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.
Yesterday I made your wonderfully delicious coconut cake (2 layer instead of 3)–it was simply sublime. This cake was so tender and fluffy and it looked so pretty like a white cloud, (I added toasted coconut flakes just on the top, yum). Everyone in our Christmas family gathering just raved about it.
Thank you for all your amazing recipes and videos, It is greatly appreciated and I know that I’ve become a better baker since I started following your recipes! Warmest Wishes for the New Year. Cheers!
I made this recipe on 12/31/2022 and my cake came out great :o)
I was so happy because my mom is going to be turning 83 in a few days and I really wanted her to enjoy her favorite cake for New Year’s Day. Boy did she ever!!. This a terrific recipe and super moist. Ty for the recipe and it will definitely go into my favorite category.
This recipe was amazing, delicious and a keeper. I made it yesterday and it was so moist and flavorful.
I made this cake for Christmas and decorated it beautifully but I must have done something wrong because the cake was super dry. The taste of the cake and frosting were good but the density and dryness did not make it good to eat.
Thank you for another fantastic recipe. I know baking is more science than art, but with a daughter with a dairy allergy I have had to make some educated guesses about substitutions. Your recipes start from a fantastic place (and are not vegan—she still eats eggs) so I decided to use yours. I made a Bundt cake and topped it with chocolate ganache. Butter was subbed with the country crock DF baking sticks. For the sour cream I used 7tbsp Silk Coconut Milk Greek Style Vanilla yogurt +1tbsp coconut cream and 1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar to make up for the reduced fat content and what I perceived to be the reduced tang. The ganache was semisweet chocolate and coconut cream with a dash of salt. It baked in 50 minutes in a Nordic heritage shaped Bundt cake pan (which is slightly smaller than many traditional Bundt pans and tends to bake a tad faster). Taste and crumb were perfect. My ganache was maybe not as good as I am sure the intended cream cheese icing would have been, but no one complained. I absolutely could have passed this off as being free from any substitutions, and will make it (DF or regular) again in the future.
I made this for an early Christmas dinner and it turned out fantastic!!!
Everyone loved it, and even those who usually avoid carbs ate it happily.
The instructions were very clear and it was easy to make. I really liked the fact that
the amounts of ingredients were perfect, especially for the frosting. Exactly enough.
Thank you for sharing these great, and trustworthy, recipes and for free!
Perfect! Made as written, even the icing recipe was the perfect considency.
This is a perfect cake recipe. It really lives up to its name; it was moist and oh so fluffy. I made it for my daughter’s 3rd birthday and topped it with a fondant horn and ears. The coconut looked like fluffy unicorn fur. Perfection! Almost everyone at the party absolutely raved about it. Now I just need another excuse to make it again soon. Yum!
I used unsweetened coconut in the cake batter – it would’ve been too sweet for me if using sweetened coconut in batter as well as on exterior of cake. I made in three 8” round cake tins and baked for 23 minutes…next time I would check at the 21 minute mark. I made cake ahead of time and froze – cake is a bit sticky so it was really easy to frost while frozen…left at room temperature for about 4 hours before serving. Cake was really moist and tender and frosting was scrumptious. To make it festive, I used three beautiful decorated Christmas tree lollipops on top of the cake instead of roses. This is a total recipe keeper and I wish I could add a photo here for you to see how pretty it was. Thanks for a terrific recipe Sally.
Thank you so much for making this coconut cake, Fiona! We would love to see a photo — feel free to send us a copy at sally@sallysbakingaddiction.com.
If you make this as a bundt cake, can you use the same frosting and coconut layer? I don’t always see a bundt cake with frosting.
Thanks for your advice
Hi Liz, sure! You could likely halve the frosting recipe for this cake in a Bundt pan.
Made this as the bundt cake . It was so easy to make in this pan . I found online pics to follow for frosting /decorating the budt cake. I used the sugared cranberries/rosemary from your yule log recipie. It looked great and tasted great! Everyone wanted the recipie. Thanks for another great recipie.
Hi Kelli, It is usually unsweetened, so make sure you’re using unsweetened. Hope you enjoy the cake!
I’m making this for a birthday, but I need it to be gluten free. Will it drill work if I substitute the cake flour for gluten free flour?
Hi Sally, we haven’t tested it so we’re unsure of the results. Although some readers report using an all-purpose 1:1 gluten-free flour in many of our recipes with success, you should expect slightly different results anytime you substitute ingredients. Let us know if you give it a try!
I tried it with gluten free flour and its great! We did a tester and tasted that – its delicious. Love these recipes.
Can I use 3, 8 inch cake pans? more or less baking time? Thank you.
Hi Doreen, You can use 8 inch pans with no changes to the recipe. The bake time will about the same for 8 inch pans, but use a toothpick to test for doneness. Happy baking!
Best ever!
Can I make 6” layers using this recipe and cutting the recipe in half?
Hi Suzanne, 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!
This recipe was amazing! I made it for my grandmas birthday and it was perfect. The flavor was spot on and was just delicious.
Can I leave the coconut flakes out?
Hi Jenn, You can leave out the coconut flakes. The cake is still plenty sweet. You will lose some flavor and bulk, though.
I LOVE coconut cake and want to make this for Christmas, but would like to make it in 6” pans. Would I cut the recipe in half?
Thank you!
Hi Elise, 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 know I am late but my husband likes coconut cake, I want to make this for Thanksgiving tomorrow, but don’t have sour cream, is there a substitute?
Thanks
Hi Sue, the best substitute would be full fat plain yogurt.
Can the cake layers be made a head and frozen or wrapped and refrigerated?
Absolutely! Here’s our directions for freezing cakes.
I am planning on trying this for thanksgiving this week. Since it only calls for egg whites, do you think it would be okay to buy the carton of egg whites instead of separating eggs?
Thanks
Hi Kathryn, yes, you can use carton egg whites. The carton should give measurements for substituting for real egg whites.
Does this cake have to be refrigerated?
Hi Terri, with the cream cheese in the frosting, it’s best to keep the cake stored in the refrigerator for freshness. We also recommend refrigerating it for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving so that the cuts are cleaner.
I made this cake for my mom’s 62nd birthday. She’s always wanted a coconut lemon cake and I decided to cave and try out a new recipe. This cake was such a hit it was gone within ten minutes! I made a lemon buttercream separately but the actual cake was the star. So fluffy, moist, and with a nice texture. Everyone was happy with this and I’ve been dying for an opportunity to make another one! Thank you so much for such an excellent recipe!
I can find lots of sweetened condensed coconut milk, but the recipe says only “sweetened”. I just needed clarification that the milk called for in the recipe is sweetened condensed coconut milk. Thank you! It is an absolutely amazing recipe.
Hi Andrea! This recipe calls for “canned coconut milk” which is NOT sweetened. See recipe notes for details!
Dear Sally, I’m excited to make this cake for my graddad’s birthday! As I have only one cake pan, do you think the batter will hold up nicely in the bowl if I bake the cake layers in 3 separate batches?
Hi Suncica, Yes you can bake the layers in batches, you can leave the remaining batter at room temperature while it waits.
Hi! My husband loves coconut cakes and I am planning to make one for him on his birthday, would it be ok to add some strawberries in the middle with the frosting?
Hi Georgina, absolutely! Hope the cake is a hit.
Hey Sally! I love this recipe and I make it super often. Can this recipe be doubled? Or should I make it in 2 separate batches? Any tips for knowing whether or not a recipe can be doubled vs having to make in batches? I think this would also be a great section to add to the “notes” part of your future recipes 🙂
Hi Chelsea! For best results, we recommend making two separate batches rather than doubling. This is a good rule of thumb for cake/cupcake recipes, as doubling the ingredients can make it harder to mix and result in over mixing the batter. Over mixing leads to especially dense cakes. Hope this helps!
Should the egg whites be beaten and fluffy then added or just egg whites as they are added to the batter?
Thank you!
Hi Nancy, no need to beat them first. Just add the egg whites. Enjoy!
This is my go to recipe for coconut cakes! We use it for every birthday. Thank you so much the cakes turn out perfect every time!
I made this for my mom’s birthday and it was DELICIOUS. Perfect balance of coconut and the icing was amazing. I have added this to my recipe book for birthdays to come!
I accidentally bought coconut cream instead of milk. Can I still use it?
A very easy recipe. Can’t wait to eat it!
Hi JoAnn, Coconut cream is too thick for this cake batter. We recommend the canned coconut milk, which is part coconut cream.
Great recipe. Making for the second time. Delicious!
I made the batter an put into 3 x 9 inch pans. It came out thin
I don’t know what I did wrong, I followed the recipe step by step and used all special products. Coconut milk in can, cake flour
Hi Terri, 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.
Could this be made into a sheet cake using a 12×17 inch pan? If so, how long would the baking time be?
Hi Erin, Here is everything you need to know about converting recipes to different Cake Pan Sizes.