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!

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Ingredients

  

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Cake:

• ▢ 4 large egg whites room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 1/3 cups loosely packed sweetened flaked coconut
• ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 cups sugar
• ▢ 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• ▢ 5 large egg yolks room temperature
• ▢ 1 tsp coconut extract

Frosting:

• ▢ 8 oz. cream cheese block softened
• ▢ 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• ▢ 3-4 cups powdered sugar
• ▢ 3 tbsp heavy cream
• ▢ 1 tsp coconut extract
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 to 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

Instructions

Cake:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottom of two 9-inch pans with parchment rounds 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.
• Measure the sweetened flaked coconut out on a cutting board and mince even further, nobody like a stringy cake. Add minced coconut to a large bowl and mix in the flour.
• Add the sugar and butter to a large bowl or stand mixer and beat on high until fully combined. 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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