Description
This Old-Fashioned Coconut Cake is a moist, tender dessert featuring a rich coconut flavor with a creamy homemade cream cheese frosting. Perfect for any celebration or as a delightful treat, this classic cake is layered and garnished with shredded coconut for added texture and taste.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 cups unsalted butter, softened
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
Frosting Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 0.5 cups unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup shredded coconut (for folding into frosting)
- 0.5 cup shredded coconut (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease two 9-inch round cake pans to prevent sticking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is fluffy and pale in color, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Add eggs one at a time to the creamed butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract for flavor.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with the coconut milk, mixing until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the batter light.
- Add shredded coconut: Fold in 1 cup of shredded coconut into the batter for enhanced coconut flavor and texture.
- Bake the cake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans, smoothing the tops. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes: Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
- Prepare the frosting: Beat cream cheese and softened butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and continue beating until fluffy.
- Add coconut to frosting: Fold in 1 cup of shredded coconut to the cream cheese frosting for extra coconut texture.
- Assemble the cake: Frost the cooled cake layers generously with the cream cheese coconut frosting, stacking one on top of the other to form layers.
- Decorate: Garnish the top of the cake with 0.5 cup shredded coconut as a finishing touch.
Notes
- For best results, use room temperature eggs and softened butter to ensure a smooth batter and creamy frosting.
- You can substitute coconut milk with regular milk, but coconut milk enhances the coconut flavor.
- If you prefer a less sweet cake, use unsweetened shredded coconut and adjust sugar accordingly.
- Ensure cakes are completely cooled before frosting to prevent melting and sliding of frosting layers.
- Store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days to keep it fresh.
