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If you’re looking for the best coconut cake recipe, this is it. This cake is incredibly moist, soft, and packed with coconut flavor in every bite, thanks to a combination of creamy coconut and buttermilk that makes the texture absolutely irresistible.
It’s finished with a rich coconut cream cheese frosting and a generous sprinkle of shredded coconut, so every bite is layered with flavor and just the right amount of sweetness. This is the kind of cake people remember — perfect for holidays, celebrations, or anytime you want a true showstopper.
If you love coconut desserts like I do, be sure to try my Coconut Pound Cake for a rich, buttery version, Coconut Sheet Cake for an easy crowd-pleaser, and Coconut Cupcakes for a fun, individual treat. And if you’re looking for even more cake inspiration, don’t miss my full Cake Recipes Collection.
✨ Before You Begin
✨ Use cream of coconut, not coconut milk: Look for products like Coco Lopez in the drink mixer or liquor section—this is what gives the cake its rich flavor and ultra-moist texture.
✨ Measure flour correctly: Spoon and level your flour so the cake stays light and tender, not dense.
✨ Don’t skip the buttermilk: It adds moisture and a slight tang that balances the sweetness beautifully.
✨ Room temperature ingredients matter: This helps everything mix smoothly and evenly for the best texture.
✨ Don’t overbake: Pull the cake as soon as a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Coconut Cake Ingredients + Key Notes
Cream of Coconut (such as Coco Lopez): This is one of the secrets to this cake’s incredibly moist texture and rich coconut flavor. It’s thicker, sweeter, and much more concentrated than coconut milk, so don’t substitute the two. It’s often sold as a cocktail mixer, so look for it in the liquor or drink mixer section of your grocery store.
Buttermilk: Keeps the cake soft and tender while adding a slight tang that balances the sweetness.
Egg Whites: Whipped and folded in to create a lighter, fluffier texture.
Shredded Coconut: Use sweetened shredded coconut for the best flavor and texture.
How to Make Coconut Cake
Start by mixing the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another, then combine them with the buttermilk just until blended. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then gently fold them into the batter to keep the cake light. Divide the batter between two 9-inch cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Let the cake layers cool completely before frosting. To make the frosting, beat together the cream cheese, butter, cream of coconut, vanilla, coconut extract, and powdered sugar until smooth, then frost the cake and finish with shredded coconut.
Pro Tips
⭐ Don’t overbake
Bake just until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Overbaking is the fastest way to dry out a coconut cake.
⭐ Chill before slicing
This cake is even better after chilling — the frosting sets up and the flavors deepen beautifully.
⭐ Watch your frosting
Cream cheese frosting can loosen if overbeaten. Mix just until smooth and fluffy.
Coconut Cake Notes
Don’t Overbake: Bake the cake just until a toothpick comes out of the center clean. Please don’t overbake it or you’ll go and ruin a fabulous cake! I like to make the cake the day before I want to serve it. It, of course, needs to be refrigerated because of the cream cheese frosting, but I honestly prefer it cold anyway so it’s all good.
Frosting Texture: Let me say that the texture of this frosting is not like a firm buttercream. It has a softer, looser texture. It, of course, should not be runny. It should be stable enough to spread on the cake and obviously not run off the sides. After the cake has been frosted, place it in the fridge and the frosting will firm up and set.
Do not overbeat frosting: The cream cheese in the frosting will become runny if overbeaten. Some readers have had a problem with the frosting being runny.
Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead
How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge?
The completed, frosted cake will last 3 days in the fridge. Remember, because the frosting has cream cheese in it, the leftovers must be refrigerated.
Can This Be Frozen?
You can also freeze the cake, unfrosted, for up to three months. Seal in the cake layers in 2 layers of plastic wrap.
Make Ahead Tips:
You can store this cake for two days in the fridge. If you have a cake lid, use that to cover it. Otherwise, you can use plastic wrap. Chill, uncovered, for twenty minutes to let the icing harden, then cover carefully. Alternatively, you can place a few toothpicks around the cake to prop up the plastic wrap and keep it from collecting icing! The little toothpick holes are easy to smooth over before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
◆ Why is my coconut cake so moist?
The combination of cream of coconut, like Coco Lopez, and buttermilk is what makes this cake incredibly moist. The cream of coconut adds richness and sweetness, while the buttermilk keeps the crumb soft and tender.
◆ Can I use coconut milk instead of cream of coconut?
No. Cream of coconut is thick and sweetened, while coconut milk is thinner and unsweetened. Using coconut milk will change both the flavor and texture of the cake.
◆ Why do I need to whip the egg whites separately?
Whipping the egg whites and folding them in adds air to the batter, which gives the cake a lighter texture while still keeping it rich and moist.
◆ Do I have to refrigerate this cake?
Yes. Because of the cream cheese frosting, the cake should be stored in the refrigerator. It actually tastes even better slightly chilled.
More Coconut Recipes
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Coconut Cream Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 3/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 3/4 Cups Sugar
- 1 Cup 2 Sticks Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
- 1 Cup Sweetened Cream of Coconut-like Coco Lopez
- 4 Large Eggs Separated
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 Teaspoon Coconut Extract
- 1 Cup Buttermilk Well Shaken
Frosting:
- 2 -8 Ounce Packages Cream Cheese at Room Temperature
- 1/2 Cup 1 Stick Unsalted Butter, at Room Temperature
- 2-3 Cups Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 Cup Sweetened Cream of Coconut-like Coco Lopez
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 Teaspoon Coconut Extract
- 2 cups toasted sweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2- 9-inch cake pans with non-stick baking spray.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt and whisk; set aside.
- In a large bowl, add sugar, butter and sweetened cream of coconut. Using an electric mixer beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time. Add vanilla and coconut extracts. With the mixer set on low, beat in dry ingredients and then buttermilk, each just until blended.
- In another bowl, using clean and dry beaters, beat egg whites and a pinch of salt until they are stiff but not dry. Gently fold egg whites into cake batter.
- Evenly divide batter between prepared cake pans. Bake in preheated oven for about 45 minutes or until the toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool in pans for 10-15 minutes then turn cakes out onto racks to cool completely.
- When cakes are cool make the frosting; using an electric mixer beat cream cheese and butter together until they are just combined (Do Not overbeat or frosting will become runny). Add cream of coconut, vanilla and coconut extracts and beat just until combined. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and beat until all ingredients are just combined and smooth. Add more powdered sugar as needed to achieve desired consistency (Some readers found the frosting to be runny with only 2 cups of powdered sugar)
- Frost cake and sprinkle toasted coconut all over and gently press it so it adheres to decorate. Store cake in the fridge until serving.
Fans Also Made:
Nutrition
Source: Bon Appetite
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bonjour pourriez vous traduire s recettes en Français svp
I’m so sorry I do not speak French. Are you able to use Google translator?
I also crave coconut in spring. Weird, huh? Your cake looks delicious.
Hey Jeff. It is weird. I don’t know why, but it’s definitely a “thang!!!!”
You mentioned the frosting needs to be refrigerated in one of the comments. When do you refrigerate the frosting, before putting it on the cake or after? And can I frost the cake and put in the fridge to be eaten the next day? How long would you leave the cake out at room temp before eating it?
Hi Kelly. After. Yes, you can. In fact, I think it’s even better on the second day. I personally like it cold, straight from the fridge 🙂
Kathleen, well it’s spring and I’m a coconut lover too. I remember my mom’s beautiful white coconut that she used to make when I was a girl over 65 years ago. Wish I had her recipe, but know I am going to love yours too. It sounds scrumptious. Also, can’t wait to read all of the comments later. Thanks loads for sharing one of your favorites.
You’re so welcome Syvieann! I hope you enjoy the cake 🙂
You’re so welcome Sylvieann! I hope you enjoy the cake 🙂
If your cake sticks badly, one thing you can do is break up the cake into pieces and put them in a trifle bowl. Then add the frosting stirring it up. Add some coconut on top. Or make cake balls. No worries..
Hi Mimi. Great suggestion. This cake doesn’t have that issue fortunately 🙂
I made this recipe today for Easter! My family loved it and it was so delicious. This is a very special cake for special occasions. I would make this cake again.
Hi Corrine. So glad your family enjoyed 🙂 I think this is a very special cake, too!
Hello Kathleen
Coconut cake is my favouMarrite and I purchased one at Sam’s Club ,but it did not do it for me,so I am going to try your recipe ,as the coconut cake I am looking for should be dense ,that is how I remember it since I was a kid.
This cake is a dense cake. Hope you enjoy!
I made this tonight and it was AWESOME! Thanks so much!
Yay, so glad you liked it Tara! You’re so welcome 🙂
I love the recipe for the cake. Made the frosting once, was a good filling texture once I added some sweetened dried coconut to it. I have been looking for a good cake recipe for a pineapple upside down cake and this worked awesome. I did add about 1/2 c of dried finely shredded unsweetened coconut to the cake. Melted 1/2 cup butter in a 9×13 pan, ensure butter covers bottom of pan and sides. I then sprinked 3/4 cup brown suger over butter. Placed canned pineapple rings on this. Put marashino cherries in the rings then poured this cake batter on top. Baked it about 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees. Cooled it 15+ minutes then inverted it. Turned out awesome.
Hi Stefenia. Wow, sounds like an awesome cake!
Kathleen,
We made this cake for Christmas Eve and it definitely packs a coconut punch. However it is definitely a very dense cake. Are there any tips to making a more fluffy cake. Its almost more of a biscuit texture than a cake. Happy holidays
Hi Gil. Hmm, well, I totally agree this cake is on the denser side of cake texture, I’m confused by the biscuit reference. If your cake came out that heavy, I’m thinking something may have gone wrong. 🙁 If you’re looking for a light, fluffy cake, maybe a coconut chiffon recipe would be best. Hope that helps.
Can this be done in a 9×13 cake instead of two layers? How long would you bake it?
Hi Bonye. I don’t see why it couldn’t be baked as a 9X13. Sorry, I haven’t baked it that way so I’m not sure on the time. I’d love to hear back if you try it 🙂
You have a couple scripts on this page that needs some serious debugging! VERY annoying!
Hi Patricia. I sent you an email. Your input is very important to me 🙂 I’m sorry, but I’m not understanding what you mean by “scripts”. I want everyones viewing experience to be a positive one so I’d love to fix this issue! Has anyone else experienced the same????
I’ve never used cream of coconut before – the can just says real cream of coconut; should it specify that it’s sweetened? I just want to make sure I get the right thing.
Hi Jackie. I just grabbed a can to check out exactly what it says on the label. It doesn’t state that is sweetened on the front of the label. If you check out the list of ingredients it has sugar as the second ingredient, though. I use Coco Lopez brand. Hope that helps 🙂
Yes that does, thank you! I’ve never used it before so I wasn’t sure if what I was looking at was correct.
i made this foe Easter…dessert. It was a hit! Delicious is all I can say!
Hi LeeLee. I love that name. It’s my little sister’s nickname 🙂 So very glad to hear this was a hit for you too!
Just made this cake and it stuck to the greased pans~! Arghhh~~!!
Hey Anne, oh NO! I hate when that happens! Honestly, that’s never happened when I’ve made this recipe. It’s funny I have a few recipes that I don’t put on the blog because they sometimes stick but this one has always been a safe one! I’m sorry it happened to you ;(
Do you think coconut milk would work instead of coco lopez?
Hi Kelly, no regular coconut milk is much thinner than Coco Lopez.
Do you have to refrigerate this cake? I am looking for an icing that you don’t have to refrigerate. Can you help me with that?
Hi Denise! Yes this frosting absolutely must be refrigerated!
I made this cake for my daughter’s birthday and both of them sunk in the middle:-( I do however live in high altitude and would like to know what I did wrong?
Hi Rachel. Not sure what happened. I’ve never had that happen with this recipe. I live at sea level so I’m not experienced with high altitude baking. Sorry!!!