Light and Fluffy Coconut Cake
This coconut cake is guaranteed to be the BEST coconut cake you’ve ever had. It has light and tender coconut cake layers, a creamy coconut filling, and coconut cream cheese frosting. It’s a coconut lover’s dream come true!
Since I first shared this old-fashioned “southern” coconut cake recipe in 2010, this cake has been a favorite with pretty much everyone. I have family and friends request it for birthdays and holidays, and it’s the recipe on my site with the most consistent 5-star reviews. There’s no doubt about it, everyone LOVES this cake!
What makes this coconut cake special?
- The coconut flavor really comes through in every aspect of this cake, from the cake layers to the frosting, to the toasted coconut on top!
- Using canned coconut milk not only helps with flavor, but it also make the cake super moist and tender.
- It’s an elegant yet comforting dessert, perfect for any occasion.
One bite and I know you’ll agree, this really is the best coconut cake recipe!
“I just want to say that I was so intimidated by this recipe at first. I bake a lot-but usually not cakes. This sounded so complicated! But, tomorrow is my mom’s birthday and coconut cake is her favorite. So, I gave it a try. Just want to say that everything turned out beautifully! Thank you for sharing this recipe with us!!!” — reader Diane
Table of Contents
- What makes this coconut cake special?
- How to make the best coconut layer cake
- My best cake tips
- Flavor variations
- Make this cake now!
How to make the best coconut layer cake
Layer cakes are a labor of love and can be a bit time-consuming, but this coconut cake is more than worth it! Make sure to read and follow all of my tips below for the most success. I’ve done my homework and fine-tuned this recipe over the last 10 years, and it’s practically fool-proof.
There are 4 components to this cake: coconut cake layers, coconut cream cheese buttercream frosting, creamy coconut filling and a toasted coconut topping. Let me show you how to make it!
Moist and tender coconut cake layers
These white cake layers are so soft and very tender. They’re flavored with both coconut flavoring and coconut milk, which adds a lot of richness and helps keep the cake layers moist.
This recipe uses the reverse creaming method, which means all the dry ingredients are beaten together with the butter before the egg whites and coconut milk are added at the end. It’s not any more difficult than using the traditional creaming method, and I like how light the cake layers turn out.
Tip: Bake the cake layers in advance for easy assembly. I usually bake mine at least 1 day ahead of when I will assemble the final cake. Cake layers can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days and in the freezer for a month or more. See my tips on how to store cake layers here.
Rich coconut cream cheese frosting
For frosting, I’ve taken my classic cream cheese frosting and added coconut flavoring. I love the combo together and it’s the perfect rich topping to complement the light cake layers and whipped filling. (If you want a lighter/less-sweet frosting, I recommend trying my chantilly cream frosting instead.)
Creamy coconut filling
To balance the sweetness of the cake layers and cream cheese frosting, the filling for this southern coconut cake is simply whipped cream folded together with just a bit of frosting. It’s very light and creamy, with a hint of coconut flavor and sweetness.
Tip: This is my hack for many layer cakes where I want a slightly different filling between the layers than the overall frosting. Simply fold whipped cream and a bit of frosting together! Voila!
Top it with toasted coconut
Coconut is of course the perfect finish for this cake. I prefer to toast it in the oven until it’s golden brown, but you can also leave it untoasted for an all-white appearance. Use sweetened coconut or unsweetened coconut, coconut flakes or shredded coconut, it’s all up to you!
And together with the coconut cake layers, creamy filling, and cream cheese frosting is a magical coconutty combination. It’s delicious! And I know you’re going to love it as much as we do.
My best cake tips
- Need help assembling and frosting layer cakes? If you’re new to bakinglayer cakes or need a little help, be sure to check out my complete guide for how to build a layer cake. It’s got everything you need to know!
- This recipe uses one 13.5-oz can of unsweetened coconut milk (plus more for the frosting if you want). If you don’t see it in the baking aisle, look for it with the Asian foods. You can also use whole milk in a pinch, just increase coconut extract by 1 teaspoon in both the cake and frosting.
- You can use either 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans. (These are the pans I have and love.) 8-inch pans will yield a taller cake, 9-inch will yield one that’s wider. I baked this cake in 3 8-inch pans, but if using 9-inch, only bake 2 layers.
- Use parchment paper rounds to prevent sticking! The cake layers are so tender, so don’t skip this step and be sure to grease your pans too. Here’s all my tips for prepping cake pans before baking.
- Handle baked cake layers carefully. For best results, chill layers completely in the fridge for several hours or overnight so they are firm and easier to work with. See my tips for storing cake layers.
baking tip:Why you should use cake flour
If you don’t have cake flour on hand, substitute 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch for 1 cup of cake flour. You can also simply just use all-purpose flour, cup for cup. The results won’t quite be the same, there’s not the same guarantee of success, but you’ll likely still have a delicious cake.
Flavor variations
I love this cake so much, I’ve made a few variations that are equally delicious! These all use the coconut cake layers as a starting point:
Make this cake now!
Recipe originally published in April 2010, with slight improvements to the recipe and clearer instructions added over the years. Most recent update April 2025, it’s just as awesome as ever!
Light and Fluffy Coconut Layer Cake
Ingredients
For the Coconut Cake:
- 5 large egg whites
- 1 ½ cup (375 ml) unsweetened full fat coconut milk , divided
- 2 teaspoons coconut flavoring (see Notes)
- 3 cups (340 grams) cake flour
- 2 ⅓ cups (470 grams) granulated sugar
- 4 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter , softened to room temperature
For the Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting:
- 8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese , softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter , softened to room temperature
- 4 cups (455 grams) powdered sugar , sifted
- 1-3 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk or whole milk
- 1 teaspoon coconut flavoring
For the Whipped Coconut Filling:
- 1 cup of the Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting , above
- 1 cup (250 ml) heavy whipping cream
- 1-2 cups (85 grams) flaked or shredded coconut , for decoration
Instructions
To make the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour (or use nonstick baking spray) two or three 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper. (See Notes)
- In a small bowl, lightly whisk together the egg whites, ½ cup of the coconut milk, and coconut flavoring just until combined.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and remaining 1 cup coconut milk and combine on low speed until moistened. Increase speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed so the mixture is uniform.
- Add the egg white mixture in 3 additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl and mixing just long enough to incorporate between additions.
- Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake for about 35-40 minutes. Baking time will vary based on pan size and how many layers you're baking, so start checking when the tops look dry and set. The tops should bounce back when gently pressed.
- Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto cooling racks to cool completely. If making cake layers in advance, wrap in plastic and store in the fridge for up to 2 days and in the freezer for up to 1 month (thaw in the freezer overnight before using).
To make the buttercream:
- Beat together the butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar on medium high speed until light and creamy. Add the coconut flavoring and enough coconut milk (or regular milk) to reach a spreadable consistency. Mix until smooth.
To make the Whipped Cream Cheese Filling:
- With a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream until it starts to thicken. Add 1 cup of the cream cheese buttercream a spoonful at a time while mixing on medium-high speed. Whip to soft peaks.
To frost and decorate the cake:
- Place one cake layer on a cake stand or plate. Cover with some whipped cream cheese filling. Repeat with the rest of the layers and filling. Frost the entire cake with the cream cheese buttercream as desired.
- To toast coconut, spread the coconut on a sheet pan. Toast in a 350°F oven until golden, checking every 2 minutes. Watch it carefully, the coconut will burn fast. Let it cool completely before adding to the frosted cake.
- Chill the cake for one hour before serving. Store in the fridge, cake will keep for several days.
Video
Notes
- This recipe uses one 13.5-oz can of unsweetened coconut milk (plus more for the frosting if you want).
- “Coconut flavoring” can be coconut extract or coconut baking emulsion flavoring. This is what I use.
- The cake can be baked in either 8 or 9-inch pans and you can use 2 or 3 pans, depending on the look you’re going for. Be sure to not fill cake pans more than 2/3 full, or they may overflow in the oven. If using 8-inch pans, make sure they are deep enough, or bake more separate layers.
- This recipe uses the Reverse Creaming Method, meaning you cream the butter and sugar along with the dry ingredients. This coats the flour with a layer of fat, resulting in a very light texture.
This cake came out amazing. I love it so much. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Is it possible to substitute coconut milk with coconut cream to create a richer coconut cake ? I was just curious.
I haven’t tried it so I couldn’t say, sorry!
Can this cake be made 3 days in advance before serving?
Yes you can make this cake in advance. Cake layers can be kept in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for a month or more. You can see my full post on how to store cake layers for more info. If you would like to make the whole frosted cake 3 days in advance, that probably will work fine. I’d just keep it wrapped in the fridge. I hope this helps!
I just made this cake in preparation for my anniversary and it came out perfect. It’s a 2 layer 8 inch and the layers are a bit tall which I like but didn’t expect and I’m considering making another batch to make it a 3 layer except I’m out of coconut milk so I’ll probably end up doing that tomorrow. Tomorrow is frosting day and the anniversary!!!!
Going to try your recipe for my daughter’s b’day cake… she loves coconut…
Dont u have a video of this cake ….
I’ve a confusion. About beating the egg whites…
Whether to beat it to peaks like done in chiffon cakes or simply mixing with the milk
Just whisk it with the milk! No need to beat.
Is it possible to make this cake into cupcakes? If yes, how long would you bake it for and at what temperature? Thank you so much!
Yes, I do make these into cupcakes! Check out my coconut cupcake recipe here.
My husband wanted to make this cake for his dad’s 78th birthday, they both love coconut…. I will say it was the best coconut cake we have ever eaten. He made 4 layers and toasted the coconut, which I thought it was a very crucial step you might not want to miss. He also added the egg yolks, we didn’t have another use for them at that time. He also added a little frozen coconut into the batter as well. And the cake was still light and airy and the frosting was also amazing. Thank you very much.
This recipe looks fantastic ! thanks for sharing.
nice…
Just made this cake and it tastes great! Only problems are that it didn’t make enough batter so I only have two really thin cake layers. The frosting is really runny so I couldn’t get it to stay on. I had to freeze it every five minutes and I lost a lot of frosting because of this. Anyone have any tips on how to make the frosting less runny for future times?
Thanks for sharing your recipe! I made this cake for my boyfriend’s birthday, and it looked fantastic, the cake was also really nice and moist. But somehow it was overbearingly sweet. Not sure where I went wrong, but it was honestly to the point that we couldnt finish our first piece. Will try to make this again, but lower the sugar content. Love coconut!
I made this recipe and made cupcakes and mini bundt cakes. I filled the cupcakes and mini bundt cake with the filling and frosted them – they are delicious. Thank you for a very tasty recipe.
Made the cake for a birthday this weekend as I couldn’t find the recipe I loved from ‘dixiecaviar.com’ (don’t even try, looks like the site is down or been hijacked), but so glad because this recipe is so much better! Much nicer crumb, and much lighter too.
Followed the cake recipe almost to the letter, only I used whites from a carton measured out at 150 ml (a touch over 5 oz) – worked perfectly – and cut the sugar to 2 cups which didn’t cause any issues. Baked it in 2 9″ round pans, 2″ deep, and had no problems with run over even though I’m at a higher elevation (Calgary, AB).
I used a different filling and frosting from Better Homes and Gardens to finish, so I can’t comment on anything other what I think is an excellent cake recipe.
So happy to hear you liked the cake, thanks for the feedback! 🙂
I am going to bake it tomorrow for the first time. Can i bake the whole recipe in one 9″ springform pan and then cut? Also when whipping the egg whites you just whisk slightly with a hand whip? Thanks!
Hi Mary,
I’m sure Annalise will comment, but I suspect a 9″ springform doesn’t have enough depth and you might run the risk of it overflowing – plus the baking time to get the centre done might result in very dry edges. You’ve probably already made this, so curious if it turned out for you.
Also, the egg whites, milk and flavouring you just need to lightly whisk to incorporate – you’re not whipping it.
Hope that helps next time you make it!
Hi Mary! I’m not sure a 9-inch springform pan will hold all of the batter. You can use the pan if you’d like, but I wouldn’t fill it more than 2/3 full. You can also bake the cake in batches with the pan if you’d like. Good luck!
I made your cake today for a friend’s birthday who requested coconut cake! I don’t like coconut cake but I’m actually really excited to try this and it may change my mind. I wish I could post a picture because it turned out perfectly! I followed the recipe to a “T” except the only difference was that she requested the coconut not be toasted on the outside! Thanks for this recipe!
* Followed instructions for baking at a lower temp with weighed measured batter and perfectly flat layers of cake resulted! Nailed it!
I want to bake your coconut cake but I only have 9″ round cake pans. Will those work? How would I need to adjust the baking time? Thanks in advance!
They’ll absolutely work! Baking time should be roughly the same.