Coconut Cake

This homemade, moist coconut cake with coconut cream cheese frosting is the best coconut cake recipe. This layered coconut cake is made with sweet cream butter, coconut milk, buttermilk, coconut pudding mix, and cake flour to make it extra tender. The coconut cream cheese frosting puts it over the top!

The Best Coconut Cake Recipe

The Perfect Coconut Cake Recipe with Creamy Sweet Cream Cheese Frosting

I love baking—no surprise if you’ve followed Modern Honey for any length of time—but it’s truly my passion. I started this website for two reasons…to have a creative outlet in the kitchen and to share my favorite family recipes. I’m a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to food, and I only want to create and share the best recipes.

Now, let’s talk about coconut cake. I’ve made dozens of them over the years. Actually, I’ve been obsessed with coconut since I was a kid. I used to finish special chores so my mom would take me to Smitty’s, where I’d pick out the biggest coconut I could find. Then I’d spend hours in the backyard with a hammer, trying to crack it open—and I’d literally eat the entire thing by myself.

Because my love for coconut runs deep, I’ve baked a ridiculous amount of coconut cakes. They were good, but I was on a mission to find one that’s truly out-of-this-world amazing. I want to create recipes I can pass down to my kids—recipes I know are the absolute best (at least, according to my taste buds).

Why you will love this Moist Coconut Cake:

• This coconut cake recipe is so moist…thanks to butter, canned coconut milk, buttermilk, pudding mix, and cake flour. It gives it a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture!
• The coconut cream cheese frosting pairs so perfectly with the coconut cake. The cream cheese adds a slight tang and offsets the sweetness of the cake.
• It is customizable and can be topped with sweetened flaked coconut or toasted coconut flakes for extra coconut flavor.

Homemade Coconut Cake Ingredients:

What ingredients do you need to make coconut cake with coconut cream cheese frosting? I am breaking down the ingredients for you! Scroll down to find the recipe card with the amounts and instructions.

• Cake Flour: Creates a finer, more tender crumb than all-purpose flour.
• Sugar
• Baking Powder
• Salt
• Dry Pudding Mix (coconut or vanilla): Adds extra moisture, sweetness, flavor depth. It helps keep the cake soft for days.
• Butter (cut into cubes and softened): Provides richness and a buttery taste that complements the coconut.
• Canned Unsweetened Coconut Milk (full-fat): Delivers concentrated coconut flavor and creaminess.
• Buttermilk: The acidity works with the leaveners, enhancing the cake’s tender crumb.
• Egg Whites: Whipping or lightly beating the whites contributes to a lighter, fluffier texture
• Egg
• Coconut Extract: Intensifies the coconut flavor beyond what coconut milk provides.

Sweet Cream Cheese Frosting:

• Butter (softened)
• Cream Cheese (softened)
• Powdered Sugar
• Heavy Cream or Milk
• Coconut Extract

Simple Syrup

• Water
• Sugar

Garnish:

Coconut (Sweetened or Toasted)

How to make the PERFECT COCONUT CAKE:

I wanted to create another winning Coconut Cake Recipe. This took many tries at creating the perfect coconut cake.  The key is to get enough coconut flavor in the cake and frosting.

I wanted a moist cake filled with coconut flavor so I tried everything from sweetened cream of coconut to canned coconut milk. I tried both sour cream and buttermilk. I tried with pudding mix and without pudding mix. I tried with all egg whites, all eggs, and somewhere in the middle.

Basically, I have made A LOT of cakes in this process. We have been taste-testing coconut cake in our home for weeks! I really wanted to fall head over heels in love with the all egg whites cake but I felt as if tasted too much like an angel food cake and needed more moisture. I added one egg and more buttermilk to make the cake extra moist. We have a winner!

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a standing mixer, stir together flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and pudding mix.
• Mix the dry ingredients and butter together. Beat the butter into the flour mixture, one cube at a time. Continue to beat until it resembles coarse crumbs.

Mix the wet ingredients together. In a small bowl, whisk together coconut milk, buttermilk, egg whites, egg, and coconut extract.

• Add the 1/2 of the egg-milk mixture and beat the batter is light and fluffy. Add remaining egg-milk mixture and mix just until combined. Take a spatula and scrape the sides of the bowl.

• Spread into greased pans and smooth tops with a spatula. Use two 9-inch pans or three 8-inch cake pans.
• Bake for 18-22 minutes, depending on the depth of pans. If the cake layers are thin, they will cook for less time than the thicker layers. This time is for three thin 8-inch layers. Check for doneness by placing a cake tester or toothpick in center of the cake.

• Let cakes cool. Run a knife around edge of cake pan and flip over.
• To make simple syrup: heat water and sugar in a small pan over medium heat. Let it come to a simmer. Once the sugar is completely dissolved and is clear, remove from heat. Let cool. Brush simple syrup over cake layers.

COCONUT CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

• In mixing bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese for 4 minutes until light and fluffy. Stir in powdered sugar and heavy cream, milk, or cream of coconut. Add coconut extract, if so desired. Once the cake has cooled and has been removed from pans, frost each layer with frosting.
• Top each layer with sweetened coconut or place all flaked coconut on top of the cake or all over sides and top of the cake.

Frosting and Decorating Tips:

1. Applying the Frosting: Place the first cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread a thin layer of frosting on top, then stack the second layer. If you used 3 cake pans just repeat with the 3rd layer.
2. Coconut Decoration Gently pat shredded sweetened coconut onto the sides of the cake and sprinkle more on top. This classic technique gives your cake a fluffy, snow-like appearance. You can also use toasted coconut.

Tips and Tricks for making the BEST COCONUT CAKE:

•  Start with Cake Flour. Cake flour contains 7-8% gluten while All-Purpose Flour contains 10-12%.  When you use cake flour in cakes, it creates a more tender texture.  We all want moist and tender cakes so cake flour is essential.
• Use Baking Powder. Since there is only sugar in this cake, I use baking powder and a lot of it. This helps the cake to rise and give it loft.
• Add the Butter, in cubes, to the Flour. This recipe doesn’t call for the typical cream butter and sugar together. The butter is added to the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt mixture and beat just until coarse crumbs are formed.
• Use Egg Whites + One Egg. I tried using only egg whites and the texture was very similar to angel food cake. Adding one egg yolk added the right amount of fat and helped to make the cake extra moist.
• Use Canned Coconut Milk. I used full-fat unsweetened coconut milk in this coconut cake recipe. It adds the authentic, real coconut flavor we are seeking.
• Use Buttermilk. We are looking for a moist cake and there is nothing better than buttermilk to help create a tender cake.
• The Secret Ingredient is Dry Pudding Mix. Just trust me on this one! You can use coconut cream pie, vanilla, or white chocolate dry pudding mix.
• Bake just until the cake tester comes clean.  Use two 9-inch pans or three 8-inch pans. The cooking time will depend on the depth of the cake batter. The best way to figure out if the cake is baked through enough is to place a cake tester in the center of the cake.
• To make a Toasted Coconut Cake — place coconut flakes on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 3-5 minutes. Watch carefully. Sprinkle on top of the cake or press onto the sides of the cake.
• If you want to keep a cake extra moist, brush with a simple syrup. What is simple syrup? It is sugar and water boiled down to make a syrup and brushed on the top of the baked cake layers. This is completely optional but it can help keep your cake extra moist.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s):

1. Can I use regular all-purpose flour instead of cake flour? Yes, but the texture may be slightly denser. You can even use half cake flour and half all-purpose flour.

2. Why use dry pudding mix? It adds extra moisture and a subtle vanilla sweetness, helping the cake remain soft and tender. Choose dried instant pudding mix (not cook-and-serve).

3. Do I really need canned coconut milk? Canned coconut milk has a thicker, creamier consistency than boxed coconut milk. This richness translates into more flavor in the cake.

4. Can I add coconut directly to the batter? Absolutely. Adding about ½ cup of shredded sweetened flaked coconut to the batter ups the coconut flavor and adds texture. It’s completely optional based on preference.

5. How do I remove cake layers without tearing? Grease and flour your pans thoroughly or use parchment rounds. Allow the cakes to cool 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack. If the cake still clings, run a thin spatula or knife around the edges to loosen.

6. Do I need to refrigerate a frosted coconut cake? Since the frosting includes cream cheese, refrigeration is recommended.

Popular Cake Recipes:

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My cake recipes are some of the most popular recipes on Modern Honey and get 5-star reviews over and over again.  You can find my Love at First Sight Chocolate Cake,  Yellow Cake with Milk Chocolate Frosting,   Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting,   Italian Lemon Olive Oil Cake,   Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting,   and Southern Caramel Cake.

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5 from 18 votes

Coconut Cake

By: Melissa Stadler, Modern Honey

The best moist coconut cake with sweet coconut cream cheese frosting.

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 22 minutes minutes

Total Time: 37 minutes minutes

Servings: 16

Equipment

• kitchenaid mixer
• 8 inch round cake pan
• 9 inch round cake pans
• measuring cups and spoons
• spatula set

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 1/2 cups Cake Flour
• ▢ 1 3/4 cup Sugar
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• ▢ 1/4 cup Dry Pudding Mix coconut or vanilla
• ▢ 1 cup Butter cut into cubes, softened
• ▢ 1 cup Canned Unsweetened Coconut Milk full-fat
• ▢ 1/3 cup Buttermilk
• ▢ 4 Egg Whites
• ▢ 1 Egg
• ▢ 1 – 2 teaspoons Coconut Extract

Sweet Cream Cheese Frosting:

• ▢ 1 cup Butter softened
• ▢ (1) 8-ounce pkg. Cream Cheese softened
• ▢ 5 cups Powdered Sugar
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons Cream or Milk
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Coconut Extract

Simple Syrup

• ▢ 1/2 cup Water
• ▢ 1/2 cup Sugar

Garnish:

• ▢ 1 1/2 cups Coconut Sweetened or Flaked

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a standing mixer, stir together flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and pudding mix.
• Beat the butter into the flour mixture, one cube at a time. Continue to beat until it resembles coarse crumbs.
• In a small bowl, whisk together coconut milk, buttermilk, egg whites, egg, and coconut extract. Add the 1/2 of the egg-milk mixture and beat the batter is light and fluffy. Add remaining egg-milk mixture and mix just until combined. Take a spatula and scrape the sides of the bowl.
• Spread into greased pans and smooth tops with a spatula. Use two 9-inch pans or three 8-inch cake pans.
• Bake for 18-22 minutes, depending on the depth of pans. If the cake layers are thin, they will cook for less time than the thicker layers. This time is for three thin 8-inch layers. Check for doneness by placing a cake tester or toothpick in center of the cake.
• Let cakes cool. Run a knife around edge of cake pan and flip over.
• To make simple syrup: heat water and sugar in a small pan over medium heat. Let it come to a simmer. Once the sugar is completely dissolved and is clear, remove from heat. Let cool. Brush simple syrup over cake layers.
• Sweet Cream Cheese Frosting:
• In mixing bowl, cream together butter and cream cheese for 4 minutes until light and fluffy. Stir in powdered sugar and heavy cream, milk, or cream of coconut. Add coconut extract, if so desired. Once the cake has cooled and has been removed from pans, frost each layer with frosting.
• Top each layer with sweetened coconut or place all flaked coconut on top of the cake or all over sides and top of the cake.

Notes

Can I use regular all-purpose flour instead of cake flour? Yes, but the texture may be slightly denser. You can even use half cake flour and half all-purpose flour.

2. Why use dry pudding mix? It adds extra moisture and a subtle vanilla sweetness, helping the cake remain soft and tender. Choose dried instant pudding mix (not cook-and-serve).

3. Do I really need canned coconut milk? Canned coconut milk has a thicker, creamier consistency than boxed coconut milk. This richness translates into more flavor in the cake.

4. Can I add coconut directly to the batter? Absolutely. Adding about ½ cup of shredded sweetened flaked coconut to the batter ups the coconut flavor and adds texture. It’s completely optional based on preference.

5. How do I remove cake layers without tearing? Grease and flour your pans thoroughly or use parchment rounds. Allow the cakes to cool 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack. If the cake still clings, run a thin spatula or knife around the edges to loosen.

6. Do I need to refrigerate a frosted coconut cake? Since the frosting includes cream cheese, refrigeration is recommended.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert

Servings: 16

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Happy Baking, my friends! xo