Coconut Cake

Homemade Coconut Cake Recipe

A fluffy, moist coconut cake with an underlying buttery richness finished with a creamy coconut frosting and topped with toasted coconut. If you love coconut, you will love this Coconut Cake! It’s simple and easy to make, and I’ll show you How to Toast Coconut in the Microwave while the cake is baking.

I first made this Coconut Cake for my daughter, Charlotte, for her birthday. People raved about this cake! My Mom loved it so much that she wanted it for her birthday cake, too. So I’ve made it twice this year, and it’s definitely the cake I want for my next birthday. I wonder how it would taste frosted with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting with added coconut extract.

This cake is also perfect for bridal or baby showers, potlucks, and the upcoming Easter Holiday. All good excuses to make it again. 😉 I love this Coconut Cake, and I hope you do, too.

Recipes Perfect for Easter

How to Make Coconut Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
With a stand mixer or handheld mixer, mix together the flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, and salt until combined.
Next, add the softened butter and mix on low. Scrape the sides down halfway through until it becomes a sand-like texture.
In a large glass measuring cup or quart-size bowl, whisk together the milk, egg whites, coconut extract, and vanilla extract.
With the mixer on low, add 1 cup of the egg mixture to the flour-butter mixture. Scrape the sides down, and add the rest of the egg mixture. Beat on medium-low for 30 seconds or until the batter is really smooth.
Next, pour the batter into the prepared 9×13 dish.
Bake at 350 degrees for 32-36 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Let the cake completely cool before frosting it.

Step-by-Step Photos for How to Make Coconut Cake Frosting

Frequently Asked Questions about How to Make Coconut Cake

How do you make toasted coconut?

Click on How to Toast Coconut in the Microwave for the instructions. While the cake is baking, I toast the coconut, so it will have time to cool down before sprinkling it on top of the frosting.

Can I use store-bought egg whites?

Yes. Measure out enough for 6 large eggs, and let it come to room temperature.

What should I do with the leftover egg yolks?

You can use them to make Easy Homemade Lemon Curd, ice cream, or pastry cream.

Will this recipe work as a layered cake?

Yes. You can use two 9-inch round cake pans, and make 1 1/2 times the frosting.

What is a good substitute for the heavy cream in the frosting?

Evaporated milk or whole milk are good substitutions.

Baker’s Tools for Coconut Cake:

Coconut Cake

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

32 mins

Total time

52 mins

Author: Maria, Adapted from Fresh April Flours

Recipe type: Dessert/Cake

Serves: 20

Ingredients

Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
1¾ cups granulated sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
¾ cup softened butter, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup whole milk, room temperature
6 large egg whites, room temperature
1½ tsp coconut extract
½ tsp vanilla extract
Frosting:
2½ cups powdered sugar
½ cup butter, softened
⅛ tsp sea salt
1 tsp coconut extract
A drop of vanilla extract
2 tbsp heavy cream
Topping:
¾ cup toasted coconut

Instructions

Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
With a stand mixer or handheld mixer, mix together the flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, and salt until combined.
Next, add the softened butter and mix on low. Scrape the sides down halfway through until it becomes a sand-like texture.
In a large glass measuring cup or quart-size bowl, whisk together the milk, egg whites, coconut extract, and vanilla extract.
With the mixer on low, add 1 cup of the egg mixture to the flour-butter mixture. Scrape the sides down, and add the rest of the egg mixture. Beat on medium-low for 30 seconds or until the batter is really smooth.
Next, pour the batter into the prepared 9x13 dish.
Bake at 350 degrees for 32-36 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Let the cake completely cool before frosting it. While the cake is baking, toast the coconut so it has time to cool down.
Frosting:
In a large bowl with a handheld mixer, cream together the powdered sugar, softened butter, sea salt, coconut extract, a drop of vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of heavy cream. If needed, add another tablespoon of heavy cream until the frosting reaches the consistency you want.
Next, place dollops of the frosting on the cake, and evenly spread the frosting with the back of a spoon over the top of the cooled cake.
Finally, sprinkle the toasted coconut on top of the frosting.
Enjoy!