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, Sally. I have a tradition and bake coconut cream cakes for special birthdays. About once a year. Though I’d been doing Keto for some time. I baked your recipe for my birthday, with no alterations! Fabulous. Exception was that I didn’t use sweetened coconut. But toasted 2 cups wide unsweetened coconut flakes from the health store, for about 5 minutes at 325, until dark golden brown. Then toasted 2 cups raw sliced almonds. When I was spreading the frosting in layers & top & sides, I pressed the toppings into the icing. All the different textures, and full flavor was an incredible treat. My skinny son, who’s not keen on pies/cakes…ate at least a third of the cake, in 2 days.
I made this cake last night, I’m new at cake baking and was apprehensive. I followed the recipe to the letter with no subs and checked for doneness at the “21 minute” mark. The cake turned out perfect!!! It is absolutely delicious and beautiful!!! Very moist, fluffy and sweet. Thanks for the great recipe.
One word of caution…this cake cooks very fast at 350 degrees. Not sure if it’s the combination of ingredients or the temp. You should definitely check and consider removing at 21 minutes.
The cake turned out great! Although I just used 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar and I would also recommend to change the frosting for something fluffier like a whipped cream frosting or something like that. My family loved it regardless. Great recipe.
Oh My God!
I made this cake and it was an absolutely delicious, super moist and full of flavor coconut cake.
Thank you so much for the great recipes♥️
Great recipe, although I subbed 1/4 cup applesauce and 1/4 cup canola oil for the 3/4 cup butter to reduce trans fats. I also cut sugar down to 1 cup. I usually only do 1 cup sugar for 2 cups flour as a rule. Sweet enough for me. The cake is beautiful and delicious!! I would have preferred a little more coconut extract.
For frosting I used 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese, powered sugar and vanilla and coconut extracts. No butter.
I have a question. I don’t see any oil in the batter. That seemed unusual to me. Is it because of the 1/2 cup of sour cream. Just wondering. I am making this cake for Easter tomorrow. Hope you are well and Happy Easter to you and your family
Thanks Saundra and same to you! No oil necessary for this cake; it would weigh it down.
First, my batter was NOT thick. This always concerns me but going over the ingredients I used everything that was called for and the mixture was not lumpy at all. The cake turned out very flat. It kept me awake all night! It dawned on my that maybe I was supposed to whip the egg whites prior to adding to the mixture but when I got up did not see that in any instructions. What went wrong? Ideas? VERY disappointed! 🙁
Hi Melanie! No need to whip the egg whites. I’m concerned that your batter was thin. Did it resemble the photo at all? Did you make any ingredient substitutions or leave out the coconut?
Hi Sally. I’m wanting to try your recipe but I’ve been making coconut cream cakes for years and this it the first recipe I’ve seen that doesn’t call for pecans. Have you tried it with pecans?
I don’t normally add pecans to regular coconut cake, but that sounds delicious! I’d try about 1 cup of chopped pecans.
Third time making this…first time requested as a birthday cake! Delicious!
Should the egg whites be whipped separately to a soft peek or anything ?
Hi Lea, It’s not necessary for this recipe. Enjoy!
Hi Sally! I want to make one of your coconut cakes for our Easter celebration this year. I had planned to make your Lemon Coconut cake with the lemon curd, but then I found this cake. I love the lemon/coconut combo, but I’m looking for a super light and fluffy cake like this recipe describes. Can I use this cake recipe instead of the one in the Lemon Coconut cake recipe? Or is it too light to use with the lemon curd and cream cheese frosting? Thank you in advance!
Hi Megan, You can certainly make this cake and then use the lemon curd and cream cheese frosting between the layers. Enjoy!
This cake is incredible. Moist like you describe! Saw it on your instagram and baked it that very night. Luckily we had all the ingredients! Thanks for sharing the recipe Sally.
How many grams of egg whites?
Hi Beth! 1 large egg white is approximately 30 grams, so for 5 eggs you would need 150 grams.
Is it possible to omit the coconut flakes in the cake? If yes, do I need to up the sugar? Super excited to try this. We L O V E coconut cake!
You can leave out the coconut. The cake is still plenty sweet, trust me. You will lose some flavor and bulk, though.
Hi! I have three 10 inch cake pans. Would this recipe possibly work in either two of them or all three? Thanks! 🙂
Hi Natalie, You can read all about changing the size of a cake in my post on Cake Pan Sizes and Conversions.
This cake was incredible! I made a couple of mistakes along the way (wrong amount of coconut and vanilla extract) and didn’t have enough powdered sugar for the icing so tried to make my own at home with the food processor which led to a grainier texture than I would have preferred, but the flavor was amazing and my family ate the entire cake. My husband isn’t generally a fan of coconut but he even raved about this cake.
I’m leaving only a 3 star because my cake turned out super dense and heavy. Not sure where I went wrong. My ingredients were all at room temp., maybe I over beat it? Also didn’t taste a lot of coconut flavor in the cake. Disappointing, do you have any suggestions? It seems like just looking at the ingredients it should be fantastic.
Hi S Stanley! Without knowing exactly what could have went wrong, let me share my How to Prevent Dry and Dense Cakes page with you. You’ll find a lot of helpful information there. Thanks for trying my coconut cake!
I did everything as the recipe calls for and it turned out awesome. It was my husband’s birthday cake and he said it’s the best cake ever. I find it to taste best at room temperature and not directly out of the refrigerator. Warming a slice for 10 seconds in microwave makes it even better
This cake is amazing! I baked it for my stepdaughter’s birthday. She said it may be her favorite cake of all I’ve ever made! My whole family and I were impressed. Thanks for the recipe!! (I’ve used several of your recipes, and they ALWAYS come out wonderfully!)
I want to make this for Easter, but we won’t be having our large family gathering this year. If I cut the ingredients in half will it fit into two 6-inch pans? Or three 6-inch pans?
You can use my coconut cupcakes batter for 3 6 inch cake pans. (Skip the caramel filling and chocolate frosting.) You can halve this frosting recipe instead.
A absolutely love your site! You’ve become my first stop for all my baking needs!
Do you think I could add some chopped toasted pecans to the batter to make this sort of like an Italian Cream Cake, or do you think that would change the light, fluffy nature of this cake? Thanks in advance. I’m excited to try this recipe!
Thank you so much, Sara! This batter should stand up to toasted pecans. I recommend chopping them into smaller pieces so that they don’t all sink. Let me know if you try it!
This cake was so buttery and delicious! I highly recommend making it again!! Very beautiful and white everything! The texture of the cake was so fluffy like a cloud! The frosting was absolutely perfect ! A buttery coconut dream!
To anyone looking for it, the total calories for the recipe worked out to 10,881 for the full list of ingredients by weight, including icing. I worked out the calories to 604 for 18 slices, I made a 9 x 13in layer cake and spread the icing evenly over top. This is delicious and well worth it. The number will vary depending on your brands though. I used WF 365 cream cheese, 365 powdered sugar, 365 canned coconut milk, King Arthur unbleached unenriched cake flour, Kate’s unsalted butter, and Daisy sour cream.
Excellent! Love the added coconut and cream cheese!
I made this for my cousin and she loved it. I did however used sales butter and did not add salt. Came out delicious and moist!
Hi Sally, I am a huge fan of your site and recipes! I really appreciate all the helpful tips and instructions! I made your coconut cake yesterday and fell in love with how easy the recipe was and how beautifully it turned out! I’m looking forward to trying the pistachio and strawberry versions! Can I substitute pasteurized egg whites in a carton for fresh egg whites? Thanks!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this cake! I think you will love the strawberry and pistachio cakes also. You should be able to use liquid egg whites in the cakes.
Made this for my dad’s 85th birthday party. This cake is amazing. I followed the tips and made the layer cake. It was very pretty but the taste is what everyone raved about. So moist, just delicious in every way. I have a small recipe book of absolute family favorites (we have about 20 for our gatherings). This will definitely be going in my book even though 3 of the 20 do not eat coconut in any form. I will make this for the rest of us and have another dessert for those 3 that are missing out!:)
I made this cake for my daughters 3rd birthday as a single layer. I wasn’t sure about the icing for kids so rather made the icing with regular icing sugar mix (as we call it in Australia) and lime juice. It went together well though of course doesnt have the appearance of buttercream. The coconut cake keeps very well and remains moist for days! Lovely recipe!
All I could find is regular coconut milk it has a 1g of sugar for 1/3 cup- should I put less sugar in the cake or frosting? Thanks!
My sister had knee surgery last week and sent me the link to this recipe after her first PT session. She said she was having a “cake emergency”. I made the cake and it was a hit with family and friends. My brother-in-law said it was the best dessert he’d had in 35 years!!! I will definitely be making this cake again. It was perfectly perfect.
I was craving haupia cake, but couldn’t find a recipe that sounded good. I changed my search to coconut and found this one. It is delicious! The frosting is a little sweet, but the cake is so moist and light; I could eat it without frosting.