Easy Coconut Cake Recipe

Coconut lovers rejoice! This easy-to-make, moist coconut cake is so fantastic your friends and family will ask for seconds. Whether you need a holiday cake, a birthday cake, or a Sunday dinner dessert, your whole family will enjoy every crumb of this delicious coconut cake recipe.

This starts with a boxed cake. It is not a from-scratch cake, but a doctored cake mix cake. It is super simple to make, a surprisingly fluffy cake, and not at all dry. It is a very moist cake that is so good that it will not last long!

Easy Coconut Cake Recipe

This easy coconut cake recipe is also one of the very best coconut cake recipes you can make!

How do you make a coconut cake?

Step 1. Preheat oven to 350°F, and line, grease, and flour two baking pans.
Step 2. Microwave butter, then add it and the coconut milk, eggs, and coconut extract to a large mixing bowl and mix.
Step 3. Add cake mix to mixing bowl, mix.
Step 4. Fold in shredded coconut.
Step 5. Divide and pour cake batter into the prepared pans, bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Step 6. Cool cake layers and then frost.

Tips and variations for making this coconut cake recipe:

● Do not use coconut cream as it is too thick. Use full fat, unsweetened canned coconut milk as listed (it is part coconut cream).
● Use room temperature butter.
● In the United States, ½ cup butter = 1 stick, 1 cup butter = 2 sticks.
● In the United States, 8 ounces of cream cheese = 1 brick.
● For my UK and Australian friends: confectioners’ sugar is icing sugar (powdered sugar, 10x).
● Use sweetened shredded coconut as it is moister than unsweetened coconut.
● If you do not like toasted coconut, do not toast your garnish coconut.
● If you would like to mix a little food coloring into your (untoasted) coconut to dress it up for a holiday or birthday cake, go for it!
● If you would like colored frosting, add the food color or gel while mixing the frosting in the mixing bowl (before frosting the cake).
● How to grease and flour a baking pan.
● For best results, bake your cakes on the middle baking rack in your oven whenever possible.
● I have not made this with a hand mixer, only a stand mixer.
● This recipe uses common ingredients found in the baking aisle of your local grocery store.
● Instead of the frosting listed, you may want to top your cake using one of these terrific frosting recipes: Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting Recipe or Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe or Classic Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe

If you like cake, you will love these terrific from-scratch cake recipes:

● Piña Colada Cake Recipe
● Best Vanilla Cake Recipe
● Perfect Chocolate Cake Recipe

Easy Coconut Cake Ingredients:

For the Cake:

● ½ cup Unsalted Butter
● 1 cup Unsweetened, Canned Coconut Milk
● 4 large Eggs
● ½ teaspoon Coconut Extract
● 1 box White Cake Mix
● 1 cup Sweetened Shredded Coconut

For the Frosting:

● 1 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
● 8 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
● 5 cups sifted Confectioners’ Sugar
● ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
● ½ teaspoon Coconut Extract

For the Garnish:

● 2 cups Sweetened Shredded Coconut

Coconut Cake Mise en Place:

● 2 9-inch Cake Pans (round)
● Stand Mixer
● Measuring Cup
● Measuring Spoons
● Spatula
● Sifter
● Parchment Paper
● Bowl(s)
● Wire Rack
● Cake Stand or Cake Plate
● Piping Bag
● Frosting Tip
● Frosting Knife

Easy Coconut Cake Recipe Directions:

For the Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and generously grease and flour 2 (9-inch) baking pan. Line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper.

2. Microwave ½ cup of unsalted butter in a large bowl for 45 seconds or until melted.

3. Using a stand mixer, pour in the melted butter and then add the coconut milk, eggs, and coconut extract. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes.

4. Add the cake mix and beat on low speed for 1 minute to incorporate the dry ingredients and then increase the speed to high speed and beat for another minute.

5. Add the shredded coconut and fold it in by hand.

6. Pour the cake batter, divided as evenly as possible, into the prepared cake pans.

7. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
8. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10-minute before removing it from the pan and letting it cool completely on a wire cooling rack before frosting.

For the Frosting:

9. In a large bowl of an electric mixer combine the softened butter and cream cheese and beat the cream cheese mixture on high for 5 minutes or until it is light and fluffy.

10. Add a cup of confectioners sugar, one cup at a time, and beat on low until all the sugar is incorporated.
11. Increase the speed to high and beat for another 3 to 5 minutes or until the frosting is stiff but fluffy.

12. Add the vanilla and coconut extract and beat for another minute.

For the Garnish:

13. Place the coconut flakes in a cool dry pan.
14. Place it on medium heat and stir continuously for 5 minutes or until toasted. Makes sure not to burn. Let it cool completely.

To Assemble:

15. Reserve 1 cup of the prepared frosting to pipe decorative motifs on top of the cake.

16. Slater 1 cup of prepared frosting on one layer of the cake. Place the other layer and use the remaining frosting to cover the top and around the cake.

17. Cover the sides and top of the cake with toasted coconut.

18. Place the reserved frosting in a piping bag, fitted with a Wilton 1M tip. Pipe your favorite pattern on top of the cake. We went with ice cream swirls. You can do rosettes or ruffle mounds.

19. Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours before serving.

20. Keep the leftovers in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap in the fridge.

Yield: 1

Easy Coconut Cake Recipe

Print

Easy Coconut Cake Recipe. Coconut lovers rejoice! This easy-to-make, moist coconut cake is so fantastic your friends and family will ask for seconds. Whether you need a holiday cake, a birthday cake, or a Sunday dinner dessert, your whole family will enjoy every crumb of this delicious coconut cake recipe.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

• For the Cake:
• ½ cup Unsalted Butter
• 1 cup Unsweetened, Canned Coconut Milk
• 4 large Eggs
• ½ teaspoon Coconut Extract
• 1 box White Cake Mix
• 1 cup Sweetened Shredded Coconut
• For the Frosting:
• 1 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
• 8 ounces Cream Cheese, softened
• 5 cups sifted Confectioners' Sugar
• ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• ½ teaspoon Coconut Extract
• For the Garnish:
• 2 cups Sweetened Shredded Coconut

Instructions

1. For the Cake:
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F and generously grease and flour 2 (9-inch) baking pan. Line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper.
3. Microwave ½ cup of unsalted butter in a large bowl for 45 seconds or until melted.
4. Using a stand mixer, pour in the melted butter and then add the coconut milk, eggs, and coconut extract. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes.
5. Add the cake mix and beat on low speed for 1 minute to incorporate the dry ingredients and then increase the speed to high speed and beat for another minute.
6. Add the shredded coconut and fold it in by hand.
7. Pour the cake batter, divided as evenly as possible, into the prepared cake pans.
8. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
9. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10-minute before removing it from the pan and letting it cool completely on a wire cooling rack before frosting.
10. For the Frosting:
11. In a large bowl of an electric mixer combine the softened butter and cream cheese and beat the cream cheese mixture on high for 5 minutes or until it is light and fluffy.
12. Add a cup of confectioners sugar, one cup at a time, and beat on low until all the sugar is incorporated.
13. Increase the speed to high and beat for another 3 to 5 minutes or until the frosting is stiff but fluffy.
14. Add the vanilla and coconut extract and beat for another minute.
15. For the Garnish:
16. Place the coconut flakes in a cool dry pan.
17. Place it on medium heat and stir continuously for 5 minutes or until toasted. Makes sure not to burn. Let it cool completely.
18. Assembly:
19. Reserve 1 cup of the prepared frosting to pipe decorative motifs on top of the cake.
20. Slater 1 cup of prepared frosting on one layer of the cake. Place the other layer and use the remaining frosting to cover the top and around the cake.
21. Cover the sides and top of the cake with toasted coconut.
22. Place the reserved frosting in a piping bag, fitted with a Wilton 1M tip. Pipe your favorite pattern on top of the cake. We went with ice cream swirls. You can do rosettes or ruffle mounds.
23. Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours before serving.
24. Keep the leftovers in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap in the fridge.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  GiftBay Gold Wedding Cake Stand Round 22", Aluminum Metal
• 
  Loire Glass Square 7.75 inch Cake Stand - Blue
• 
  Godinger Dublin Cake Plate Cake Stand,12 inches

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 629Total Fat: 42gSaturated Fat: 28gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 142mgSodium: 171mgCarbohydrates: 62gFiber: 2gSugar: 56gProtein: 5g

Note: for exact nutritional information, consult your dietitian. All nutritional information provided is simply a guideline.

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