Coconut Cake Recipe - Lauren's Latest (2024)

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Moist, fluffy, and soft, this four layer Coconut Cake has the perfect amount of sweetness that is filled and topped with coconut cream cheese frosting and even more coconut. Yum! Based loosely around my Homemade Vanilla Cake Recipe, you will not be disappointed.

Tips and Tricks for a Successful Coconut Cake

After lots of trial and error, here are my tips and tricks for making the best Coconut Cake.

Baking Pans. Regardless of how you bake this cake recipe, be sure to use lighter-colored baking pans (or glass). These are the ones I have and love. Using a darker pan will give you darker, crispier edges that don’t really have a place in a coconut cake, in my humble opinion.

Use room temperature ingredients. Believe it or not, using butter, eggs, egg whites, and buttermilk all at room temperature yields you a smoother, better-incorporated cake batter and thus a better cake.

Do not over bake. A moist cake comes with the right ingredients and just the right amount of time in the lower two thirds of the oven.

Line baking pans with parchment paper. Parchment paper is my favorite kitchen tool. Your cakes will come out with ease! I like spraying my pans with nonstick cooking spray, lining the bottoms with parchment and then adding another spritz of cooking spray on top. Works perfectly.

Cool completely before frosting. Frosting is primarily made up of butter and the butter will melt if your cakes are not cooled completely.

Love coconut? Try these other recipes: Classic Coconut Macaroons, Coconut Almond Muffins,Triple Chocolate Coconut Filled Cupcakes, and Coconut Cream Pie.

How to Make Coconut Cake

Making a layered cake can be difficult, but it really doesn’t have to be. Grease and line your pans well, follow the relatively simple directions, cool your cakes completely and you too will have delicious success!

Preheat + Prep Pans

Preheat oven.Line baking pan with parchment paper and/or spray well with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

Combine Dry Ingredients + Set Aside

In a large bowl, whiskflour, baking powder, baking soda, and salttogether to combine. Set aside.

Combine Buttermilk + Vanilla, Set Aside

In a liquid measuring cup, stirbuttermilk and vanillatogether. Set aside.

Combine Remaining Wet Ingredients

In a separate large bowl, mixbutter, oil, and sugartogether until combined. Mix ineggs and egg whites, one at a time, until the mixture becomes very light and fluffy. This process should take at least 3 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix again briefly.

Starting + Ending with Flour Mixture, Alternate Buttermilk Mixture + Flour Mixture

Alternate adding in flour mixture with buttermilk mixture to the bowl with the egg/butter/sugar,being sure tostart and end with flour.Scrape the sides and mix again to ensure a smooth batter.Fold in coconut by hand.

Pour into Pans + Bake

Divide evenly between baking pans and smooth the top. Bakein the lower two thirds of the oven. The coconut cake will be done when a toothpick comes out clean or mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.

Cool 15-20 minutes in cake pansbefore trying to invert on cooling racks. Cool completely before frosting and decorating.

How to Make Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

Save, bookmark, pin and highlight this recipe!! One bite and you won’t want any other frosting ever.

Cream Butter + Cream Cheese Together

In a large mixing bowl,cream butter and cream cheese togetherwith the paddle attachment until smooth. Scrape sides and mix again.

Add Powdered Sugar + Extracts

Add inpowdered sugarwith the extractsand mix very slowly until it starts to come together. Once the powdered sugar has worked in, increase the mixer speed andwhip until completely smooth,about 1 minute. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure a completely smooth frosting. Stir again if needed.

How to Assemble Coconut Cake

Slice Each Cake Lengthwise, Creating Four Even Layers

Using abread knife,slice each completely cooled cake in half lengthwise to getfour even layers.

Begin Stacking Layers, with Frosting in between Each Layer

Placeone layerdown on a cake stand andtop with 3/4-1 cup of frosting.Spread evenly, pushing the frosting out towards the edges.Continue stacking the layers of cakewith frosting together until all four layers are stacked up together with frosting in between.

Frost Top and Sides of Cake

Withremaining frosting, complete frosting the cake.I like to add large dollops of frosting to the top and spread across to cover and then push excess down the sides. It’s easier to pull frosting off with an offset spatula…less crumbs that way!

Coat Entire Cake with Coconut

Once the cake is frosted,coat entirely with coconut, about 2 cups.Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Coconut Cake Variations

• 9×13 –This coconut cake will yield one 9×13 cake, bake for 30-45 minutes.
• 8-9 inch Round Cake – This method will yield two cakes in this size. Bake for 30-40 minutes.
• Cupcakes – This recipe will make and frost 24 cupcakes with extra frosting to spare. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Make-Ahead + Storage Directions

To save you time and from worrying, I’ve outlined how you can make a perfect Coconut Cake ahead of time!

Once your cake has been baked, cooled and cut into layers, cover them tightly with plastic wrap and store at room temperature overnight. Prepare the frosting then cover and store in the fridge overnight as well. When you are ready to assemble and decorate, set the frosting out at room temperature to soften for about 15 minutes. Give it a quick mix to loosen it up in your mixer for about a minute, then frost away!

Freeze it!

If you want to make this cake even farther ahead of time, consider freezing it! Frosted or unfrosted cake layers can be frozen up to 3 months. To thaw, transfer from the freezer to the fridge overnight and then bring to room temperature before decorating or serving.

More Cakes to Make!

If you loved my Coconut Cake recipe you’ll love my other cakes on the blog!

• Amazing Italian Cream Cake
• The Perfect Chocolate Cake Recipe
• Simple Vanilla Cake Recipe
• The Best Carrot Cake Recipe
• Black Forest Cake Recipe

The printable recipe card is below, enjoy and happy baking! 🙂