equal parts coconut milk and buttermilk. I recommend using full fat canned coconut milk, the kind you use for cooking. If you can’t get your hands on canned coconut milk, you can use 1 cup of buttermilk instead. You can make your own DIY buttermilk substitute if needed. Add 2 teaspoons of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough whole milk to the same measuring cup until it reaches 1 cup. (In a pinch, lower fat or nondairy milks work for this soured milk, but the cake wonโt taste as moist or rich.) Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes. The homemade โbuttermilkโ will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in the recipe.
- More Lemon Flavor: To increaseย the lemon flavor, feel free to add the zest of 1 lemon to the coconut cake batter. Keep in mind that this will take away from the cake’s coconut flavor. Also optional for more lemon flavor: beatย zest from 1 lemon into the cream cheese frosting.
- More Coconut Flavor: To increase the coconut flavor, feel free to use the optional coconut extract listed. And/or you can add 1/2 teaspoon of coconut extract to the frosting.
- Sheet Cake: The batter makes a perfect sheet cake! Simply spread into a 12×17-inch half sheet/jelly roll pan and bake for about 20 minutes or until cooked through. It also fits nicely into a 9ร13-inch cake pan. Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until cooked through.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I have access to freshly made coconut cream and milk. Can I use the fresh coconut milk instead of the Canned one?
Hi Gerry, we haven’t tested this cake with fresh coconut milk, but don’t see why it wouldn’t work. If you try it, please report back!
Iโve made quite a few of your cakes and am excited to try this one for my own birthday! I typically prefer unsweetened coconut. If I use unsweetened, would I need to add a little extra sugar to the cake, or would that mess up the texture?
Thank you for such consistently amazing recipes!
Amanda
Hi Amanda, you can use unsweetened coconut in a pinchโno need to add more sugar to the cake. Hope you enjoy this cake and happy birthday!
Iโm looking forward to making this cake for a special birthday. I have made your coconut cake many times, and couldnt help but notice the lemon coconut cake calls for twice as much butter (3 sticks). Seems like a lot! Please confirm correct butter amount. Thank you,
Debbie
Hi Debbie! The recipe is correct – just a different ratio of ingredients in this particular cake ๐
I like this cake and will make it again. I didn’t get a good rise so, my layers were small. I guess my baking powder was old? My frosting wasn’t happy at room temperature, I had trouble with the cake sliding apart. I’m going to make this again. I wish it would have worked better for me.
I have made this many times before and I love it! However, I plan to bake it as cupcakes this time, how many do you think this recipe would make and what should I cook them at??
Hi River! So glad you enjoy them. You can make them as cupcakes! If you want to use the lemon curd, you can fill them (here’s how to fill cupcakes) after baking and top with this frosting. Bake time will be 18-22 minutes at 350F.
Sounds incredible. Do you have instructions to reduce the recipe to fit three- 6โ cake pans instead of the 9โ ones? Thanks.
Hi Diane, you could halve the ingredients to make a smaller 3 layer, 6 inch round cake. Or, see this cake pan sizes and conversions guide for other pan conversions.
Thanks for your quick response! Canโt wait to make this.
I just made this recipe and had trouble with the cake layers sliding off due to the curd and frosting in between. It made it especially hard to spread frosting with sliding off. Any tips on dealing with this?
Hi Chris, for next time, you can use the frosting to create a dam around the edges (like we do here) before adding the lemon curd between the layers. This will prevent it from sliding and coming out the edges. You might also find it helpful to refrigerate the cake after layering, but before adding the frosting to the outside of the cake. This will help it “set” and be less prone to sliding around when frosting the outside. If you want, cake dowels are also helpful for keeping large layer cakes in place. Hope this helps for next time!
Will definitely do this next time! Thank you for the tip! I love every single recipe here, thank you so much. My family is convinced im a baking prodigy because of sallys baking ๐
Can I make this into cupcakes? And can I leave the lemon curd out?
Hi Loo, You can! If you still want to use the lemon curd, you can fill them (here’s how to fill cupcakes) after baking and top with this frosting. Bake time will be 18-22 minutes at 350F.
Hi Sally,
I want to make this into a 9ร13″ sheet cake. I am assuming I would leave out the lemon curd, correct?
Thank you,
Brenda
Hi Brenda, You can try gently spreading the frosting over the lemon curd, or you could swirl the curd on top of the frosting. Let us know what you try!
Help! My cake cracked open the top layer. I followed your exact instructions. Any ideas?
I would really appreciate it thank you
Hi Ginny, did the cake crack while baking, this will happen if the oven is a little too hot – are you using an in-oven thermometer? Most ovens have hot spots, it can be helpful to rotate the cakes once while baking.
I made the cake using the lemon curd recipe in the link. The lemon curd didn’t hold the layers together, and they slide and crumbled like a California mudslide. So I scooped it all in a big bowl and called it a lemon coconut dump cake. Tastes the same before and after you sit on it, I guess!
Can you leave the shredded coconut out of the cake?
Hi Tabby! You can leave the shredded coconut out of the cake batter. No other changes necessary.
I made this for my son’s 17th birthday, and a crowd of teenage boys raved about it hours later, totally unbidden. They asked where the cake came from & couldn’t believe his mom made it! Absolutely delicious.
I am going to make the lemon coconut cake in a sheet pan. How do you put the frosting on top of the lemon curd?
Hi Robin! You can try gently spreading the frosting over the lemon curd, or you could swirl the curd on top of the frosting. Let us know what you try!
Hi folks,
I have read that baking cakes at 325 and/or using baking strips to insulate the pan will help prevent doming, therefore making the cakes come out flat on top and easier to layer. Would that work with this recipe? Thank you!
Hi Stephanie! These layers don’t dome too much, but we always simply level them with a knife before assembling. Some bakers swear by baking with cake strips, but we don’t usually use them. We recommend baking the cake at 350ยฐF (177ยฐC) as instructed.
Can I leave out the coconut? Iโd like to just toast and put on top of 7 minute frosting. This base cake looks great but will it be successful without the coconut?
Hi SueEllen, here is our plain lemon layer cake instead! You can frost and top that one with toasted coconut.
Can I make this cake ahead of time, freeze it then defrost it overnight and apply the coconut flakes to it the day if serving it or will it loose too much flavor?
Hi Rebecca, you absolutely can make the cake ahead of time and freeze it.
Hello would halving this recipe be ok for a 6 inch cake? Thanks!
Hi Anna, you could halve the ingredients to make a smaller 3 layer, 6 inch round cake.
This recipe looks amazing and delicious. Can one use whipped heavy cream in place of cream cheese frosting?
Hi Deborah, you can use whipped cream instead of the frosting, yes.
This cake is the best! Soft moist and full of flavor.