This perfect coconut cake sets the bar for homemade cakes everywhere. It’s supremely moist with a soft fluffy crumb and intense coconut flavor. To ensure success, follow this recipe carefully including using cake flour, egg whites, sour cream, and canned coconut milk.
At the request of many readers, let me introduce you to the best coconut cake I’ve ever had. Homemade with love for coconut lovers everywhere, this cake exceeds my expectations. Complete with silky coconut cream cheese buttercream, she’s absolutely perfect and juxtaposes bold flavor with a light crumb.
I endlessly tested this cake recipe. In fact, I’m pretty sure my head turned into an actual coconut during the process. Is there shredded coconut caked into the crevices of my kitchen floor and backsplash? Yes.
5 Reasons to Love This Coconut Cake Recipe
- Not Dry: This coconut cake is mega moist. There’s no point wasting your time (or calories!) on dry cakes.
- Intensely Flavorful: Using coconut milk, shredded coconut, and coconut extract, you are guaranteed an intensely flavorful coconut cake.
- Soft & Fluffy: By following the recipe carefully, as well as using the power ingredients described below, you are guaranteed a soft-as-silk coconut cake crumb.
- Any Shape: Use this cake batter for coconut Bundt cake, coconut cupcakes, a 2-layer cake, 3-layer cake, or a coconut sheet cake.
- Gets Along With Everyone: Use the frosting recipe below or try strawberry frosting, lemon frosting, brown butter cream cheese frosting, champagne frosting, or chocolate buttercream. Add raspberry cake filling between the layers or drizzle salted caramel on top! With so many ways to customize, this coconut cake is always a crowd-favorite when looking for Easter dessert ideas.
Coconut Cake Video Tutorial
This recipe sets the bar for homemade cakes everywhere. It’s simply exquisite and is sure to be one of your favorite spring dessert recipes and Easter brunch recipes. Talk about a show stopper!
How to Make Coconut Cake
I adapted this recipe from my favorite white cake. Its pristine crumb, fluffy texture, and stick-to-your-fork moisture guarantee cake success. In fact, I have the recipe memorized and even used it as the base of pistachio cake, cookies & cream cake, espresso cake, burnt sugar caramel cake, and strawberry cake. The recipe is cake gold and I knew it would be the perfect starting point for a fluffy and moist coconut cake.
Your coconut cake journey begins with two mixing bowls. Dry ingredients in one and wet ingredients in another (see full recipe instructions below). Combine the two in your mixer, along with coconut milk and sweetened shredded/flaked coconut. That’s it! Your coconut cake batter is ready to bake.
Creamed butter and sugar provide a solid base for this cake recipe. Use room temperature butter, and remember that room temperature is cooler than you think.
Another tip: Use all room temperature ingredients, including the eggs and sour cream. Why? Ingredients bond together very easily when they’re warmer, which creates an evenly textured baked good. Cold ingredients do not emulsify together. Period.
Use These 6 Power Ingredients
Cake is literally nothing without its ingredients and these power players are the difference between dense dry cake and light moist cake.
- Cake Flour: Cake flour produces the softest cake. If you don’t usually buy cake flour, make the exception here. It’s sold in the baking aisle with the other flours. You can use leftovers in any of these cake flour recipes. If you can’t find it, try making this cake flour substitute.
- Egg Whites: Egg yolks are wonderful for moisture, but they’re heavy and weigh down cakes. We use whole eggs in my coconut Easter cake which is much more dense, like a pound cake. To keep this coconut cake light and fluffy, use only egg whites. We’ll add the moisture back in with sour cream.
- Sour Cream: The moist maker! This cake melts in your mouth.
- Coconut Extract: I tested this recipe with and without coconut extract. We loved it both ways, but coconut extract is necessary for best coconut flavor. It’s in the baking aisle near the vanilla extract.
- Canned Coconut Milk: Canned coconut milk is a cooking ingredient, not a beverage. It’s creamier and thicker than regular milk and usually found near the Thai food products. Do not use the refrigerated coconut milk beverage that comes in a carton, because the two are very different.
- Sweetened Shredded Coconut: I recommend using sweetened shredded coconut, also called sweetened flaked coconut. It’s moister than unsweetened coconut and that makes a big difference in the cake’s texture. I reduced the added sugar in the cake batter to make up for the sweetness. Sweetened coconut is sometimes sold as long skinny shreds, a size some find off-putting in cake. Therefore, I recommend pulsing them in a food processor so they’re smaller.
Coconut Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
What do you love about vanilla buttercream? It’s buttery, sweet, and smooth.
And what about cream cheese frosting? It’s creamy, silky, and tangy.
Let’s combine the two, then add coconut milk and coconut extract. It’s even creamier and silkier than the coconut frosting on these coconut chocolate Easter cupcakes so that glides onto the cake seamlessly. (Which is a happy bonus because decorating a layer cake can be quite the task. See more below.)
If you prefer a non-cream cheese option, use my vanilla buttercream instead—use canned coconut milk instead of milk and add 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract.
How to Frost a Layer Cake
Alright, let’s do this.
- Cool cakes completely. Sounds obvious, but even the tiniest bit of warmth will melt the frosting. As a result, the layer cake will slip, slide, or even cave in!
- If your cakes have a dome on top, level them off with a cake leveler or serrated knife. Flat-topped cakes ensure a straight and sturdy layer cake.
- Choose a serving plate or cake stand. Here is the cake stand I use in these pictures!
- Place the bottom layer on the cake stand. Using an icing spatula, spread 1 and 1/2 cups of frosting in an even layer on top. Bring the frosting just over the edge of the cake; this will be helpful when it’s time to frost the sides.
- Place the second layer top-side-down on top. Make sure it aligns with the bottom cake layer.
- Spread 1 and 1/2 cups frosting evenly on top, just as you did with the bottom layer.
- Place third layer top-side-up on top. Again, make sure it’s perfectly aligned.
- Divide the remaining frosting in half. (Just eyeball it.) Dollop half of the frosting on top of the cake and use an icing spatula to smooth it to the edges. Apply *some* of the remaining frosting all around the sides of the cake, then use a bench scraper to smooth it in a thin layer. Apply the rest of the frosting on the sides of the cake, then bench scrape to smooth it all out.
- Wipe any excess frosting off of the cake stand.
You can watch me decorate this coconut cake in the video tutorial above. Don’t stress; if you take your time and make sure the cake layers are totally straight, you’re all set.
But I Don’t Want to
Skip the drama and make a coconut sheet cake instead! Sheet cakes are easier to frost because they’re only one layer. See my recipe note about different size coconut cakes.
What About the Buttercream Roses?
Let’s give my assistant, Stephanie, a round of applause. This was her first time making “3D” buttercream roses and look how beautifully they turned out! She made the buttercream roses at my house and I froze them until it was time to decorate the coconut cake. She followed this video tutorial. Keep in mind that the cream cheese buttercream WILL NOT work for the intricate buttercream roses. Instead, use my vanilla buttercream and add 1 extra cup of confectioners’ sugar. You need very stiff buttercream for these roses. You also need small squares of parchment paper and:
Loosely cover the roses, then freeze or refrigerate them until ready to decorate, up to 1 week. No need to thaw prior to decorating the cake. Peel off parchment square and place the buttercream rose on the cake. If you’re traveling with the cake, I recommend securing the roses with a tiny dollop of cream cheese buttercream underneath.
Looking for something easier? Use Wilton 1M piping tip for these easy two-toned frosting buttercream roses.
More Classic Cake Recipes
Flavor is the name, moist is the game. These are some of my favorite classic cake recipes!
- Pound Cake
- Vanilla Cake
- Carrot Cake
- Red Velvet Cake
- Strawberry Cake (made from real strawberries)
- Lemon Blueberry Cake
- Chocolate Cake
Coconut Cake
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This perfect coconut cake sets the bar for homemade cakes everywhere. It’s supremely moist with a soft fluffy crumb and intense coconut flavor. For success, follow this recipe carefully including using cake flour, egg whites, sour cream, and canned coconut milk.
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/2 cups (285g) cake flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 and 2/3 cups (330g) granulated sugar
- 5 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 cup (240ml) unsweetened canned coconut milk, at room temperature*
- 1 cup (80g) sweetened shredded coconut
Coconut Cream Cheese Buttercream
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature*
- 5 cups (600g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) canned coconut milk
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (160g) sweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). 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: Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat 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. Beat in the egg whites until combined, then add the sour cream, vanilla extract, and coconut extract. Beat until combined. Mixture will look curdled as a result of the varying textures and solid butter combining. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients and coconut milk. Beat on low speed until combined, then add the shredded coconut. Whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no butter lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be slightly thick.
- Pour batter evenly into cake pans. Weigh them to ensure accuracy, if desired. Bake for 21–23 minutes or until the cakes are baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s 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: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese together on medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, coconut milk, vanilla extract, coconut extract, and salt with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes. Add more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin, more coconut milk if frosting is too thick, or an extra pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet.
- Assemble and decorate: 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 stand, cake turntable, or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with about 1 and 1/2 cups of frosting. Top with second cake layer and evenly cover the top with about 1 and 1/2 cups of frosting. Top with the third cake layer. Spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides. I use and recommend an icing spatula to apply the frosting and a bench scraper to smooth the sides. Sprinkle coconut on top of the cake and apply it to the sides. This can get a little messy and you can watch me do it in the video tutorial. See blog post above about buttercream rose decoration.
- Refrigerate cake for at least 20 minutes before slicing. This helps the cake hold its shape when cutting, though it’s still a pretty fluffy cake!
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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. When ready to decorate, let the frosting sit at room temperature to slightly soften for about 15 minutes, then give it one more mix with the mixer on medium speed for about 1 minute before frosting cake. Frosted cake or unfrosted cake layers can be frozen for up to 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before decorating/serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-Inch Cake Pans | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand Mixer) | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Cake Stand or Cake Turntable | Icing Spatula | Bench Scraper | Cake Carrier (for storing)
- Cake Flour: For the best results, I strongly recommend cake flour. You can find cake flour in the baking aisle and I have many more recipes using it. If you can’t find it, try making this cake flour substitute.
- Egg Whites: Egg whites (no yolks) are KEY to the cake’s fluffy texture. For best success, I recommend using fresh eggs instead of carton egg whites. (Using an egg separator is really handy!) Here are all my recipes using leftover egg yolks. Success tip: Eggs separate much easier when they’re cold.
- Canned Coconut Milk: Canned coconut milk is a cooking ingredient, not a beverage. It is usually unsweetened, so make sure you’re using unsweetened. It’s usually found in the grocery store near the Thai food products. Do not use refrigerated carton coconut milk beverage. You need 1 cup for the cake, not the entire can. You use 2 more Tablespoons in the frosting.
- Sweetened Shredded Coconut: I recommend using sweetened shredded/flaked coconut. It’s moister than unsweetened coconut and that makes a big difference in the cake’s texture. If desired, pulse the coconut shreds in a food processor to chop them up so they aren’t as long inside and outside of the cake. Chopping the coconut is optional.
- Cream Cheese: Use brick cream cheese, not cream cheese spread. If desired, you can use this vanilla buttercream instead (no cream cheese). Use canned coconut milk instead of milk and add 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract.
- 9×13-Inch Sheet Cake: Simply pour the batter into a greased and lightly floured 9×13-inch pan and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- 2-Layer Cake: Prepare two 9-inch cake pans in step 1. Divide batter between pans and bake for 24–26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Bundt Cake: This cake batter will fit into a greased 10-cup or larger Bundt pan. I’m unsure of the exact bake time (likely around an hour); use a toothpick to test for doneness. Same oven temperature.
- Cupcakes: Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 19–21 minutes. Yields about 2–3 dozen. Or try my vanilla cupcakes recipe and substitute canned coconut milk for whole milk, 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract for the vanilla bean, and add 3/4 cup (60g) of sweetened shredded coconut.
- Why is everything at room temperature? All refrigerated items should be at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly. Read more about the importance of room temperature ingredients.
Made this cake for my sons birthday yesterday and what a hit!!!!!! Cake was super moist and the icing wasn’t too sweet. I followed the recipe exactly as written and wouldn’t change a thing!! Thank you so much for the perfect coconut cake recipe ever!!!!!
I’ve only got two pans and am planning on slicing each in half for four layers. What adjustments do I need to make to the frosting ingredient amounts?
Hi Jeff! We would multiply the frosting recipe by 1.5 just to make sure you will have enough. Enjoy!
Thankfully it was tasty but was disappointed that the cake was definitely not moist and fluffy but rather dense and dry. I followed the recipe exactly so unsure what to correct ♀️ . The frosting was perfection though!
Wow, this is the most incredible cake I have EVER had. I typically love chocolate flavors, but this coconut cake was amazing. Moist, flavorful, and so light! I served it with green tea ice cream and it was wonderful. I can’t wait to try other recipes by Sally!
This is soooo delicious. I would love to try it with a pineapple filling too.
Hi, i want to make this, can i use coconut cream instead of the milk, and what will happen if I use salted butter instead of unsalted. Thanks
Hi Saadiqah, coconut cream is too thick for this cake batter. We recommend the canned coconut milk, which is part coconut cream. You can use salted butter instead, and you may wish to reduce the salt by 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon.
I’m sure this is delicious but sadly mine was uncooked! A word of caution if you are using only 2 pans– 26 minutes is not long enough!
I used your Coconut Cake recipe this weekend to surprise my husband on Valentines Day. I have never made a coconut cake from scratch. It came out perfectly and all my “coconut cake lovers” raved about it!
One comment: “The best I ever had”
Another comment: ” That cake was slammin'”!
Thank you for this great recipe and the second by second instructions!!
Hi Sally,
This cake looks great. Not tried it yet but I’m so excited. However I don’t have a 9 x 13 pan instead I have a 7 x 7 one which is about 3 inches high. Would this change the rise on the cake or would I need to adapt the recipe as I am only looking for a small batch sheet cake.
Hi Zenab! You’ll have to reduce the recipe to fit in your pan, you can use this handy guide to find out how much batter you’ll need. Hope you love it!
Would this cake be strong enough to be covered in fondant icing, or will the crumb be too ‘weak’?
Hi Amelia, yes — you can cover this cake in fondant.
I couldn’t find any coconut extract, so just made the cake without it. It still had a nice coconut flavor and tasted delicious.
I also used the batter to make a coffee cake without any of the frosting and it was great!
Thanks for the lovely recipe.
I made this in a 9 by 13 pan and it did not rise much at all. I am an experienced baker. Not sure why it turned out like this. Wonder if I should have beaten it at a higher speed after adding the egg whites. Will see how it tastes later today.
The recipe is so good. Thank you so much for sharing <3
Dear Sally, I went ahead and baked the cake in the springform pan and it came out perfectly! I was amazed…however, I cooled it down too quickly and it cracked and sank in the middle. SO, not to shy away or have too much icing, to make it look nice and level across the top, I cut out the center about 1/2 inch deep and I laid fresh sliced bananas and then iced the cake and topped it off with coconut. I told my guests there was a surprise in the cake and so when took that first bite they went crazy. The combination of the moist coconut cake and fresh bananas with the cream cheese icing was to die for. SO the springform pan works really well and next time even it doesn’t sink I am going to cut out the center and lay in the bananas. It was so delicious. Thanks for a great coconut cake recipe!
I made this coconut cake and followed the recipe exactly and the cake part came out good, however I followed the recipe for the frosting and I think the cream cheese should definitely be left OUT. When I make buttercream frosting I never put cream cheese or any other cheese, or anything else in it to make it creamy (other than butter and confectioners sugar and whatever extract for flavor) Maybe cause I like my buttercream frosting sweet and when you add cream cheese to a frosting it definitely does not add anything to it other than you slightly taste the cream cheese and if you don’t taste it, it makes the frosting bland. I should have left out the cream cheese.
Came out beautiful and yummy
Incredibly Delicious! Best cake I have ever made! The cake itself is incredible. And the roaring is better than anything I’ve had from a bakery case! Follow the steps and don’t substitute-you’ll want to bake this cake often! Absolutely amazing!
I’ve been baking for many years. My mom is a pastry chef. We had our pastry shop years ago and my Mom and I think Sally’s recipes are the best. Even though my cake recipes are great, I’m humble enough to say Sally’s is better. I’ve had to use her recipes than mine. Texture, measurements, ingredients are perfect!. And no short cuts. A huge understanding in rising agents and ratios of wet and dry ingredients are really important. Sally, you really are a master! I love your other recipes!!! Please keep posting out recipes! You’re pretty much the no.1 sought after cake recipes in Google. All in 5 stars. Thank you for sharing with us! Love from Australia
Not a big fan of coconut cake but my mother and grandmother love it. Made it for my moms birthday and she was amazed. Thank you, it was absolutely delicious!
This was my first time making a multilayer cake with frosting, so I did not want to deviate from the recipe. It ended up being pretty easy and very fun to make, and my kitchen smelled like a tropical island, which was definitely a lovely plus!
The cake itself was delicious, I really loved the fluffy, coco nutty texture, but we all found the frosting way too sweet, so I will probably reduce the sugar by a third next time, or use the alternative frosting recipe you provided in comments to someone else who had the same issue.
Overall a great recipe, thanks for sharing!
Thanks for this recipe! I followed directions exactly, and the cake turned out great!! Fluffy, Delicious, and softness is unparalleled to any cake I’ve baked before! Icing was a little sweeter than I wanted so will add more salt next time!
WOW! I asked a friend what I could bake her for her 50th birthday. She said, “my favorite cake is coconut cake… and chocolate would be okay too.” Of course, I wanted to make her favorite (and thought to myself… really? Coconut Cake?). Was I wrong! I baked cupcakes as we were doing a virtual celebration and I was dropping them off to multiple friends. I really am shocked at how much I love them. So moist, great crumb, and just a lovely dessert. And pretty to boot! Thanks, Sally for coming to the rescue! Yours was the only website I checked, as I know your recipes are tried and true.
Made this cake for the first time yesterday, following the recipe exactly as written. It turned out perfectly and beautifully. Absolutely delicious!
hi sally. cake is unbelievable. i added 2 tsp of rum and reduced some vanilla to set the stage for a pina colada layer cake (doing a pineapple frosting…). wonderful recipe. thank you
final thing is i want to say i GREATLY appreciate that you mention the weight of ingredients. i bake only by weight so this is a huge help ..please keep doing it
Cake was moist frosting easy, toasted coconut on the top made my eyes roll back in my head! Yuuummmmmmmm……..
Thank you!
This cake is simply AMAZING! I will make it again and again. Thank you!
I made this cake last night it is amazing Thank you
I don’t normally write reviews but this time I had to!! I can’t bake to save my life but I really wanted to try and I love coconut cake. I am so glad I found this recipe it was a HIT!! Everyone loved it, I’m actually eating slice right now. Thank you!! Best Coconut Cake ever and I MADE IT!!!
Question about frosting: I plan to make cupcakes from this recipe, will this frosting hold shape to pipe on in a swirl?
Hi Kath, yes, this frosting holds pretty well but it would definitely be beneficial if you refrigerated the frosting for about 30 minutes prior to piping.
This cake is the bee’s knees. Best thing since SLICED BREAD. The friggin’ bomb dot com. I made this for a baby shower two years ago and people are still talking about it. Calling me and asking me to make it for their bday lol. I almost didn’t make this because I didn’t want to separate the eggs (lazy lol) but it was worth it because I made lime curd with the yolks. Heaven. All of it. Make this now and then plan to make it again tomorrow so you aren’t sad when it’s all gone in one day lol.