This Coconut Cake uses my delicious white cake recipe made from scratch. The cake has a soft, moist crumb and cream cheese coconut frosting on top.
I’ve bought too many frozen coconut cakes in my life that I knew I had to create a homemade version. This cake is moist and delicious and I know you’ll love the texture too.
This recipe was originally published in April 2017. The recipe notes were updated in February 2025.
Aimee’s Recipe Notes
Taste & Texture: Moist and tender white cake with rich coconut flavor, topped with creamy coconut cream cheese frosting.
Ease to Make: A bit of effort, but the from-scratch preparation ensures the best taste that’s worth it.
Cooking Tools: Baked as a two-layer cake in 9-inch cake pans. Notes included below on how to make it in a 13×9.
Top Tip: For an extra coconut kick, substitute buttermilk with cream of coconut in the batter. Also, using cake flour instead of all-purpose flour yields a softer crumb.
I am a huge fan of coconut layer cakes. Tender cake with layers of vanilla frosting and loads of coconut. Does it get any better than that?
My recipe for coconut cake will become your new favorite layer cake no matter the time of year.
- Moist: whether you like that word or not, it describes the perfect texture of a cake!
- Coconut Flavor: I’ve added coconut to the cake and the frosting. Want more? Use cream of coconut in place of the buttermilk!
- Soft Crumb: by using just egg whites, you’re going to love this soft and tender crumb that still holds up to mega piles of frosting!
- Coconut Frosting: using my favorite cream cheese frosting recipe, I’ve added coconut! You can use toasted coconut if you prefer.
Do you love coconut desserts? You MUST try my samoa truffles. hese truffles pack coconut, caramel, and chocolate flavor, just like the girl scout cookie. Or give my coconut biscotti recipe a try next!
Featured Review⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This is one of the best coconut cake recipes that I have tried. Thank you for sharing! My family said, “Mom, this is the best coconut cake!” Thank you again!” -James & Clarissa
Ingredients Needed
- Egg Whites- for today’s white cake you won’t be using the egg yolks. No worries though, save them and make a batch of homemade lemon curd. FYI- my Lemon Coconut Cake recipe is the perfect solution for using that creamy curd.
- Buttermilk- I originally was making this recipe with whole milk, because I never have buttermilk on hand. But now that I can make my own buttermilk substitute, I always use buttermilk in my white cake recipe!
- Want more coconut flavor? Swap out the buttermilk for cream of coconut (such as Coco Lopez). This is NOT coconut milk. Coconut milk brands vary in fat content and were not giving consistent results. The Cream of Coconut makes a delicious moist coconut cake.
- Extracts- I use a combination of vanilla extract and almond extract. If you’re able to find coconut extract, use that in place of the almond!
- Cake Flour- don’t even try to use all-purpose flour here. You’ll get an entirely different texture of cake. Use my tips on how to measure flour for best results!
How to Make Coconut Cake
Using my white cake as a guide for today’s recipe, this was the perfect starting point. Be sure to follow directions carefully!
- Wet Ingredients: combine the egg whites with some of the buttermilk in a bowl. In a mixing bowl, with a paddle attachment, beat room temperature butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
- Dry Ingredients: in a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
- Combine: Add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture. Beat in the egg white mixture and finally, beat in the remaining buttermilk. Fold in coconut.
- Bake: I use two 9-inch cake pans for this recipe. Use a generous amount of baking spray (this is the kind with flour in it, made for baking), or use parchment paper. You could also use homemade cake release.
- Assemble: Place one cake layer on a cake stand. Add a large amount of frosting to top and smooth with an offset spatula. Top with second layer of cake. Apply coconut cream cheese frosting to entire cake.
Sprinkle coconut flakes on top and sides of the cake. Place the cake stand on a baking sheet. This will catch any extra coconut.
Fill hand with coconut and press gently into sides of cake. Repeat until desired amount of coconut applied.
How to Store Leftover Coconut Cake
- Store frosted cake in the refrigerator in a cake saver.
- Or freeze leftover cake in airtight container for up to 3 months. Use my guide on how to freeze cake.
Coconut Sheet Cake
Sometimes you don’t want to make a layer cake, but you also crave homemade coconut cake. In that case, make this easy coconut cake recipe in a 13×9. Same great recipe, just easier!
A few tips:
- Be sure to grease and flour your 13×9 baking dish, or use our homemade cake release.
- Bake for 35-38 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Do not overbake as it tends to dry the cake out.
- Use cream of coconut (not cocout milk) for more coconut flavor, to replace the buttermilk.
Favorite Cake Recipes
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Coconut Cake Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE:
- 5 egg whites room temperature
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 ½ cups cake flour
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
FOR THE FROSTING:
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 package cream cheese, softened to room temperature 8 ounce
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
Instructions
FOR THE CAKE:
- Whisk together the egg whites and 1/4 cup of the buttermilk in a small bowl until slightly combined. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, vanilla and almond extracts for 2 minutes on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add in dry ingredients and mix until combined. Beat in egg white mixture until fully blended. Add in remaining milk and beat for 3-4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Fold in coconut.
- Spray two 9-inch cake pans with baking spray. Pour batter into pans and bake in a 350 degree oven for 26-28 minutes. Remove and cool completely on wire rack.
FOR THE FROSTING:
- Beat butter and cream cheese for 3 minutes using whisk attachment on an electric mixer. Add in powdered sugar and heavy cream. Beat an additional 4-5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- To assemble, place one layer of cake on a cake stand. Add a large amount of frosting to top and smooth with an offset spatula. Top with second layer of cake. Apply frosting to entire cake. To add the coconut to the top and sides of cake, place cake stand on a baking sheet (to help catch excess coconut). Fill hand with coconut and press gently into sides of cake. Repeat until desired amount of coconut applied. ENJOY!
Notes
- Buttermilk- I originally was making this recipe with whole milk, because I never have buttermilk on hand. But now that I can make my own buttermilk substitute, I always use buttermilk in my white cake recipe! Want more coconut flavor? Swap out the buttermilk for cream of coconut (such as Coco Lopez). This is NOT coconut milk. Coconut milk brands vary in fat content and were not giving consistent results. The Cream of Coconut works perfect. Worried? Use buttermilk!
- Extracts- I use a combination of vanilla extract and almond extract. If you’re able to find coconut extract, use that in place of the almond!
- Cake Flour- don’t even try to use all-purpose flour here. You’ll get an entirely different texture of cake. Use my tips on how to measure flour for best results!
- Start with room temperature butter and egg whites. The eggs are easier to separate when they are cold, then let your egg whites come to room temperature with the butter.
- Use sweetened shredded coconut for best results! Feel free to toast the coconut for the outside of the cake if you prefer. Sweetened coconut is more moist than unsweetened, which helps today’s cake texture.
- Store frosted cake in the refrigerator in a cake saver. Or freeze leftover cake in airtight container for up to 3 months.
- 13×9- bake cake in greased and floured 13×9 dish for 35-38 minutes. Frost as directed.
- Try my coconut cupcakes for a portable treat!
I can see that this cake will be great once I get it right…. I normally have no issues, I will attempt this cake for the 3rd time today. My previous 2 have sunk and never really finished cooking in the middle. At first I thought it was the baking powder being close to expiration, or that I mixed the batter to long, possibly because I tried to bake to large of a cake, put all the batter in one pan, to cut the layers later. My last 2 thoughts are I am using farm fresh eggs so maybe my ratio is off, or that the cream of coconut is throwing the whole balance off for some reason. I do not know, if someone has the answer please let me know, you might save me ruining another cake. Thanks!
I have made this cake many times and always a favorite in are large family.
The best coconut recipe. I never wrote down my mother’s coconut cake recipe. So this taste like her’s and I did not get to take picture. It is all most gone. This recipe is a keeper and will use always my family says this taste like my mom’s. So being only maybe three slices left and it being a day after being made it is family approved.
Can you use this recipe for plain white cupcakes omitting the coconut?
You can. But I do have a white cupcakes recipe 🙂
Not sure what I did wrong. The cake turned out a little dry but tasted wonderful other than that!
Sometimes overmixing can make the cake too dry. Or not measuring the flour correctly (be sure to spoon it into your measuring cups).
I’ve used this recipe as my go to coconut cake recipe for awhile now. This time I decided to make this recipe as cupcakes and used your suggestion of using cream of coconut in place of the buttermilk. For some reason all of the cupcake centers sank in. Not sure what the problem was as I followed the recipe exactly, but won’t be making that substitution again in the future.
At what temperature is Cake in 9×13 pan baked & at
what temperature? Also temp & time to bake 8” or 9” cake
layers. I didn’t see this info in the recipe. Maybe just missed it?
This is one of the best coconut cake recipes that I have tried. Thank you for sharing! My family said,
“Mom, this is the best coconut cake!” Thank you again!
So happy to hear this!
Made this cake for my husband since he’s a big fan of coconut. It was powered Dr except it was a little too sweet for me. Next time I will decrease some of the sugar and switch some of the sweetened coconut flakes for unsweetened.
This was the best cake I’ve made in years! The only difference i made was I used half coconut extract and half almond. Sooo Amazing! Thank you so much for sharing!