Fluffiest Coconut Cake Recipe

Dec 04, 2023

By Jesse Szewczyk

4.0

(4)

Active Time

30 minutes

Total Time

1 hour 5 minutes (plus cooling and resting)

A good coconut cake recipe can be made in any season, for any occasion. There’s just something about the fluffy, coconut-crusted cake that transforms any get-together into a party (bring coconut cake to a gathering and suddenly it’s a bash!). While there are countless ways to make this classic cake, this version keeps things simple with a fuss-free white cake enrobed in frosting with a robust layer of shredded coconut. The cake layers are fluffy yet moist with a hint of coconut coming from both coconut milk and coconut extract. While the latter ingredient helps drive home the coconut flavor, if you can’t find it in your grocery store, you can omit it. The flavor won’t be as coconutty but still plenty delicious.

The frosting, made with both butter and cream cheese, strikes the perfect balance of tart, sweet, and creamy. Coconut milk and extract make themselves known in the frosting as well, lending it a pronounced, but not overpowering, flavor.

The ruffled shredded sweetened coconut exterior, though, is the star of the show, providing a welcomed textural contrast to the delicate cake. While the presentation is dramatic, it’s as easy as pressing the coconut into the freshly frosted sides of the cake, using the frosting as glue. To ensure the coconut doesn’t fall off, let your cake rest for 30 minutes after pressing the shredded coconut into the sides before cutting into it. As it sits, the frosting firms up and locks the coconut in place.

Read about coconut cake history and check out our guide to types of cake →

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9-Inch Round Cake Pans

$26 $22 At Amazon

Coconut Extract

$4 At Amazon

Vanilla Extract

$20 At Amazon

12 servings

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Lightly coat two 9"-diameter cake pans with nonstick vegetable oil spray and line each with a parchment paper round. Whisk 3¼ cups (406 g) all-purpose flour, 2½ tsp. baking powder, and 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a large bowl to combine. Whisk 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract, and 2 tsp. coconut extract (if using), in a medium bowl until combined.

Beat 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar and 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With motor running on medium speed, add 6 large egg whites, room temperature, one at a time, waiting until incorporated before adding the next, about 2 minutes total. Reduce speed to low and, with motor running, gradually add dry ingredients a spoonful at a time, scraping down sides as needed and mixing until only a few lumps of unincorporated flour are left (paste should be mostly smooth), about 1 minute. Gradually stream in coconut milk mixture, scraping down sides as needed and mixing until incorporated and smooth.

Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake both cakes on middle rack, rotating pans front to back halfway through, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and edges are starting to pull away from sides of pan, 33–38 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack and let cakes cool in pans 30 minutes.

Run an offset spatula around edges of cake, then turn out onto rack and carefully remove parchment paper; discard. Let cakes cool completely. Trim off mounds on tops to create a flat surface on each cake if needed.

Beat 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature, 1½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, 2 cups (220 g) powdered sugar, sifted, 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, and ¼ tsp. coconut extract (if using) in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed, scraping down sides as needed, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. (Don’t fret if the frosting looks slightly broken.) If it’s too thick, add unsweetend coconut milk a tablespoonful at a time, beating until thick but swooshable.

Place 1 cake layer, right side up, on a cake stand or large plate. Scoop 1 cup frosting on top and spread into an even layer with an offset spatula or spoon. Place second cake layer, upside down, on top. Spread top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Press 3 cups shredded sweetened coconut into sides and top to cover cake in an even layer. Let cake sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes to allow frosting to firm up slightly so the coconut adheres before serving.

Do ahead: Cake can be assembled 1 day ahead. Cover with a cake dome or large inverted bowl or lightly drape in plastic wrap and chill. Let sit at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

How would you rate Fluffy and Fabulous Coconut Cake?

Leave a Review

This was a great cake. The lemon juice in the frosting was a great touch and really made this cake stand out from the sea of coconut cakes out there. Really delivered on the flavor and recipe was clear and easy to follow. 10/10 would make again!

Kassandra

Calabasas, CA

8/22/2023

I absolutely adore this delectable cake! So beautiful

Azalea B

New York City

8/22/2023

This is one of the best cakes i've ever made and eaten!! Any recipe by Jesse is so well researched and fool proof.

Abbi

Littleneck

8/22/2023

sooooo obsessed with this cake, ate 3 slices in one sitting!!

barb

danville, california

8/22/2023

Same question. Seems like more and more recipes on this site have inaccurate/incomplete instructions.

Anonymous

Oakville, Ontario

8/19/2023

In the list of ingredients, it says you need 6 egg whites, but in the instructions, it says put in 6 eggs. Which is it?

Maxine R.

Boise, ID

8/18/2023

Website is becoming worthless . Support is horrible . they don’t realize that most any recipe is a web search away. wise up!

Fed up

PVB FL

8/18/2023