Classic Coconut Cake

This Classic Coconut Cake is the perfect Easter dessert! Light and fluffy with a cream cheese frosting laced with the essence of sweet coconut!

Classic Coconut Cake

I have been craving coconut cake for soooooo long and when I got a ton of flours from Bob’s Red Mill in the mail, yeah that’s right, Bob sends me FLOURS, maybe Matt will get the hint and start getting me FLOWERS to compete. Kidding! Kinda 😉

And let me tell ya, light and airy is exactly what this cake is! I whipped my egg whites separately and then folded them into the batter for even more airiness. But it doesn’t have the texture of say a chiffon or angel food cake, it’s still quite moist! It’s exactly the kind of cake you’d want to make for Easter Sunday, or any day for that matter.

I love that the coconut carries just a sweet hint throughout the cake and the tang of the cream cheese in the frosting brings the whole thing to life. The frosting is silky and rich and when you sound it with a layer of minced coconut, you’re in for a real treat!

5 from 6 votes

Classic Coconut Cake

Author Rebecca Hubbell

Course Dessert

Cuisine Asian

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 10 servings

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This Classic Coconut Cake is the perfect Easter dessert! Light and fluffy with a cream cheese frosting laced with the essence of sweet coconut!

Ingredients

  

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Cake:

• ▢ 4 large egg whites room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1⅓ cups loosely packed sweetened flaked coconut
• ▢ 2 cups cake flour 260g
• ▢ 2 cups granulated sugar 400g
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• ▢ 5 large egg yolks room temperature
• ▢ 1 teaspoon coconut extract

Frosting:

• ▢ 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• ▢ ½ cup salted butter softened
• ▢ 3 to 4 cups powdered sugar
• ▢ 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• ▢ 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 to 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

Instructions

Cake

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of two 9-inch pans with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray.
• Add egg whites to a small bowl or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat until stiff peaks form. If using a stand mixer, transfer egg whites to a small bowl and set aside.
• In a separate small bowl, combine the buttermilk and baking soda and set aside.
• Add the sweetened flaked coconut to a food processor and pulse until fine.
• Add minced coconut to a medium mixing bowl with the flour.
• Mix together the coconut, flour, sugar, and salt to a large bowl or stand mixer.
• Add the butter and mix until sandy in texture.
• Scrape down the sides and beat in the egg yolks.
• Beat in the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately until fully combined, scraping down the sides as needed.
• Fold in the coconut extract and egg whites, evenly divide the batter between the two pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until toothpick comes clean.
• Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. See notes for alternative sizes and measurements.

Frosting

• Add cream cheese and butter to a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy. Slowly add in the sugar a cup at a time, alternating with the heavy cream and extract. Beat on high for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add more sugar or cream to reach desired consistency.
• Add bottom cake layer to a plate or cake stand and spread some frosting out on the top all the way to the edges. Add the next layer of cake and add more frosting to the top, spreading it evenly and down over the sides.
• Gently use the palm of your hand to press shredded coconut onto the sides and top of the cake, pipe on additional decorative frosting around the base of the cake and on top if desired.

Notes

Make a 6-inch 4-layer cake: 2 cups of batter per 6-inch pan, bake for 30-35 minutes.
Make 24 cupcakes: 2 to 2.5 tbsp batter per cupcake liner, bake 18-23 minutes.
Make a 6-inch 2-layer cake and 12 cupcakes: Follow guidelines above.

Nutrition

Calories: 772kcal | Carbohydrates: 104g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 182mg | Sodium: 357mg | Potassium: 197mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 81g | Vitamin A: 1100IU | Calcium: 135mg | Iron: 1.7mg

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