Coconut Cake
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This coconut cake recipe makes a beautifully soft, fluffy layer cake with rich coconut flavor in every bite. Perfect for birthdays, holidays, or just because.
This coconut cake recipe has been a favorite in my family for years. It’s rich and coconutty, with tangy cream cheese frosting and plenty of shredded coconut. Using egg whites instead of whole eggs gives the cake a light, delicate texture.
I use a reverse-creaming method, which simply means mixing the butter into the dry ingredients before adding the liquid. It may sound unusual, but it makes the cake exceptionally tender. The result is an impressive and delicious layer cake that’s simple to make and especially nice for Easter, birthdays, and other celebrations.
“Can easily vouch, this is one of the absolute BEST coconut cake recipes ever…I’ve also made this recipe into cupcakes and they bake up just as beautifully.”
What You’ll Need To Make Coconut Cake
- Flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt: These are whisked together at the start of the recipe. For the best texture, measure the flour using the spoon-and-level method rather than scooping it directly from the bag.
- Unsalted butter: Make sure it’s softened but still slightly cool to the touch. The butter gets mixed directly into the dry ingredients as part of the reverse-creaming method.
- Egg whites: Using whites instead of whole eggs helps give the cake its light, delicate texture.
- Canned coconut milk: Use full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk from a can—not refrigerated coconut milk beverage. Look for a brand that contains a stabilizer such as guar gum, which helps keep the coconut milk evenly emulsified and gives the cake a more consistent texture.
- Vanilla and coconut extracts: Vanilla rounds out the flavor, while coconut extract gives the cake a more pronounced coconut taste.
- Cream cheese frosting: The tanginess of the frosting is a nice counterpoint to the sweet coconut cake.
- Sweetened shredded coconut: Creates the snowy coconut coating and adds texture and coconut flavor to every bite.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Coconut Cake
Mix the wet and dry ingredients: Whisk together the coconut milk, egg whites, vanilla, and coconut extract in a measuring cup or bowl with a pouring spout. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Make the batter: Add the butter to the dry ingredients and mix until the mixture looks crumbly and sandy. This is the reverse-creaming method, and while it may look a little unusual at this stage, that’s exactly what you want. Gradually add the coconut milk mixture and mix just until the batter is smooth.
Bake the cake layers: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake until the cakes are lightly golden and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let them cool briefly in the pans before turning them out onto a rack to cool completely.
Make the cream cheese frosting: Beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, coconut extract, and salt until smooth and light. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, then beat until the frosting is fluffy.
Assemble the cake: Once the layers are completely cool, place the first layer top side down on a serving plate and spread with frosting. Set the second layer on top, then frost the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle coconut over the top and gently press more onto the sides.
Serve or store: For the best flavor and texture, serve the cake at room temperature. If it’s been refrigerated, take it out ahead of time so the cake can soften and the frosting can lose its chill. See the recipe card below for detailed make-ahead and storage instructions.
More Coconut Desserts You’ll Love
Coconut Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- ¾ cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
- 6 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off
- 1½ cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
For the Frosting
- 12 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon coconut extract
- Pinch salt
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1½ cups sweetened flaked coconut
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position. Spray two 9-in (23-cm) round cake pans with nonstick spray with flour. Line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper circles; lightly spray the parchment.
- In a large liquid measuring cup or bowl with a pouring spout, whisk together the coconut milk, egg whites, vanilla extract, and coconut extract.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds to combine. Add the butter and continue mixing on low until the mixture is crumbly and moistened, about 2 minutes. Add the coconut milk and egg white mixture in 3 separate additions, mixing on medium speed for about 2 minutes after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly golden and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pans on a rack for 15 minutes, then invert onto the rack to cool completely.
For the Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, coconut extract, and salt. Mix on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until aerated and light, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, mixing on low to combine. Once all of the sugar is mixed in, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until fluffy, about 1 minute.
- After the cake layers have completely cooled, assemble and frost the cake: place 1 layer on a flat serving plate, top side down, and spread with a third of the frosting. Place the second layer on top, top side up, and frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle the top of the cake with coconut and lightly press more coconut onto the sides.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Hi Jenn,
Can I bake your coconut cake recipe in a loaf pan instead of making layers? If yes, do I need to make any adjustments in the recipe?
My family always enjoys your recipes!
Hi Jan, so glad you like the recipes! This cake is relatively delicate, and I don’t think it would translate well to a loaf pan – sorry!
Hi. What do you think about toasting the coconut first? It seems to me that might be more flavourful- perhaps it’s that the white coconut looks prettier than if it were browned?
Yes that’s perfectly fine to do. Please LMK how the cake comes out!
I was going to make this cake in a 9 x 13 pan due to my lack of neatness and skill frosting a layer cake. However, I got over my trepidation and sailed forth making the layer cake. It was the most wonderful experience being able to successfully frost and decorate this amazing cake. It came out wonderfully for the birthday gal I gave this to and she swooned with joy at the sight and taste of the finished cake! We enjoyed it immensely at the birthday party. Thank you, Jenn!!
Hi!
I made this cake two days ago in prep for a dinner party tonight. The little I sampled tastes yummy. And it looks beautiful! However, I ran into a problem… the frosting was way too thin. I checked my measurements and they looked correct. I thought maybe the butter and cream cheese were beyond room temp cuz it was hot here when I did the work. But even after the frosting being in the fridge all night, It was still thin. I didn’t want to add more sugar cuz I didn’t want it sweeter, even though that prob would have helped the consistency. I put the entire frosted cake in the freezer and will keep it there until tonight. It’s 98º here and I’m concerned we’re going to have a coconut waterfall tonight! 🙂 Either way, I’m sure it will be real good.
Has any one else had this issue? And what do I do next time to avoid a repeat? Thanks.
Hi Cindy, I hope the cake came out okay last night. By its nature, cream cheese frosting is not as stiff as other frostings. If you want to try it again, I’d weigh the confectioners’ sugar (it can be hard to get an accurate measure with a measuring cup), make sure the cream cheese and butter aren’t too warm, and if it’s still thinner then you’d like, you can add a little more cream cheese. You could also consider an alternative frosting like swiss meringue buttercream.
This cake turned out so good and moist. I’ve shared the recipe with friends and family. One of the things I need to master is placing frosting and the shredded coconut on the side of the double layer round cake. Yikes, it’s a challenge.
Hey Jenn, would store bought egg whites from cartons work as well.
Hi Joseph, I don’t recommend store-bought egg whites – sorry!
Thank you Jenn for the quick response. I’ll do fresh egg whites.
Made this for my husband’s birthday and he and everyone loved it! Thanks for all your delicious recipes!
Hi,
Can I use coconut flakes? Can’t find shredded coconut anywhere.
Hi Sara, you can, but it will have a crunchier texture and won’t be sweet. You can also omit the coconut; the cake will still be delicious.
Hi Jenn
Happy new year! Can I use this cake recipe as a base for a coconut tres leches cake? Do you think the cake will hold the tres leches well?
Thank you
Mirza
Happy New Year! What you’re suggesting sounds delicious, but this cake is pretty delicate and I don’t think it will hold up well to the tres leches. Sorry!
Best coconut cake ever !! I made this for my first time yesterday and got rave reviews. I have to admit the cake was wonderful. Incredible icing, with super flavor. I followed the recipe completely. I put it in the fridge as suggested and found that it was much tastier when left at room temperature. This will definitely be a go to cake recipe. Thanks so much, your recipes are always fantastic !
Can the frosting be made the day before and refrigerated? Thanks for any help.
Sure. Before you plan to frost the cake, bring the frosting to room temperature and mix it briefly in the mixer. Enjoy!