Name: Southern Coconut Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups (280 g) cake flour; 1/4 tsp baking soda; 1 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp salt; 10 tbsp (140 g) unsalted butter, softened; 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated white sugar; 6 egg whites, at room temperature; 2 tsp vanilla; 2 tsp coconut extract; 1 cup (240 ml) canned, full fat coconut milk (unsweetened); 1/2 cup (122 g) sour cream; 1 cup (224 g) unsalted butter, softened; 8 oz. cream cheese, cold; 4 cups (520 g) powdered sugar; 1 tsp coconut extract; 1 cup (96 g) shredded, sweetened coconut flakes

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coconut cake with shredded coconut pressed on outside of the cake with swirls of cream cheese frosting on top, on a marble cake stand on a wood board

This is the best coconut cake recipe! It's a light and fluffy southern coconut cake, frosted with coconut cream cheese frosting and sprinkled with coconut flakes. Coconut lovers will absolutely love this cake!

Try these other homemade cakes as well: Chantilly cake, chocolate drip cake, carrot cake, and lemon Bundt cake.

coconut cake cut open, with cake slice in front, on a marble cake stand with pink and white flowers

Why You'll Love this Amazing Coconut Cake

It's filled and frosted with creamy coconut cream cheese frosting.

It's an extremely moist cake. The cake has a super moist crumb, and paired with the cream cheese frosting it just completely melts in your mouth.

close up of coconut cake with shredded coconut pressed on outside of the cake with swirls of cream cheese frosting on top, on a marble cake stand on a wood board

Ingredients for Coconut Layer Cake

Cake Flour- I recommend cake flour for the fluffiest coconut cake
Granulated Sugar- used to sweeten the cake
Butter- softened unsalted butter is used in the cake and frosting
Egg Whites- gives the cake a fluffy texture, make sure they're room temperature
Sour Cream- makes the cake extra moist, I recommend using full fat sour cream
Coconut Milk- canned, full fat coconut milk gives this cake a delicious coconut flavor and adds extra richness
Coconut Extract- optional, but adds extra coconut flavor to this cake
Vanilla- I recommend vanilla bean paste for the best flavor, but vanilla extract works well too
Baking Soda & Baking Powder- used to leaven the cake and give it a fluffy texture
Cream Cheese- full fat cream cheese will yield the best cream cheese frosting
Powdered Sugar- used to sweeten the cream cheese frosting
Shredded Coconut- used to decorate the outside of the cake

Step by Step Instructions

STEP ONE: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then set aside the flour mixture.

STEP TWO: In a large bowl, cream together the butter and granulated white sugar with an electric hand mixer on high speed until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. (If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.)

cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt whisked together in a white bowl on a wood board

butter and sugar creamed together in a large white bowl on a wood board

STEP THREE: Then add in the eggs whites, vanilla and coconut extract and mix medium-high speed until smooth and pale in color, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.

STEP FOUR: Add in the coconut milk and sour cream and mix on medium speed just until combined.

egg whites and extracts mixed into butter and sugar in a large white bowl on a wood board

sour cream and coconut milk mixed into wet ingredients in a large white bowl on a wood board

STEP FIVE: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a little at a time, until all has been added completely, Mixing on low speed then medium speed for each addition. Mix just until the cake batter is combined and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.

dry ingredients added to wet ingredients in a large white bowl on a wood board

dry ingredients mixed into wet ingredients in a large white bowl on a wood board

STEP FIVE: Pour batter between the parchment paper lined cake pans. Bake the cakes for 28-32 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the centers. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer the cake layers to a wire rack to completely cool.

cake batter in three cake pans on a wood board

three cake layers cooling on a wire rack on a wood board

STEP SIX: To make the coconut cream cheese frosting, add the butter to a large bowl and whip on high speed with an electric mixer until pale in color and fluffy, about 5-10 minutes. (If using a stand mixer, use the whisk attachment.) Then add in the cream cheese and mix on medium-high speed until thoroughly combined, 1-2 minutes. Sift in the powdered sugar, a little at a time, and mix on low then medium-low speed until all is combined together. Lastly add in the coconut extract and mix on high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy, 1-2 more minutes.

butter and cream cheese whipped together in a large white bowl on a wood board

powdered sugar mixed into butter and cream cheese in a large white bowl on a wood board

Assembling Old-Fashioned Coconut Cake Step by Step

For these steps you'll need:

a cake scraper
a rotating cake turntable
an offset spatula
a sharp knife
a disposable piping bag fitted with a large decorative tip for the frosting swirls

STEP ONE Getting Perfectly Sized Cake Layers: Once the cakes are completely cooled, make them even by removing the domed tops. With a sharp knife, remove the domed tops from each cake layer until each are flat and can be evenly stacked.

STEP TWO Frosting the Cake: Then place a dollop of coconut cream cheese frosting in the center of your cake turntable. Place the first cake layer over it. Then add a generous amount of coconut cream cheese frosting on top of the cake layer and even it out with your offset spatula, turning the cake turntable as you go. Place the next layer over top and repeat the step. Then place the final layer over the top and place dollops of frosting on the outsides and top of the cake. Even out the frosting as much as possible with your offset spatula. Then with your cake scraper, scrape the icing across the cake, turning the cake turntable as you go to make this as easy as possible.

two cake layers with cream cheese frosting in between on a marble cake stand

three cake layers with cream cheese frosting in between on a marble cake stand

cake frosted with cream cheese frosting on a marble cake stand

cake pressed with shredded coconut on a marble cake stand

STEP THREE Decorating the Cake: Transfer the rest of the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip. Press shredded coconut on the sides and top of the cake. Pipe decorative swirls on the top edges of the cake. Transfer the cake to a serving plate, then serve!

FAQs

Can I use 3 9-inch cake pans? Yes, but the baking time will be different. Start with 20 minutes, and add more time as necessary until a cake tester comes out clean from the centers.

Can this be made into cupcakes? Yes! This recipe will make 24 cupcakes. Bake the cupcakes for 17-19 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean from the centers.

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour? For this cake, cake flour will really give you the best, most tender, light and fluffy crumb. If you want to use all-purpose flour, decrease the amount to 2 ¼ cups (281 g), as AP flour weighs more than cake flour cup for cup.

Does coconut cake need to be refrigerated? Yes. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. You can also freeze individual pieces by wrapping each in plastic wrap, and then putting them in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 weeks.

coconut cake cut open on a marble cake stand with pink and white flowers

Pro Tips

For best results, measure your flour properly. This is always my #1 baking tip. Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour. This will always lead to using too much flour. Instead sprinkle spoonfuls of flour into your measuring cup and swipe excess flour off with the back of a knife. Or better yet, weigh your flour. 1 cup of flour equals 125 grams.

Troubleshooting cream cheese frosting:

Make sure you really whip the butter until it is pale in color and fluffy, before adding the rest of the ingredients in. This will give you the best, and most fluffy, frosting.
Make sure your butter is the right temperature, not too cold and not too soft. Usually 30-40 minutes out of the fridge is just right.
Make sure your cream cheese is cold. This will help the frosting to have the right consistency.
If your frosting gets too warm while assembling the cake, chill it in the fridge for 10-20 minutes. Whip again with an electric mixer to get it back to the right consistency. This is a soft frosting because of the cream cheese so you may need to chill and rewhip a few times while putting the cake together.

Make sure all your wet ingredients for the cake layers are room temperature. You'll have the best textured cake when the ingredients are room temperature instead of cold. Cold wet ingredients can lead to a "gummy" cake.

Other Recipes to Try

No Bake Cheesecake

Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake

Butterbeer Cupcakes