Coconut Sheet Cake

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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Recipe Notes

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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.

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

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Coconut Sheet Cake

Whip together a delicious, decadently moist dessert with this easy-to-make coconut sheet cake! Coconut in the batter, icing, & topping brings lots of flavor

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time22 minutes mins

Total Time37 minutes mins

Servings: 12 -18 Servings

Author: Kathleen

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:

• 
  Coconut Buttermilk Cake
• 
  Coconut Cream Pie Bars
• 
  Coconut Cupcakes With Thick Coconut Frosting!
• 
  Impossible Coconut Pie

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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!

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