Get ready — my delicious coconut sheet cake recipe is stuffed with incredible coconut flavor. It’s the most perfect sheet cake ending to every summer BBQ!
Simple, old fashioned coconut fruit cake recipes will grab the attention of everyone at your next barbecue! Of all my cake recipes, this one is a potluck classic.
In the same fashion as my coconut cream cake, coconut buttermilk cake and coconut banana cream pie, this coconut sheet cake is a tropical, decadent crowd pleaser! It flies off the tray faster than you can cut it.
Let’s bake!
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What I Love About This Recipe
Sheet cakes always bring such lovely nostalgic memories! Whether it’s from birthday parties or backyard events, one bite and you’ll be strolling down memory lane. This cake brings that and more!
- Coconut in the sponge, frosting, and topping!
- Flavor for DAYS!
- Everyone will beg for the recipe
- Dessert WIN all around!
How To Make Coconut Sheet Cake Recipe
This recipe is a simple cake recipe in sheet form.
Preheat your oven and prep your pan.
Bring butter and water to a boil. Remove from heat and mix in your flour, sugar, flaked coconut, eggs, sour cream, coconut extract, vanilla, salt, and baking soda. Stir until combined. Pour batter into a prepared pan and bake.
Meanwhile, make the coconut cake frosting on the stovetop. When your cake is done, pour the icing over the top while it’s still warm. Sprinkle with coconut flakes and enjoy!
Coconut Cake Recipe Notes
Coconut cake can handle just about anything you throw at it, but if you want to get all the best flavors, read on for my favorite tips!
Tips For Making The Perfect Coconut Sheet Cake
The best way to ensure that your sheet cake comes out perfect is to carefully monitor the baking process!
Fully Cook: It is important to cook this cake through all the way. Cook the cake until the top has a nice golden color. The finished cake has a very moist texture, so undercooking it will mean the entire structure falls apart. And it endangers you!
- Toothpick Test: Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out completely clean, then your cake is cooked through!
- Pan: Make sure you use a full 10 x 15 pan. Trying to use a 9 x 13 won’t work — the cake will not cook properly.
Easy Coconut Cake Ingredient Notes
The ingredients for this coconut cake mix are pretty standard as far as cake goes — but let me highlight a few things to be aware of!
Batter: This recipe makes a really runny batter. Don’t worry! It’s supposed to look like that. The extra moisture is part of what gives this cake its awesome texture.
Vegan: It’s pretty easy to turn this recipe into a vegan coconut sheet cake. Simply substitute the ingredients for vegan choices, like coconut oil instead of butter and almond milk instead of cow’s milk.
Coconut: The star ingredient! I used shredded sweetened coconut for this recipe, but you can use different types of coconut to get different results. Flaked coconut gives bigger pieces and chewier texture; desiccated coconut is finely ground and smooth. Get creative!
Storing Tips
With such a high moisture content, what’s the best way to store this cake? I got you covered!
Can You Freeze This?
Yes! I love cutting this cake into individual-sized pieces and storing them in separate containers so I have grab and go cake servings. No matter how you store it, you’ll get up to four months in the freezer!
To thaw, leave your slice in the fridge until it reaches your desired temp. I actually love eating my coconut cake a little frozen!
Make Ahead Tips
The best way to speed the process of this cake recipe is to make the frosting beforehand.
You can store the pre-made frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days!
How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge?
Once assembled, you can store your cake in the fridge for up to a week. Any longer, and the frosting will bleed into the cake — and while normally that means an extra moist, yummy cake, in this case, it over-saturates our cake with moisture.
Tools to Make
If you’ve ever made a cake before, I promise you had all the equipment you need to make this cake!
- 10×15 baking pan
- Cooking spray
- Saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Toothpick
- Frosting knife
Got it? Get to it!
More Sheet Cake Recipes
Need more sheet cakes to bring to parties or just to spruce up your after-dinner desserts? Here you go!
- Strawberry Sheet Cake
- Pineapple Sheet Cake
- Pina Colada Sheet Cake
- Caramel Apple Sheet Cake
- Grandma’s Fruit Cocktail Cake
Coconut Sheet Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Icing:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 cup milk
- 4 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping:
- 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 Degrees. Spray a 15X10X1 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Bring butter and water to a boil in a large saucepan. Remove from heat and mix in flour, sugar, flaked coconut, eggs, sour cream, coconut extract, vanilla, salt, and baking soda. Stir until mixture is evenly combined.
- Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake 18-22 minutes (until the top is nicely golden and a toothpick comes out clean).
- Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, add milk and ½ cup of butter and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in confectioners sugar, coconut extract, and vanilla until smooth. Pour icing over warm cake then immediately sprinkle with flaked coconut. Cool completely before serving.
Fans Also Made:
Nutrition
Conclusion
This coconut sheet cake recipe is so well known in my family that people expect a cake at every get-together! And can you blame them? I mean, it’s so good!
What did you make this cake for? Let me know in the comments!
I don’t have a 15X10X1 pan. I have one that measures 17X_X1. Would it work or not?
Hi, Sally. Yes, that’ll work 🙂
Sounds wonderful.
Thank you, Diane! Enjoy 🙂
What if I can’t find coconut extract, what can I use?
Hi Esperanza. You can just omit it <3
I live in Wyoming and need high altitude directions, can you help?
Hi Sandra! I’m so sorry I live at sea level and have no experience converting recipes for high altitude. Wish I could be more helpful!
The frosting has milk and butter but doesn’t list in the ingredients. . How much milk?
Hey Teri. Sorry about that! Recipe is updated 🙂
Hi
Thank you for your reply
Please tell me the quantity of milk that you used in the icing recipe.
Her in the UNITED KINGDOM our cups capacity is larger than the ones that been used in AMERICA, please tell me how many grams or ounces are there in the 2 cups of flour that you used
Thanks
the directions call for milk and butter in the icing .. the ingredient list has neither ..help!
Hey Betty. Sorry about that! Recipe is updated 🙂
Hi
I think you forgot to mention how many tea spoon baking soda and salt. Please correct as I will be baking it today
How many grams or ounces is your cup of flour?
thanks
Hi Ghanna. Thanks so much for catching that. Recipe is updated! 🙂
Kathleen
This cake looks like something my husband would. I love the tips you gave, but there no directions.
Hi Pamela! Thanks for letting me know. Glitch in the program. The instructions are back up 🙂