Incredible Easy Coconut Cake Recipe (From Scratch)

This homemade Coconut Cake is simple, but has amazing coconut flavor. Cream of coconut adds flavor and moisture, and a cream cheese frosting tops it off. A wonderful cake recipe for coconut fans!

I am a huge fan of coconut in just about any form. I love starting the day off with coconut granola, and these toasted coconut chocolate chip cookies are a perfect treat just about any time of day!

Easy Coconut Cake Recipe

I have a fantastic Coconut Bundt Cake recipe, but this one is even easier because it’s made in a regular cake pan. It has a perfect coconut flavor that comes from sweetened cream of coconut, and coconut oil and buttermilk make it nice and moist.

In addition, its topped with homemade cream cheese frosting flavored with coconut extract.  Then there’s that yummy sprinkling of toasted coconut on top. If you love coconut, you’ll be in coconut heaven with this decadent cake!

How to Make Coconut Cake From Scratch

Ingredients needed to make cake:

• flour
• baking powder
• baking soda
• salt
• eggs
• butter
• coconut oil
• granulated sugar
• sweetened cream of coconut (not coconut milk)
• vanilla extract
• buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Beat your egg whites till stiff; set aside.

Cream the butter, coconut oil, and sugar in a large bowl, then beat in the cream of coconut, egg yolks, vanilla. Beat in the dry ingredients and buttermilk. Add the stiff whites and gently fold in.

Pour batter into prepared 9×13″ pan and bake for about 40 minutes. Cool completely before frosting. Sprinkle cooled toasted coconut evenly over the top of the cake.

Tips for Beating Egg Whites:

-When you seperate the eggs, make sure no egg yolk gets into the whites. 

-Make sure your beaters and bowl are squeaky clean. Any grease will prevent the egg whites from beating up as fluffy as they should.

-A metal or glass bowl works best, because grease tends to stick plastic and get in the knicks of the bowl.

-Egg whites whip best at room temperature. Let the eggs sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or place them in a bowl of warm water for about 5 minutes.

How to make Coconut Cake Frosting

Ingredients needed for frosting:

• cream cheese
• butter
• salt
• coconut extract
• powdered sugar
• cream of coconut
• toasted coconut

How to Toast Coconut

Place sweetened shredded coconut it in a single layer in a pie dish or 9×13″ pan. Bake at 350° for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, till coconut is golden brown. The more often you stir it, the more evenly it will brown. Watch closely, it can burn very quickly.

You can also brown it by stirring it over medium heat in a non-stick skillet, but I prefer the oven method.

Can I make this recipe into a layer cake?

Yes, you can. The original recipe comes from Broma Bakery, and Sarah made a two layer cake. For that option, grease 2 9″ round cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper.

Divide the batter between the two pans, and bake for 30-40 minutes. You will probably need to double the frosting, or at least make one and a half batches.

How do I store this cake?

Cover it tightly with plastic wrap. I store mine at room temperature, but it never lasts more than two days at our house. You can store it in the refrigerator and it will keep for several days. I know some people recommend always refrigerating cakes with cream cheese frosting, but I seldom do because I think it dries out the cake. 

I don’t have buttermilk, what can I use as a substitute?

The cake is of course best with fresh buttermilk, but you can make your own substitute. Measure a tablespoon of lemon juice and vinegar into a liquid measuring cup, then add milk to the one cup mark. You can also use sour cream as a replacement.

Do I have to toast the coconut?

I think toasting the coconut adds an incredible amount of flavor and crunch to the cake, but you can of course skip that step. Regular coconut will be chewy rather than crunchy, but it still adds great flavor and texture.

This cake is super tasty right when you make it, but it’s also great the next day. The coconut does loose a little of its crunchiness though. If I’m making it ahead, I only add half of the toasted coconut so it sticks to the frosting. Then I sprinkle the rest on before serving.

I hope you’ll give this cake a try, and let me know how you like it!

MORE TASTY COCONUT TREATS TO TRY:

• Chocolate Chip Coconut Coffee Cake
• Coconut Orange Scones
• Lime Coconut White Chocolate Cookies
• Coconut Filled Sandwich Cookies
• Almond Coconut Cheesecake
• Chocolate Dipped Macaroons

HOMEMADE COCONUT CAKE RECIPE

Easy Coconut Cake

Tender coconut cake topped with luscious coconut cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut.

5 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Cooling Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Course Dessert: Cakes and Cupcakes

Cuisine American

Servings 15 servings

Calories 563 kcal

Equipment

• Coco Real Cream Of Coconut, 2 Pack
• Nature's Way Organic Coconut Oil - 16 oz. 

Ingredients

  

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Cake

• 2 ¾ cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 4 room temperature egg whites
• ½ cup butter softened
• ½ cup coconut oil
• 1 ¾ cups sugar
• 1 cup cream of coconut sweetened, not coconut milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup buttermilk

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

• 4 ounces cream cheese softened
• 5 Tbsp butter softened to room temperature
• 1 pinch salt
• ½ tsp coconut extract
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp cream of coconut more or less

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Beat egg whites in a glass bowl till stiff peaks form. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, coconut oil, and sugar with a hand mixer till creamy. Beat in the cream of coconut, egg yolks and vanilla.
• Add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk. Beat till just combined.
• Gently fold in the stiff egg whites till well incorporated.
• Pour batter into a well greased 9x13" cake pan. Bake at 350° for  40-45 minutes or till toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool completely.

For frosting:

• 1. Beat cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl till smooth and creamy.
• 2.Beat in coconut extract, salt, powdered sugar, and enough cream of coconut to make a spreadable consistency.
• 3. Spread frosting over cooled cake and sprinkle with toasted coconut.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 563kcalCarbohydrates: 81gProtein: 5gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 291mgPotassium: 79mgFiber: 1gSugar: 62gVitamin A: 503IUCalcium: 55mgIron: 1mg

Keyword coconut cake

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Recipe inspired by Broma Bakery.

See all my CAKE RECIPES.