Crazy for coconut? I am! This is the ultimate coconut cake, from the coconut cream cheese frosting topped with shredded coconut all the way down to the coconut flour used in the cake. You could serve this cake any season, but it feels especially festive in the winter because it’s reminiscent of a snowball. So when you’re ready to snuggle up on the couch with a sweet treat, try out this recipe.
Coconut Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ Cups coconut flour
- 2 Teaspoons baking powder
- ½ Teaspoon baking soda
- 1 Teaspoon salt
- ¾ Cup 1.5 sticks butter, softened
- 1 ⅔ Cups sugar
- 5 Eggs at room temperature
- 1 Cup full fat greek yogurt
- 2 Teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 Teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 Cup canned coconut milk
- 1 Cup sweetened shredded coconut
- Ingredients for Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 8 oz package brick style cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ½ Cup butter softened to room temperature
- 2 Cups powdered sugar
- 1 Teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 Cup sweetened shredded coconut for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare two 9-inch cake pans. I prefer to line the pans with parchment paper, then grease the parchment paper. The parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans.
- Make the cake: Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together and set aside
- Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy and scrape down the sides and bottom as needed. This should take about 2 minutes.
- Next add in the eggs one at a time until combined, then add the yogurt, vanilla and coconut extract
- Beat the mixture until well combined
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet and then add the coconut milk
- Beat on low speed until combined, then add the shredded coconut.
- Finish mixing by hand to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be slightly thick.
- Pour the batter evenly into cake pans.
- The coconut flour makes for a moist batter and the cakes will need to bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean
- Allow cakes to cool completely in the pans. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
- Next, make the frosting
- Using a hand-held or stand mixer beat the cream cheese until smooth
- Add the butter and mix for about 30 seconds-1 minute until well combined and smooth
- Gradually add in the powdered sugar and coconut extract and continue mixing until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed
- Add more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin
- Lastly, assemble and decorate
- Place 1 cake layer on a cake stand or plate
- Evenly cover the top with about ¼ of the frosting
- Top with the second cake layer and evenly cover the top with about ¼ to ⅓ of the frosting
- Spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides. I recommend using an icing spatula to apply the frosting.
- Finish by covering with the sweetened shredded coconut
- Refrigerate cake for 20-30 minutes before serving. This helps the frosting set up and the cake hold its shape when cutting.
