An old style coconut cake recipe, made with mushy, fluffy cake layers, iced with an old style frosting, and lined in candy shredded coconut. My recipe contains loads of suggestions and methods for flawless outcomes and features a how-to video tutorial.
Gentle, Fluffy Coconut Cake
These of you who comply with the weblog usually (💗) are accustomed to lots of my grandmother’s recipes. Perhaps you’ve tried her scorching milk cake, potato sweet, or apple dumplings, however her coconut cake with its distinctive, silky-smooth frosting was all the time certainly one of my favorites. Nevertheless, her cake layers all the time got here from a field!
We don’t do box-mixes right here, so, after years of testing cake recipes, I lastly developed an excellent mushy, tremendous moist, sturdy and secure cake with a young, melt-in-your-mouth crumb that works as the proper base for at the moment’s coconut cake.
It’s a shocking, but in addition easy cake, with tender, mushy, fluffy layers and an old style frosting.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Unimaginable texture. Should you’ve ever struggled up to now with dense, dry, cornbread-esque desserts, you’re in for a nice shock with this one. Not solely is it fastidiously designed to be mushy, tender, and so moist, I additionally embody notes within the recipe and video to assist stop some traditional errors bakers run into when making desserts from scratch.
- The BEST taste. It’s tough to steadiness the flavors of coconut cake when coconut has such a definite taste that may rapidly turn out to be overwhelming. We calmly taste the cake layers with a little bit of coconut extract, then use coconut milk within the frosting and canopy every part in shredded, sweetened coconut. The proper steadiness.
- A confirmed recipe. I first shared this recipe in 2016 and it’s since not solely been a favourite with my household however has obtained dozens of 5 star opinions ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
- It’s simply cute! It appears like an enormous, fluffy snowball and tastes like heaven. It’s an exquisite dessert to grace your Easter (or any vacation) dessert desk.
Whereas this cake is nice any time of the yr, one thing about it simply looks like springtime to me. Perhaps it’s the recent coconut taste, perhaps my grandmother made it round Easter yearly, however to me it belongs within the ranks of different spring recipes like my hummingbird cake, carrot cake, and carrot cupcakes (all nice springtime dessert choices!).
What You Want
For the Cake Layers
It is a moist fluffy cake comprised of two thick layers. I tailored it from my gender reveal cupcakes as a result of I liked the fluffy crumb and style of these. Right here’s an outline of what goes into the cake layers.
- Butter and oil. I took a web page from my vanilla cake and chocolate cake and used a mix of butter and oil for finest taste and texture (the oil actually helps hold the cake moist because it ideally is refrigerated).
- Taste. Vanilla extract is important for taste. Whereas my grandmother by no means used coconut extract in her cake, I like the beautiful tropical taste a splash of it provides to my coconut cake and advocate utilizing it.
- Bitter cream. Full-fat bitter cream (or a plain, full-fat Greek yogurt) works finest right here. Bitter cream provides a beautiful depth of taste along with moisture (and that’s why it’s such a key ingredient in my yellow cake, too!).
- Egg whites. You’ll want simply the whites for this recipe, discard the yolks or save them to make creme brulee or chocolate pie. Whereas this cake isn’t a white cake in coloration, it’s much like that one in that it get a lot of its fluffy construction from whipped egg whites.
For the Frosting
The frosting that I exploit (and my grandmother used) for coconut cake is a bit distinctive so I believed it deserved its personal part. It makes use of flour and is kind of much like my ermine frosting in style and texture, solely there’s no must make a roux!
- Butter. Once I first shared this recipe I used a mixture of butter and shortening (I feel my grandmother solely used Crisco). I don’t choose to make use of this in my baking anymore so switched every part over to butter and have been very pleased with the outcomes. I exploit salted butter, however for those who solely have unsalted simply add ¼ teaspoon of salt into the frosting.
- Sugar. We’re utilizing granulated sugar, not powdered sugar. Due to this, the frosting must be crushed for an prolonged period of time (over 10 minutes!) in order that the sugar can absolutely dissolve.
- Flour. Since uncooked flour was within the information just a few years in the past for being contaminated, I now advocate heat-treating any flour that isn’t baked into your baked good (like edible cookie dough). This could rapidly be accomplished within the microwave in below a minute and I clarify within the recipe card.
- Coconut milk. You may substitute entire milk as a substitute, however I choose to remain in coconut-theme since it is a coconut cake, in spite of everything, and go for coconut milk. Shake the can very effectively earlier than opening!
- Extract. I exploit simply vanilla extract and skip the coconut extract right here. You may definitely add a small quantity for those who needed, however I felt it overpowered the cake and made issues too coconut-y
- Coconut. My grandmother all the time used frozen shredded coconut, however I can’t ever discover that in my grocery retailer. I exploit sweetened shredded coconut. Since that may be a bit stringy, I’ll typically pulse it in my meals processor for a number of seconds earlier than utilizing it on my cake.
SAM’S TIP: When you’ve got a stand mixer, use it to make the frosting! This recipe requires a minimal of 12 minutes of stirring to correctly dissolve the sugar. It’s nice to have a machine do the heavy lifting!
That is simply an outline of the components I used and why. For the complete recipe please scroll all the way down to the underside of the put up!
Useful Ideas When Making Coconut Cake
Coconut cake comes collectively fairly rapidly and simply, however there are some things that I needed to cowl in additional element earlier than we start:
- Ideas for the egg whites: This recipe requires egg whites that have to be whipped to stiff peaks. Set your self up for achievement and use a chrome steel or glass bowl (keep away from plastic or silicone) and ensure it’s fully clear, dry, and grease free. Ensure that not even a tiny drop of egg yolk will get in with the whites or they gained’t attain stiff peaks. (these are suggestions I’ve additionally shared when whipping egg whites for macarons and meringues). I exhibit how I do that within the video within the recipe card, if that’s useful.
- Shred the coconut (once more). Sweetened shredded coconut can typically be a bit stringy, lending itself to a texture that many individuals simply don’t love. To assist with this, I typically like to cut the coconut even finer; just a few blitzes within the meals processor normally does the trick!
- Deliver within the machines (for the frosting). As I discussed above, the coconut cake frosting is made with granulated sugar, which have to be dissolved for the frosting to have its signature, {smooth} consistency. This has by no means taken me lower than 12 minutes. Save your self a significant arm exercise and use your stand mixer when you have one. Should you don’t have a stand mixer or an electrical mixer, it’s possible you’ll wish to go for certainly one of my different frosting recipes (I give just a few choices under!).
- The frosting WILL turn out to be {smooth}. Simply hold mixing and be affected person! It takes time however will in the end be silky {smooth}.
Incessantly Requested Questions
Use your fingers and don’t be afraid of a multitude. I scoop the coconut up the perimeters of the cake with my fingers and gently press it into the frosting (ensure you apply the coconut instantly after making use of the frosting so it sticks). Since coconut can typically be fairly stringy, I discover it useful to chop it finer with a meals processor earlier than making use of, which helps give a fair protection, too.
Should you comply with the directions as written you shouldn’t run into any points, however there are 2 principal causes do-it-yourself desserts (of any selection) typically end up dry:
1) Over-measuring the flour. By no means scoop your flour, which might pack it into the measuring cup! As a substitute, use a kitchen scale or stir the flour then spoon it into measuring cup and stage off the surplus flour.
2) Over-baking the cake. Bake each cake layers on the similar time within the middle rack and ensure our oven isn’t working scorching (many ovens do! An oven thermometer is your finest buddy). Even 1 or 2 minutes too lengthy within the oven could make the cake dry out.
Keep away from these two traditional pitfalls and also you shouldn’t have any downside!
Take pleasure in!
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Coconut Cake Recipe
Servings: 12 slices
Energy: 889kcal
Stop your display from going darkish
Directions
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Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and grease and flour the perimeters of two 8” cake pans (or spray with baking spray) and line the underside with rounds of parchment paper.
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Mix butter, oil, and sugar within the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment (or in a big bowl and use an electrical mixer) and beat till components are creamy and well-combined.
6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, ⅔ cup (157 ml) avocado, vegetable, or canola oil, 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
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Scrape down the perimeters and backside of the bowl after which stir in bitter cream, vanilla extract, and coconut extract.
1 cup (240 g) bitter cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon coconut extract
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In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk collectively flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
2 ¾ cup (344 g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon desk salt
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Utilizing a spatula and stirring by hand, regularly, gently stir the dry components into the moist (butter/sugar combination) till fully mixed. I will normally add the dry components in 3-4 elements.
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Scrape the perimeters and backside of the bowl to make sure that all your components are well-combined. Put aside.
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Pour egg whites right into a medium-large sized glass or stainless-steel bowl that’s fully clear, dry, and grease-free. Utilizing an electrical mixer, beat on high-speed till stiff peaks kind (that means that for those who take away the beater from the combination, the height that kinds holds its form and doesn’t fold over or dissolve again in on itself).
6 (190 g) giant egg whites
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Add the whipped egg whites to the batter and use a spatula to softly fold the egg whites into the batter. Whereas you don’t want to over-mix this batter, it is vital that the egg whites are fully mixed. Use a delicate hand and stir till you may’t see any streaks of egg whites within the batter.
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Divide batter evenly into ready cake pans.
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Bake on 350F (175C) for 35-37 minutes or till a toothpick inserted within the middle comes out principally clear or with just a few moist crumbs (no moist batter).
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Permit desserts to chill in pans for 10-Quarter-hour earlier than working a knife across the edge to loosen the desserts and punctiliously inverting onto a cooling rack to chill fully earlier than frosting.
Frosting
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Warmth deal with the flour: Place flour in a microwave-safe dish and warmth for 30 seconds. Stir, then use an instant-read thermometer to examine the temperature (should exceed 160F (71C)). If not heat sufficient, proceed to warmth in 10-second intervals till temperature is reached. Permit flour to chill fully earlier than utilizing (whether it is lumpy, run it by way of a sifter earlier than utilizing). This “heat-treats” the flour in case it was contaminated. Put aside.
4 Tablespoons (31 g) all-purpose flour
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Mix butter and sugar within the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-speed till creamy and well-combined.
1 ¼ cup (282 g) salted butter, 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
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Add flour, one tablespoon at a time, beating on medium velocity for 15 seconds after every addition. Scrape down sides and backside of bowl and beat once more for 20 seconds.
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Add coconut milk and vanilla extract and stir to mix
1 cup (236 ml) coconut milk, ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
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Flip mixer velocity as much as medium-high and beat for six minutes. Scrape down the perimeters and backside of the bowl and beat once more at the very least one other 6 minutes, till frosting is {smooth}.
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Check the frosting by tasting or rubbing between your fingers, it shouldn’t be gritty or grainy in any respect. If it nonetheless is, fastidiously scrape the perimeters and backside of your mixing bowl once more and stir once more on excessive velocity till now not grainy.
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As soon as your desserts are cool, ice them by inserting one layer in your serving dish and making use of a fair layer of frosting to the highest. Sprinkle liberally with a number of the shredded coconut.
3 cups (300 g) sweetened shredded coconut, divided
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Place your second layer on high of the primary and apply a fair layer of frosting across the high and sides of the cake. Sprinkle remaining coconut excessive of the cake, after which use your fingers to press coconut throughout the perimeters.
Notes
Frosting: Butter vs Shortening
Within the unique model of this recipe (and the one I recorded within the video) I initially used ¾ cup of butter and 9 Tablespoons of vegetable shortening (Crisco). I don’t choose to make use of shortening in my baking any longer so have examined and up to date the recipe to make use of all butter. Be happy to make use of whichever you like.
Frosting – Stand Mixer Word
When you’ve got a stand mixer, positively use it for this recipe because the frosting requires a protracted interval of blending. It *can* be accomplished with an electrical hand mixer, however could take longer than indicated and shall be an arm exercise!
Frosting alternate options
For me, coconut cake simply wouldn’t be coconut cake with out this old style frosting. Nevertheless, I do know it’s not for everybody. This cake may be lined with any of those frostings under, simply make sure that to cowl with coconut shavings!
Coconut
The shreds of coconut are sometimes a bit too lengthy for my liking so I’ll usually pulse them in my meals processor for just a few seconds to make the shreds finer.
My grandmother all the time used 18 oz of frozen shredded coconut for the skin of the cake, however that’s not simply accessible close to me any longer. Simply thaw it first earlier than utilizing.
What To Do With These Leftover Egg Yolks?
Listed here are some nice recipes that use lots of egg yolks!
Storing
Retailer in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 5 days. This cake might also be tightly wrapped and frozen for a number of months.
Vitamin
Serving: 1slice | Energy: 889kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 7g | Fats: 58g | Saturated Fats: 31g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 9g | Monounsaturated Fats: 14g | Ldl cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 431mg | Potassium: 231mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 63g | Vitamin A: 12IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 6mg
Dietary info is predicated on third-party calculations and ought to be thought-about an estimate solely. Precise dietary content material will range based mostly upon manufacturers used, measuring strategies, cooking technique, portion sizes, and extra.
I initially printed this recipe in April of 2016. In 2019 I made some enhancements to the cake recipe and in 2024 up to date the put up to be extra useful.
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