Incredible Coconut Cake

Total Time

Prep: 35 min. Bake: 25 min. + chilling

Makes

16 servings

Updated: Nov. 24, 2023
I found this coconut cake recipe in a newspaper many years ago and modified it to suit my taste. This is my all-time favorite cake, and my family and friends absolutely love it. —Lynne Bassler, Indiana, Pennsylvania

Ingredients

  • 5 large eggs, separated
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 2-1/4 cups cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon coconut extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • FROSTING:
  • 11 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2/3 cup butter, softened
  • 4-1/3 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1-1/4 teaspoons coconut extract
  • 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, toasted

Directions

  1. Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 325°. In another large bowl, beat sugar, butter and oil until well blended. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
  3. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Stir in coconut and extracts..
  4. Add cream of tartar to egg whites; with clean beaters, beat on medium until stiff peaks form. Fold a fourth of the egg whites into batter, then fold in remaining whites.
  5. Transfer to 3 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
  6. For frosting, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add confectioners’ sugar and extract; beat until smooth.
  7. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting and sprinkle with 1/3 cup coconut. Repeat. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake; sprinkle with remaining coconut. Refrigerate for 2 hours before cutting. Store in the refrigerator.

Coconut Cake Tips

Can you make this coconut cake recipe in a 13x9 pan instead of round baking pans?

Yes, you can make coconut cake in a 13x9 pan like in this coconut cream cake recipe. Just increase the temperature to 350°F and bake for about 40 minutes.

Can you make this coconut cake recipe without coconut extract?

You can certainly skip the coconut extract, but it'll definitely downplay the extra coconut-y flavor that this classic cake recipe boasts. Here are a couple of other tasty ways to use up coconut extract.

What other kinds of frostings can you put on coconut cake?

While we definitely recommend using a cream cheese frosting for this coconut cake recipe, we have a few other frosting recipes you could use. Try vanilla buttercream, lemon frosting, white chocolate frosting or chocolate frosting.

—Christina Herbst, Taste of Home Assistant Digital Editor

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 689 calories, 37g fat (21g saturated fat), 123mg cholesterol, 353mg sodium, 85g carbohydrate (64g sugars, 1g fiber), 6g protein.