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.
Hi, I just finished making the cake. But where was the 160 g of coconut supposed to go? It was not in the buttercream method
Hi Narci! The coconut listed with the buttercream ingredients is for sprinkling on the top and sides of the cake (see step 6).
Thank you. I don’t know why put I didn’t need all of it for sprinkling. Not even half
Hi, I have only one cake tray so how will I cook 3 pieces of sheets? One by one? Thank you X
Hi Narci, yes, you can cook them one at a time! Enjoy
Can one substitute gluten-free flour for cake flour?
Hi Steven, we haven’t tested a gluten free version of this cake, but if you give it a try, we’d love to know how it turns out for you.
Awesome cake! Your directions and experience helped me be successful at cake baking from scratch for the first time in my life. I am 59. I baked the sheet cake first, and it turned out beautifully. Everyone in Sunday school loved it, and my mother did, too. Thanks for sharing so generously.
Question – if I want to do 3 6 inch cake pans, how should I adjust the recipe?
Hi Whitney, You can use this coconut cupcakes batter for three 6 inch cake pans. (Skip the caramel filling and chocolate frosting.) Follow the baking instructions for 6 Inch Cakes and you can halve this frosting recipe instead. Happy baking!
I am the cake baker of the family, and my carrot cake has been the request for YEARS. However, I chose to make this coconut cake for one of our birthdays last year, and the whole family raved about it! Making it for my grandpa’s birthday per request for tomorrow’s party. Half my family swears they don’t even like coconut desserts usually but they LOVED this cake. My 11-year-old cousin made faces while eating the cake and said it was terrible… but he went back for 2 more servings!
Hi, would this recipe work in two 9 x 13 cookie sheets, a 1/4 sheet cake. I would really like to make a sheet cake with frosting in between the two layers? Thank you.
Hi Kris, you can see recipe notes for details on baking a single layer 9×13 cake. Otherwise, here is everything you need to know about converting recipes to different Cake Pan Sizes.
Hey can you use normal coconut milk instead of canned?
Hi Ramsha, you want to make sure what you are using is very thick like canned coconut milk. This is a cooking ingredient, not a beverage. It’s creamier and thicker than regular coconut milk.
I am going to make this cake for my daughter’s birthday this weekend. I am so excited as I have never made a proper layer cake before. I was wondering about the coconut milk. Do I just use the liqid in the can or the cream on top also?
Hi Tanu! Give the can a good shake before opening so you get all of it 🙂
Hi Sally! I was really excited to try this recipe and it looks fab. I used the cake flour substitute mix and was creaming / mixing by hand but my layers have come out quite flat. Wondering if I should start over before decorating if the cake will be to dense or if 9 inch round layers do tend to be not that tall for this recipe. It’s for a friends birthday so don’t want to mess up. Thanks!
Hi Reggie, these are definitely thinner layers (as you can see in the photos above). How is the texture? If it is dense, we would start over and check to make sure your baking powder and soda are fresh. We find they can lose strength after just 3-4 months.
Hi! I really want to make this but don’t have coconut extract. However, I do have vanilla and almond, and I’m worried if I leave extract out entirely it’ll be less flavorful. Which one do you think I should substitute, or if I don’t have coconut just leave it alone and add none? I don’t mind a bit of mixed flavors. Thanks!
Hi Gavi, You can simply leave the coconut extract out. Happy baking!
Hi Sally, how would you go about frosting if I decide to make this cake as a bundt cake? Most bundt cakes get a drizzle type frosting that just drips down the sides. Maybe it’s not the best form to use. I am traveling 300 miles with this cake and thought it might be a better structure. Thoughts? Thank you.
Hi Lynne! You could use this coconut cream cheese buttercream on a bundt cake (either spread on top or piped – look up Nothin Bundt Cakes for fun piping inspiration). It may be beneficial to keep the frosting separate and add it just before serving to make transport easier. Let us know what you try!
I’m going to try this recipe today!! How long for the refrigerated items to be room temperature?
Usually about an hour – depending on how warm/cool your home is. You can read more about room temperate ingredients in this post. Happy baking!
Hi, can I replace the coconut extract with coconut powder?
Hi Maggie, We have never tested our recipes with coconut powder but let us know if you try anything!
Can I use plant based sour cream with this recipe?
We haven’t tested that but let us know if you do!
It was fabulous! Three people have asked for the recipe since I took it to supper club two nights ago. Extremely easy to make with a wow presentation. My husband has been eating the left overs for breakfast and dessert.
Using this recipe on my tablet – followed it precisely, but when I scrolled up to add the coconut milk, it only went up as far as the icing recipe so I only added 2 tablespoons of coconut milk instead of one cup. How much damage will that cause to the cake? Really discouraged since the whole process took me about 2 hours!
Hi David, Thank you for trying this recipe, how did the cake turn out? Without the coconut milk in the batter it may end up being dry (and obviously will a little less coconut flavor).
The cake was still good – perhaps a bit dry but still flavorful. The flavor was actually a bit better the second day.
I won’t make the same mistake again!
My son loves Mounds candy bars, so I made a dark chocolate cake, but added the coconut to the cake but used your amazing frosting. Yum, yum, yum!
Baked this the first time yesterday!
It’s a keeper for sure . I did the 3 layer , next time I’m making it into a sheet cake or cupcakes ! Beware you can eat the icing all by itself ✔️
I misread the instructions and added the shredded coconut to the icing. Will it still spread?
Hi Sara, You should be able to spread it with a knife or offset spatula.
Hi! I’m super excited to try this recipe for my family. My daughter loves chocolate and I would love to somehow add chocolate to this. Any suggestions?
Hi Dana, We haven’t tested this exact cake with chocolate. You could definitely add sweetened shredded coconut to this chocolate cake batter. Or, this coconut cake would be delicious with our chocolate buttercream, chocolate cream cheese frosting, or even chocolate ganache for a deeper, darker taste. Let us know what you try!
Hi, Stephanie! To add chocolate to this cake, I used a peeler to add chocolate strips to the top of the cake and added toasted coconut to the sides for more depth of flavor. Lastly, I drizzled a little sea salt caramel to the top for a little something extra. I tried to add a photo, but couldn’t figure it out.
Does it work to top the cake with toasted coconut? Or is untoasted coconut better for this recipe? Thanks!
Hi Krista, You can definitely toast some or all of the coconut for out outside in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 6-8 minutes or until browned to your liking. Enjoy!
This sounds delicious!! Can I use desiccated coconut instead of shredded??
Hi Manar, you can use the desiccated coconut here with no other changes to the recipe!
Would this recipe be appropriate for a lamb cake pan? I am concerned about the head of the lamb staying attached when the cake is sitting up.. Essentially, since you said a bundt pan may be used, would this be like a pound cake at all?
Hi Ccdd, We have not ever tried using this recipe for a 3D cake so we are unsure of the results. This cake is lighter in texture than a pound cake. Let us know if you give it a try.
I put a pineapple filling between the layers. ( https://www.food.com/recipe/pineapple-cake-filling-151060). I also use this filling in Sally’s carrot cake. My family loves both cakes and always reminds me not to forget the filling. Sally is my go to for cake recipes. Thanks for a great resource. (BTW – I don’t like coconut but my family says it s the best cake coconut cake ever!)
Hi All–thank you for this recipe! I’m hoping to make this into a six-layer rainbow coconut cake (each layer is a different color: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple). Two questions: 1) is the batter a light enough color that it will “hold” the gel food colorings? And 2) I’m contemplating tripling this recipe for a (very) tall six (6) layer cake — using six 8″ cake pan layers. I will put a very thin layer of swiss meringue buttercream in between each one. Is this cake firm enough to hold up that tall? So many thanks for your great tips!
Hi Seema, adding coloring is no issue at all. We recommend gel food coloring which is more color concentrated than liquid and won’t risk altering the texture of the cake. This is a delicate cake, and 6 layers may be a bit heavy – cake dowels may be a good option to help support the cake. Let us know how it goes!
Trina & all–this coconut cake recipe was divine. I did as I set out to do (triple the recipe to make six layers). Each of the six cakes rose just enough to make it high enough that, stacking all six would be too high/too much. I cut each layer in half horizontally, and ended up making two identical six-layer cakes out of it. Next time, I’ll either double the recipe and make 1 six-layer cake, or quadruple the recipe to make two six-layer cakes. I made a lemon curd swiss meringue buttercream to go with, used gel colors, and it worked out great. And I used CLEAR vanilla extract to keep the batter as light/white as possible to hold all the bright colors. Wish I could post a pic here! Such a moist, delicious cake. Thank you!
Has anyone used pineapple as a filling between layers
Hi Harriet, You can add pineapple slices between layers. You may want to blot some of the excess moisture to prevent the cake from getting too wet. You might also be interested in our pineapple coconut cake, too!
Hi, my daughter hates shredded coconut on anything but loves coconut milk, any substitute. Thanks.
Hi Augusta, You can leave the shredded coconut out of the cake batter. No other changes necessary.
This coconut cake is far superior than any coconut cake I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating. Today is my son’s birthday and this is the cake he requested. I stumbled upon this recipe a couple of years ago, and it turned out to be a gem. Thank you for another amazing recipe.
I can’t find coconut extract anywhere what can I use as a substitute??
Hi Chantelle, You can simply leave the coconut extract out. Happy baking!
I found it at Fresh Market after trying three other grocery stores.
I need to make a half sheet cake (18×13). Can I just double this recipe to do it? What would be the approximate bake time?
Hi Samantha! Here is everything you need to know about converting recipes to different Cake Pan Sizes. This cake recipe yields about 7-8 cups of batter. We’re unsure of the exact bake time, so keep an eye on it in the oven and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Absolutely the best coconut cake I’ve ever made. Moist and delicious flavorful. This recipe is a keeper!
Can I use dessicated coconut?
Hi Michelle, you can use the desiccated coconut here with no other changes to the recipe!