Coconut Cream Cake is layer upon layer of coconut flavor in every bite! Coconut infused cake, coconut cream cheese frosting, sprinkled with toasted coconut. Truly a coconut lover’s dream!
Coconut Cream Cake
Coconut Cream Cake is probably one of the best cakes I have ever had. The coconut cream cake itself is so rich and moist and the frosting is just to die for. This is one of our sister Elise’s amazing baking recipes. Elise is definitely the expert when it comes to cakes.
This is a recipe you will want to keep on hand for special occasions, it is perfect for showers, birthdays, weddings, and having company over. We have even made it for Easter and dressed it up like a bunny. It’s a fun treat to serve at Hawaiian themed parties, too!
Tips for Making Coconut Cream Cake
- This is one of our more advanced recipes on our site but well worth the work! We have made this countless times and it will turn out great as long as you carefully follow the instructions and don’t skip steps.
- This cake requires freezing OVERNIGHT so be sure to make it a DAY AHEAD of when you plan to serve it! This is a very moist cake and the freezing of the cake makes it so it will not crumble when it is frosted then next day. This step is very important if you want to keep your cake looking pretty.
- I have had a few comments with people saying they had issues with sticking, so make sure to grease and flour! I always grease my pan, then line the bottom and sides with parchment paper (so it doesn’t slip) cut a round piece of parchment paper for the bottom and a long strip for the side of the pan. Then grease again over the parchment paper and lightly flour.
- Some people have had issues with the cake overflowing in 2 pans, I’m not sure if this is an elevation issue or an over-beating issue with the batter, but if the batter seems to be filling your pans more than 3/4 full, consider using a 3rd pan or reserving some of the batter for some cupcakes.
- One reader mentioned that she just made it in a traditional 9×13 inch pan without doing the layers and it turned out great. Another reader just did cupcakes and said that they turned out really good too! With either of these options you will need to adjust your baking times accordingly and really watch it close by doing toothpick tests. The cupcakes should cook much faster so start checking those sooner.
More Recipes for Coconut Lovers
- Tasty Coconut Cupcakes – Light and fluffy cupcakes with the most amazing coconut frosting!
- Coconut Cream Pie from Scratch – No pudding mixes in this delicious coconut cream pie filling.
- Coconut Pecan Cookie Bars – A graham cracker crust topped with coconut, milk chocolate chips, pecans.
- Caribbean Coconut Fudge Bars – A soft oatmeal cookie crust topped with chocolate fudge and a gooey coconut topping.
- Coconut Almond Bread – This is a moist coconut bread with a hint of almond.
How to Make Coconut Cream Cake
Coconut Cream Cake is layer upon layer of coconut flavor in every bite! Coconut infused cake, coconut cream cheese frosting, sprinkled with toasted coconut. Truly a coconut lover's dream!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Freezing Time: 8 hours
Total: 1 hour 50 minutes
Serves: 16
Ingredients
COCONUT CREAM CAKE
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 3/4 cups white sugar
- 1/2 cup cream of coconut Coco Lopez is the one I used, it can be found by the drink mixers at your grocery store- reserve another 1/2 cup to drizzle on the cake after baking
- 4 eggs large
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Additional ingredients
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
COCONUT CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 2 pounds powdered sugar more if needed
- milk as needed
Toasted Coconut* (see below)
Instructions
For the Cake
- Separate eggs, set whites aside.
- Beat wet ingredients together including egg yolks until fluffy.
- Sift dry ingredients together and stir well.
- Add dry ingredients to wet using mixer on low speed alternating with buttermilk/extract mixture.
- In a clean bowl, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff. Fold egg whites into batter.
- Line two 9-inch pans with baking spray and flour (or what works BEST is lining the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper- cut a circle for the bottom of the pan and a strip for the sides and still spray above and below the paper)
- Bake at 275 degrees for about 90 minutes (this cake comes out much nicer when cooked at a lower temperature).
- After about 60 minutes, do the "toothpick test", repeating every 5-10 min or so until the toothpick comes out clean.
- After the cake is out of the oven and transferred to parchment paper or a cooling rack, poke each cake with a few holes (making sure not to poke all the way through) and drizzle another 1/2 cup of coconut cream over the top. This keeps the cake extra moist.
- After the cake completely cools, gently cover it with some plastic wrap and transfer to the freezer to freeze overnight.
- The next day, frost immediately after removing from the freezer (see frosting recipe below). This keeps the cake from crumbling while it is being frosted.
- Put a layer of frosting in-between the two cakes and then continue to frost the remainder of the cake.
- After frosting, sprinkle the cake with toasted coconut (instructions for toasting are below).
- Allow the cake to thaw for about an hour before serving.
For the Frosting
- Beat butter, cream cheese, and coconut extract together, adding powdered sugar little by little until reaching desired consistency.
- If it seems to get too stiff, add about 1 tsp of milk at a time until you get the consistency you want (add milk to thin it out, add powdered sugar to thicken it up).
Toasted Coconut
- Place contents of about 1/2 bag of sweetened, shredded coconut on a cookie sheet.
- Spread it out so it makes just a single layer.
- Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 8-10 minutes
- Some pieces will still be white and soft, some browned slightly with a little crunch.
Notes
*The preparation time does not include freezing the cake overnight before frosting. Make this cake the day before you plan to serve it.
Nutrition
Calories: 644kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 342mg | Potassium: 105mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 85g | Vitamin A: 16.1% | Calcium: 5.6% | Iron: 6.7%
Tried this recipe?Mention @favoritefamilyrecipes or tag #favoritefamilyrecipes!
Jeff and Aubry says
August 29, 2011 at 4:37 pmOOh…we ate some at Erica's house last night. Delish. I'm not a huge coconut fan and I kept wanting another bite! Sooo good!
Peggy says
September 20, 2014 at 1:26 pmIs powdered sugar the same as icing sugar and how many cups is in “a bag”?
Echo says
September 22, 2014 at 8:07 amIcing sugar and powdered sugar are the same thing – they are both sugar processed into a fine powder. I think different countries and regions call it by different names. There are 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar in a 1 lb. bag, 7 1/2 cups powdered sugar in a 2 lb. bag. Thank you for your question!
Excited! says
October 28, 2015 at 12:14 amSo which sized bag is this recipe calling for? I would assume the smaller?
Erica says
November 2, 2015 at 9:38 amIt is a 2 Lbs bag of powdered sugar. You may or may not use all of it.
janee says
October 14, 2015 at 7:35 pmHello!dear
Powder sugar means when u grind the sugar (like in coffee grinder &powder it.
Icing sugar means confectioners sugar which is used in making icing for cakes & pastry.which contains the contents of corn flour with some ratio of
1cup 1tbp
1cup 2tbp.
It’s not the same thing never.
The Crunkletons says
August 29, 2011 at 7:18 pmCan this be baked in a 9 x 13 inch pan and if so, what would the baking time be? This looks so yummy!
Erica says
August 29, 2011 at 7:44 pmYes, it can be done in a 9×13 pan.. you might just have to take out a little batter so it doesn't overflow. Maybe save the extra batter for a couple cupcakes? I haven't done it in a 9×13.. maybe just bake for an hour and then keep doing the toothpick test every 5-10 minutes or so until it comes out clean.
Donovans says
August 29, 2011 at 11:12 pmBest Cake Ever!!!
Kristin says
August 30, 2011 at 12:51 amOh. my. goodness. I want this now!
Sarah says
August 30, 2011 at 4:24 amI have a ladies church potluck coming up and I've been lacking inspiration – this just may do the trick!! Thank you, thank you… I am so excited to try this! 🙂
The Crunkletons says
August 30, 2011 at 5:47 pmI'm assuming that the optional 1/2 c. coconut cream drizzled over the cake is in addition to the 1 c. that is mixed into the batter? I just want to make sure I've got it right. So excited to try this!
Erica says
August 30, 2011 at 6:12 pm@ the Crunkletons:
That's right. The can of coco lopez has more than a cup of coconut cream in it. Just whatever is leftover I drizzle over the top
Me again says
September 1, 2011 at 3:56 amI had a real problem with the cake sticking in the pan. Next time I think I would flour the pan. Or just use a lot more Pam.
Lena pingitore says
May 8, 2019 at 9:01 amWould love to make. But before this is Never addressed in the recipe or comments. Salted or unsalted butter ?
Erica says
May 8, 2019 at 10:18 amWe like to use salted because it balances out the sweet a little but you can use unsalted if that’s what you have on hand! Hope this helps!
Erica says
September 1, 2011 at 5:08 am@ ME again – – what helps is if you use the actual baking spray.. it is the kind that has flour in it. That is what I like to use any time I bake and it seems to help with the sticking. If that doesn't seem to work, maybe like you said, just coat it with a little more flour.
Sarah says
September 1, 2011 at 5:12 amCan I get a clarification? Are you to frost the cake immediately after taking it out of the freezer? I'm about to make the cake and this part had me concerned.
Thanks for the recipe. This looks heavenly! 🙂
Erica says
September 1, 2011 at 5:16 am@ Sarah– Yes, frost it right out of the freezer. It won't crumble as much when you are putting the frosting on. You won't get those little annoying crumbles throughout the white frosting (I hate when that happens)!
-Erica
Sarah says
September 1, 2011 at 8:28 amI also had problems with the cake sticking to the pan. I even floured the pan. Not sure what more I could have done. Was able to save it so it will still work. Got to taste some and it's yummy so far! The top was a very dark golden and almost crusty consistency. Normal? Not sure but I'm sure with the cream of coconut going on top and the frosting it will soften up.
Becki Jacobs says
September 1, 2011 at 11:54 amCoconut cake is one of my favorites and this recipe sounds perfect and very doable. I love that it uses buttermilk, too! I will save this recipe…pictures look great, too!
Erica says
September 1, 2011 at 3:41 pmSince some of you are having difficulty with the sticking, I recommend lining the bottom of the pans with parchment paper. When my cakes stick with or without flour this always does the trick. I put that in the recipe just so hopefully no one else will have sticking problems!
Sarah says
September 2, 2011 at 6:10 amThis was a hit at my potluck dinner tonight! It was so yummy!! It's rich and sweet. You can only have a little at a time but it's so good. I'm waiting right now to have my second piece. Trying to hold back. Ha! Ha!
Ali Pyper says
September 3, 2011 at 8:23 pmMade this cake this week – Best. Cake. Ever! Am making it again for family Sunday dinner gathering. Super moist, frosting is just right. Thank you!
Calamity Kate says
September 4, 2011 at 2:09 pmWhat a delicious cake. I love anything coconut and especially coconut cake. It looks divine!
Benita Wheeler says
September 15, 2011 at 5:17 pmlove, love….fall baking time….have a moment.
Becky says
September 17, 2011 at 11:31 pmI made this for a potluck and it was awesome. I used a 9 by 13 pan and it worked great. I did increase the baking time by maybe 15-20 minutes. (We are at high altitude, though, so you just have to check it.)
Thanks for the awesome recipe!
julie says
June 25, 2014 at 10:49 amdid u cut the 9×13 cake in half and frost inside too? or just all over the outside?
Erica says
June 27, 2014 at 8:41 amYou can do it either way, I sometimes like to add more layers by cutting the cakes in half but it isn’t necessary
Reader Family says
September 30, 2011 at 4:20 amI made this. It was pretty much fantaulous. 🙂
Glenda says
November 20, 2011 at 3:50 amSo I decided to make this tonight to take to a dinner tomorrow we were invited to. I folllowed the directions EXACTLY! and used 2 9 inch round pans. They overflowed in my oven and made a HUGE mess! I also put parchment paper in the bottom of the pans as directed, but because the cake puffed up so much I can see that the sides are going to totally stick. Ahhhhhh! SO FRUSTRATING!
megan says
September 6, 2015 at 11:06 amMine is overflowing as I write this 🙁 :(. I used 9 inch pans too! Hoping I can salvage something since its for a birthday today. I’m so sad.
Echo says
September 7, 2015 at 11:00 amWe are so sorry for the confusion in this recipe. We have updated it so that only 1/2 cup of coconut milk goes into the cake mix and 1/2 cup is drizzled over the top. This should stop it from running over.
Lyn says
September 6, 2015 at 5:14 pmMine also ran over my 9″ cake pans. Fortunately I put a cookie sheet on the rack below the cake and it caught most of the overflow. Next time I will try 3 nine inch pans and just have thinner layers. Also the cook time took one hour and 45 minutes. Still can’t wait to try it.
Echo says
September 7, 2015 at 10:59 amWe are so sorry for the confusion in this recipe. We have updated it so that only 1/2 cup of coconut milk goes into the cake mix and 1/2 cup is drizzled over the top. This should stop it from running over. Thanks for being willing to try it again! It really is a great cake.
Excited! says
October 28, 2015 at 12:09 amI’m going to make this cake tomorrow… The recipe
Still says 1C coconut cream in the cake mix… Is this correct? If I only ad 1/2 should the recipe be altered in any other way?
Erica says
November 2, 2015 at 9:45 amPeople have been having issues with the cake overflowing so to solve that we said 1/2 c. in the cake, 1/2 c. over the top. When you buy the can of cream of coconut there will usually be more than a cups worth in it so you would use 1 cup of the cream of coconut in the cake itself and whatever is leftover from the can you would put over the top. Hope this helps!
Erica says
November 20, 2011 at 6:04 am@ Glenda–
I don't know what to say! I haven't had this happen yet and I have made it at least 3 times! I don't know if it is the elevation you are at or what.. I guess I would suggest just filling the cake pans less? Or set the timer for less time and see if it is puffing up too much? I don't know! I am so sorry!
Debra says
March 13, 2012 at 5:21 pmWhats the buttermilk and coconut extract for ? I can’t see where it is added to the cake or icing
Thanks
Erica says
March 13, 2012 at 5:29 pmIn the 4th sentence after you combine the wet and dry ingredients… “Add dry ingredients to wet using mixer on low speed alternating with buttermilk/extract mixture” — you mix the buttermilk and extract together and add it a little at a time to the mix. Sorry, how it is worded is a little confusing!
adriene says
March 13, 2012 at 7:47 pmwhy are we freezing the cake overnight?
thanks
Erica says
March 13, 2012 at 11:00 pmIn my experience it makes the cake more moist! It also makes it easier to cut, assemble, and frost without getting little crumbs in the frosting.
mona harris says
March 20, 2012 at 1:04 pmPlease help me with the recipe of carmel cake. I cannot find it and it looked soooo good. Thank you.
Erica says
March 20, 2012 at 1:24 pmAre you looking for the Better Than “You Know What” Cake? Or possibly Caramel Monkey Bread? We don’t have a caramel cake…
Sandy says
April 22, 2012 at 7:45 amOMG!!! I can honestly say this is the absolute best cake I have ever made or had!! As a child growing up, on Easter my mom would always make a white layered cake. She would take just a little bit of coconut and tint it green. She would then make a ‘nest’ on top of the iced cake and then put a few jelly beans on it. Well, that always has stuck with me and this year I though, “We haven’t had a cake like that in years!” I Googled ‘Coconut Cakes’ and as I read over all of them….well, this one was the winner and I am so glad it was!! It is the absolute moistest and delicious cake I have ever had!! I took it to my family Easter and took home an empty cake plate!! So…..if anyone is searching for a coconut cake to make….this is the one you want!! Thanks for sharing the recipe…
Erica says
April 22, 2012 at 8:06 am@Sandy- Wow, what a nice comment!!!! I am so glad that you liked the cake. I love the idea of using the green-colored coconut and jellybeans to make it Easter-y. We will have to do that next year! Thanks for the suggestion!
Maryke says
April 29, 2012 at 1:59 pmI made this the other night for a church function. I hand’nt tried it yet, so I was a little worried how it would taste (the batter was to die for!). All I can say is days later people are still coming up to me telling me how YUMMY it was. Thanks
Anjie says
April 29, 2012 at 4:45 pmfound your recipe while searching for coconut cream cheese frosting; I used the Duncan Hines Coconut Supreme Cake mix and used your frosting recipe….it was great!!!! I didn’t have the coconut extract so I used 1/2 vanilla and 1/2 almond extract and it worked out just fine. I only wish I had found this recipe before I bought the cake mix. Next time I will try the whole thing!!!
Peggy says
May 29, 2012 at 5:42 pmI made this cake this weekend for my daughter’s birthday–it was AWESOME! I used parchment paper on the bottom of the pan and sprayed the sides –no problems. The worst thing about this cake is that it is sooooo good!
AngieS says
June 5, 2012 at 2:26 pmI am a little confused with the parchment paper direction. would you mind telling me a step by step on how to line the pan with parchment paper? what i am thinking of is seems very tricky, but i would like to know how you did it!
Erica says
June 6, 2012 at 3:41 pmCut a circle in the parchment the same size as the bottom of your cake pan.. then make a strip out of the parchment to wrap around the inside. That’s it! Really easy!
AngieS says
June 7, 2012 at 2:48 pmso the strip of parchment, not the circle is for the sides?
Erica says
June 7, 2012 at 2:57 pmYeah, that’s right!
AngieS says
June 8, 2012 at 8:29 amthank you so much! i am looking forward to making this cake!
Mariah says
June 18, 2012 at 4:46 pmIs the buttermilk a necessity? or can you replace it with something else? or just do the regular milk with some lemon juice for a minute or two?
Thanks
Erica says
June 18, 2012 at 7:10 pmI have always used buttermilk.. any substitutions aren’t guaranteed to turn out EXACTLY the same as the original recipe but you can sure try it!
Kim Schaub says
June 28, 2012 at 3:50 amI would like to make this cake today but I don’t have any coconut flavoring. Have you ever made this with out it? Can I subsitute anything and still get a great flavor?
Erica says
June 28, 2012 at 7:28 amI have never used anything but coconut flavoring. The coconut flavoring is probably the best to use. You can try a different flavor but I can’t promise it will taste as good!
Steve says
October 2, 2012 at 12:53 pmWhat kind of flour do you use for this? Cake flour? Just want to make sure I get it right. Thanks!
Erica says
October 2, 2012 at 2:15 pmNope! Just regular ole white flour!
Isa says
October 30, 2012 at 11:31 amIt says 2,5 flour……cups?
Emily says
October 30, 2012 at 11:33 amYes, 2 1/2 cups flour. Thanks for catching that! I just fixed it.
V says
December 29, 2012 at 7:10 amGreat recipe! Can I use for cupcakes? Time and temperature?
Erica says
December 29, 2012 at 8:03 pmSure. Same temp… But check after 25 min or so and keep checking every 5 min doing the toothpick test
khrys1119 says
January 7, 2013 at 7:43 amMade precisely as written, this cake was very tasty, however it did somewhat overflow my 9″ round cake pans even though I measured carefully and am at a normal elevation. I found the icing recipe a bit scant for the layer cake version and would do 1.5x the recipe next time. Overall the recipe is fairly complex and time consuming, taking at least two days, a stand mixer, a hand mixer, 6 bowls, a cookie sheet, the two cake pans, a lot of spare room in the freezer, etc. … but the end result is very tasty. Will try again as a 9×13 instead of layers. Don’t skip the soaking of coco lopez on the finished cake, I think that is what makes this cake really stand out. Thank you for a very good recipe!
khrys1119 says
January 7, 2013 at 7:44 amAlso… I sprayed my cake pans with Pam, then used parchment paper on the bottoms only, and sprayed the parchment paper and sides with Baker’s Secret and had no sticking issues at all, even with the overflow.
Susaanah says
January 14, 2013 at 9:29 pmWould you mind telling me how you wrap cake in freezer overnight? Should I put in a freezer bag? Thanks, can’t wait to attempt this!
Erica says
January 15, 2013 at 8:33 pmYou let it cool and wrap it in plastic wrap. I like to go even further and put it in a plastic bag as well!
Susaanah says
January 18, 2013 at 6:34 pmGreat, thanks so much! Making it right now. 🙂
Susaanah says
January 20, 2013 at 4:18 pmHad to update…served this to a crowd today and everyone was raving!!! It is an amazing recipe that Ill definitely be making again. Thank you!
Sarah says
February 7, 2013 at 4:57 pmI’m back and getting ready to make this cake for a second time because people have requested it from me. I’m excited! I’m going to do the parchment this time to help with the cake coming out cleaner. I had thought about making them into cupcakes, not sure how that would work though. I’m going to an adult/couples Valentine’s party tomorrow night and bringing it. So excited!
Erin R says
February 17, 2013 at 2:15 pmWhen you say a bag of powdered sugar do you mean one or two pounds?
Brooke says
March 3, 2013 at 8:06 pmI made this into 12 jumbo cupcakes tonight. The cupcakes were moist and delicious, can’t wait to make it again. Thank you!
Abby says
March 29, 2013 at 2:28 pmHave you ever made this with gluten free flour?
Emily says
March 29, 2013 at 6:20 pmNo, I’m sorry, I have no idea how that would turn out.
april says
April 17, 2013 at 10:24 amwhat is coco loco? Can I substitute with something else, maybe coconut and cream? I don’t think we have it here in Canada
Erica says
April 17, 2013 at 12:05 pmIt is cream of coconut.. you can usually find it near the mixers in the alcoholic beverage section of your store. It is non-alcoholic but that is where you will find it. I have never substituted it for anything else.
Lynn says
April 17, 2013 at 5:57 pmI’m putting this recipe on the top of my “Must Try” list! I love anything coconut so this should be a winner……can’t wait to try it!
April says
June 15, 2013 at 11:28 amThis cake was delicious! I made it in a 9×13 glass pan with no overflow problems. Don’t wait for Easter or a special occasion to make this. My family thanks you!
maria bevill says
August 23, 2013 at 5:09 amRecipe sounds great! have you ever frozen the cake after it is frosted
Erica says
August 23, 2013 at 8:33 amI haven’t. The frosting tastes best when it is fresh. If I am taking it somewhere I usually freeze the cake and refrigerate the frosting… then before serving I frost it.
maria bevill says
September 9, 2013 at 10:58 amHi I made the cake and froze it after I frosted it 2 weeks before the party. It was wonderful and everybody raved!!
BIG hit Thanks for the recipe.
lupe says
September 14, 2013 at 12:10 amHello…sounds yummy! Is this recipe for sea level or a high altitude recipe I live in Colorado my altitude is around 5,800
thanks
Erica says
September 14, 2013 at 7:35 amWe baked this cake at around 2,500 feet… you might want to adjust your cooking a little for the elevation difference…
Alexis says
December 24, 2013 at 10:03 amHi! I am making this cake today for Christmas dinner! I am so excited 🙂 The cakes are in the oven now. I actually did 3-9″ cake pans after reading some comments. After frosting the cake tomorrow should I keep it in the fridge? I need to frost it several hours before we eat it. Thank and Merry Christmas!!
Erica says
January 1, 2014 at 7:07 pmI am assuming you already made this cake but you don’t need to keep it in the fridge if it is just for a few hours before serving. It is great at room-temp!
Erica says
March 9, 2014 at 5:48 pmYou might want to try a lower temperature.. what elevation are you at?
Liza says
March 15, 2014 at 8:14 pmSea level – I think I may have overbeaten the batter? WONDERFUL recipe! The cupcakes were a huge hit!
Cindy says
April 17, 2014 at 12:06 pmIf you make this cake in a 9 x 13 pan, do you still remove the cake from pan after cooking and freeze or can you go ahead with the next step in the instructions. Love all your recipes and ideas!
Cindy says
April 17, 2014 at 12:13 pmIf you make this cake in a 9 x 13 pan, do you still remove the cooked cake from the pan and freeze ? Also, if you do not freeze cake, do you remove the cake from the pan or can you leave cooked cake in pan and follow next step? Thanks!!!
Erica says
April 17, 2014 at 12:42 pmThe cake always turns out better when I freeze it. If not freezing, I would still remove.
julie says
June 25, 2014 at 9:39 amHi , this cake looks fab and look forward to making it for my birthday tomorrow, just a quick question, i do not have space in my freezer and found when i do freeze cakes i can always taste a frost from the ice no matter how long i have defrosted it for, (i have raised taste buds i am told haha) . Do you think if i kept it in the fridge at a very cold temperature over night that it would be as good? I live in london so no probs with altitude etc
julie says
June 25, 2014 at 10:55 amalso the weights of store bought ingredients in the uk are different from the u.s and just wondered what size your bag of poswered sugar is, perhaps 1 lbs i am guessing?
Many thanks and sorry for the bother.
Erica says
June 27, 2014 at 8:40 amYypically the bags of powdered sugar are 1 or 2 Lbs here in the U.S.
Erica says
June 27, 2014 at 8:43 amFirst of all, happy birthday!!!! You could probably get away with refrigerating it but it is the best frozen. When you freeze it, just be sure to wrap it up really well so it doesn’t get too much frost on it. 🙂 Hope your birthday is a great one! Let me know how it turns out!
angie says
September 16, 2014 at 7:39 ami would like to know what do you mean by c. is that a cup? and how much is a cup?
also i would like to know if i can use any kind of flour because of gluten intolerance.
thank you very much
Emily says
September 17, 2014 at 7:22 amYes, c. stands for cup, which is 8 oz. As far as the flour, I would use a gluten free flour that is recommended for baking. I can’t guarantee how it will turn out because I have never tried it this way.
Darlene says
September 19, 2014 at 5:42 pmIf I use White Lilly flour do I omit the baking powder and salt from recipe?
Erica says
September 22, 2014 at 1:17 pmI’m not exactly sure how Lily White flour works… I haven’t ever tried it that way so I don’t know what to suggest. Let me know if you try it and how it turns out!
Amanda says
September 22, 2014 at 12:51 amHi! Where does the toasted coconut fall into the recipe? How much should I use?
Echo says
September 22, 2014 at 7:28 amThanks for asking Amanda! The directions for the toasted coconut can be found at the very bottom of the instructions. Place contents of about 1/2 bag of sweetened, shredded coconut on a cookie sheet. Spread it out so it makes just a single layer. Bake for appx. 8-10 minutes in a 325-degree oven. Some pieces will still be white and soft, some browned slightly with a little crunch. You are going to love this cake!
Brenda says
September 27, 2014 at 10:33 pmI made this cake for a co-workers birthday yesterday and everyone LOVED it! It was such a hit that I am making it again for family this weekend. Like another poster, I too made extra icing. When I assembled the cake on the cake plate I placed a thin layer of icing on the plate around the base of the cake and sprinkled toasted coconut on it as well as on the top of the cake. Thank you for posting this recipe!
Erica says
September 28, 2014 at 11:02 amSo glad you (and your co-workers) liked it! Love the idea of making extra icing… can’t have too much! It is so good! 😀
Leandrea Kelly says
October 7, 2014 at 6:23 amCan I use cake flour instead? If so how much can be used
Erica says
October 9, 2014 at 9:35 amI am sure you can and I bet it would be delicious– I haven’t tried it though so I don’t know what to suggest! If you try it, let us know how it turns out and how much you used!
misty says
November 17, 2014 at 8:33 pmi was wondering will this still taste good if i dont toast the coconut? thanks!!
Echo says
November 19, 2014 at 8:36 pmIt will still taste good – you can’t go wrong with coconut toasted or not! The toasted coconut just gives it a nice look and a crunchier texture.
misty says
November 22, 2014 at 11:55 amok thanks!
violet says
January 17, 2015 at 12:02 amHow can make this cake in a microwave? What would the time require be?
Echo says
January 20, 2015 at 7:55 amI have never used the microwave to bake a cake. Check the directions on your microwave manual or do a search online for the best options.
Noelle says
March 1, 2015 at 10:22 pmFirst time baking a cake. Found this recipe on pinterest, connected me here, and it was wonderful! Your directions were so concise and clear for a cake baking newbie like me! People couldn’t stop raving about it. It was so moist and delicious! A definite repeat and saved recipe. Thank you!!
Echo says
March 2, 2015 at 8:11 pmI am so impressed you would tackle this recipe to bake your first cake! Well done! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake. I have to make sure I have a lot of people coming over when I make it or I will eat the whole thing. 🙂
michele says
March 3, 2015 at 11:53 amAre there any changes for high altitude for this recipe? if so, what?
Echo says
March 4, 2015 at 3:25 pmHi Michele, please see the link below. There are great tips for adjusting a recipe for high altitude baking. I am going to add this to the recipe on our site for anyone else baking this cake at a high altitude. Thank you for asking!
http://www.wikihow.com/Adjust-a-Cake-Recipe-for-High-Altitude
michele says
March 3, 2015 at 2:57 pmI made this cake and the center did not rise, followed directions to a “T” any suggestions. also it was done within an hour, I am at 9500 feet, does the recipe need altering?
Karli says
March 25, 2015 at 5:03 pmI can’t wait to try this for Easter. For your cream cheese frosting, did you use a 1 or 2 lb “bag of powdered sugar”? I tried to read through the comments but didn’t see an answer. Thanks!
Echo says
March 25, 2015 at 6:31 pmIt is a 2 lb bag of powdered sugar. Thank you for asking! I will change it on the recipe. It takes a lot of frosting for the filling and to cover the cake.
Jennie says
June 27, 2015 at 12:21 pmHello, I am not sure what flour you use. Would that be unbleached All Purpose Flour?
Echo says
June 29, 2015 at 10:22 amYes, I use unbleached all-purpose flour. Thank you for asking!
Alison Hardie says
July 11, 2015 at 9:50 amHi, I haven’t tried your recipe yet but was wondering if you or anyone has tried using coconut milk either for the buttermilk or the cream of coconut mix which I assume is what people use for Pina Coladas so would be sweeter of course. Thanks Alison
Erica says
July 13, 2015 at 1:22 pmWe haven’t tried it that way before… let us know if you try it and how it turns out!
Donna says
July 14, 2015 at 4:53 pmI would like to make this a day ahead of a club meeting at my home. freeze, frost and refrigerate? or back to freezer? how long should i let it sit out before cutting and serving from freezer or fridge. or just cut and serve form refrigerator. thanks.
Erica says
July 14, 2015 at 8:31 pmIt only needs to be frozen once. Freeze, frost and refrigerate. Let it thaw for about an hour. It thaws pretty quick.
mish says
August 23, 2015 at 2:07 amFound this cake to make for my dads birthday. Everyone LOVED it! I replaced the coconut cream cheese frosting for mango buttercream frosting and it was yum! My brother in law (to be) requested I make it for his wedding!! 🙂
Thanks for a great recipe!
Echo says
August 24, 2015 at 7:54 amWow! That’s quite a compliment! I’m so glad you liked the recipe!
Amy says
December 29, 2015 at 9:30 amI made this for my husband’s birthday today and it is AMAZING. Your instructions are good and I used 3 small pans to make a 3 layer cake. No overflow and no sticking. I used parchment circles but not on the sides. Just heavily buttered and floured. They popped right out – of the cheap foil pans too!!!
I didn’t toast the coconut and added raspberry jam to the layers. It is a great frosting too. I doubled it with a 2 lb bag of conf sugar and it was the perfect amount.
I will be sharing! My go to coconut cake now! Thank you!!!!!!
Erica says
December 31, 2015 at 10:28 pmThank you so much!!! Sometimes cheap foil pans work just as well as expensive ones! So glad that you liked this recipe. It is one of our very favorites!
Leslie says
March 8, 2016 at 11:12 amI am having trouble finding coconut extract. Any suggestions where I can get it besides on-line? I did find imitation coconut extract from McCormick. What are your thoughts?
Erica says
March 8, 2016 at 11:55 amimitation coconut extract will work great. 🙂
KCas says
March 26, 2016 at 6:43 pmThis is the BEST coconut cake recipe ever! I have made this cake at least 6 times since finding this recipe last year. Thank you for this!
Question: I want to make these into cupcakes for the first time tonight. Do you have to adjust the baking temperature? What about the cooking time? I would love help if modifications needed if you have done these for cupcakes? Also, did you freeze the cupcakes overnight like you do for the cake recipe, and then frost the next day?
Erica says
March 30, 2016 at 9:17 pmI haven’t made cupcakes before with this recipe but you would definitely want to adjust the baking time.. maybe check after 15-18 minutes and every 5 minutes after that? Also, it wouldn’t hurt to freeze them! I probably would if it were me. Let me know how they turn out!
gabrielle says
August 27, 2016 at 3:12 pmCan you tell the aproximate number of servings please?
Erica says
August 30, 2016 at 11:07 amI would say about 16 servings depending on the size of slices you do (if you want to do smaller servings you could probably get 18 slices). Hope this helps!
Robin says
September 15, 2016 at 4:42 pmAfter I make and frost this. Do I keep in the refridgerator or do i keep on counter so the family can serve them selves when they want a piece of cake I live in Georgia so I don;t want it to mold so I need to know how to keep the finished cake
Erica says
September 19, 2016 at 2:45 pmYou will want to keep it in the refrigerator– it will definitely keep longer
SusanAnn Sheidy says
February 14, 2017 at 12:40 pmI made this cake for just me because I love coconut and coconut creme. My hubby hates cake and does not eat it. As I was enjoying and having the best cake in my entire life he wanted to know what I was eating. I told him and I also told him he could not have any because I knew he wouldn’t like it so I didn’t want even a piece wasted on him. Between the two of us I knew he would love it, this was my way of forcing him to taste it. As he came closer to look at it he told me he would try a piece so I gave him a few crumbs knowing he just had to have more. He didn’t want anymore because after all he doesn’t like cake. Later on into the day I heard him in the frig. digging around. I knew what he what he was doing. I tripped lightly behind him and asked “What’s in your mouth?” His response, ” Nothing, okay it’s the one and only cake you will ever see me eat? This is fantastic, can I have more?” My response, “NO!” Of course I let Tony have another slice and another and another. This cake is the best cake I ever made and ever ate. In fact I wouldn’t even call it a cake, I think of it more as candy that’s how wonderful it is. I can’t wait to make it for company or a party. Keep up the good work!
Erica says
February 16, 2017 at 8:23 pmSusan— this is seriously my favorite comment EVER! I was cracking up reading it! I am thrilled that you and your husband like it so much! This is my GO TO cake when I am trying to impress. It is also the cake my husband always requests on his birthday. You are making me want to make it right now haha. Seriously, thanks again for the comment and the laughs. 😀
SusanAnn Sheidy says
February 14, 2017 at 6:17 pmBTW, didn’t read the note about 3 pans. I thought it looked like a little too much. Good thing I had two cans of Easy Off in my Pantry now it’s in the oven!
Bobbi says
March 30, 2018 at 7:18 amCan I make the frosting the day I make the cake to save time?
Favorite Family Recipes says
April 2, 2018 at 9:38 pmYes. That is totally fine. Just refrigerate the frosting after making it and then bring it to room temp before frosting so it spreads easier. Hope this helps!