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This Coconut Cake is soft, fluffy, and bursting with tropical flavor! Coconut milk, shredded coconut, and a creamy coconut buttercream make it irresistible
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Coconut Cake

This Coconut Cake is soft, fluffy, and bursting with tropical flavor! Coconut milk, shredded coconut, and a creamy coconut buttercream make it irresistible
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Cake, Coconut Cake
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 12

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups cake flour added to the cup with a spoon & leveled with a knife
  • ½ cup sour cream room temperature
  • 6 oz unsalted butter 1 ½ stickssoftened to room temperature
  • 1 ⅔ cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup coconut milk canned at room temperature
  • 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 5 large egg whites room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp coconut extract

Coconut Cream Buttercream

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
  • 5 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1-2 Tbsp coconut milk canned use one or two Tbsp of coconut milk to get the right consistency
  • ¾ tsp vanilla extract
  • ¾ tsp coconut extract
  • ⅛ tsp salt

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F.
  • Grease three 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment too so nothing sticks.

For the Cake:

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this aside.
  • In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until it’s smooth and creamy.
  • Add in the egg whites and beat again until fully combined.
  • Now mix in the sour cream, vanilla extract, and coconut extract. Don’t worry if the mixture looks a little curdled—that’s totally normal when you combine these ingredients with butter.
  • With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients and coconut milk. Continue mixing until everything is just combined.
  • Fold in the shredded coconut by hand and make sure there’s no unmixed butter hiding at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be thick!
  • Evenly divide the batter between the prepared pans and spread it out smoothly.
  • Place the pans on the center rack and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Let the cakes cool in their pans on a wire rack.

For the Frosting:

  • In your stand mixer (using the paddle attachment), beat the softened butter and cream cheese together on medium speed until light and creamy—about 2 minutes.
  • With the mixer on low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, coconut milk, vanilla extract, coconut extract, and salt.
  • Turn the speed to high and mix for 3 minutes until the frosting is fluffy and smooth.

To Assemble:

  • Use a serrated knife to level the tops of the cake layers if needed.
  • Place one cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Spread about 1½ cups of frosting evenly over the top.
  • Add the second layer and frost it the same way with another 1½ cups of frosting.
  • Top it off with the third cake layer, then spread the remaining frosting over the top and all around the sides.
  • Gently press shredded coconut onto the top and sides of the cake to coat all the frosting.
  • Refrigerate the cake for at least an hour before slicing. This helps the layers set and makes slicing easier.

How long does coconut cake stay fresh?

  • When covered and refrigerated, this coconut cake will stay fresh for up to one week. If you want to store it longer, you can freeze it in an airtight container for up to four months.