This coconut layer cake is made up of delicate, moist vanilla cake layers, creamy coconut filling, and a fluffy seven-minute frosting. On top is a sprinkling of shredded coconut. An excellent cake for any celebration.
How long will my coconut cake last?
This cake is best served the day it’s filled and frosted. But if we’re to be honest, we’ve had a slice 48 hours later, and it was perfectly fine. Or if you’re anticipating making it in advance, you can wrap and freeze the unfrosted layers for up to 4 months.
Coconut Layer Cake
Ingredients
- For the cake
- For the filling
- For the frosting
- For the garnish
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter and lightly flour three 9-by-2-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with waxed paper.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt, and then add them to the batter in 4 additions, alternating with the milk and the vanilla extract, beating well after each addition. Divide the batter among the cake pans.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean.
Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove from the pans and cool completely on wire rack.
In a medium-size saucepan, whisk the milk with the sugar and the flour until thoroughly combined. Cook and stir constantly over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the coconut and then stir in the vanilla extract. Cool to room temperature.
When the coconut cake has cooled, spread half the filling between the first 2 layers of cake, then the other half between the second and third layers. There. You’ve assembled the cake. Now make the frosting, which needs to be used immediately after it’s mixed.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the egg whites and the vanilla extract.
In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine the water with the sugar and the cream of tartar. As the mixture begins to bubble at the edges, stir once to make sure the sugar is dissolved completely, then let it come to a rolling boll, which will take 2 to 3 minutes. Immediately remove from the heat.
Meanwhile, beat the egg whites and the vanilla extract on medium-high speed until foamy, about 1 minute.
Without turning off the mixer, pour the sugar syrup into the beaten egg whites in a thin, steady stream. Continue beating constantly on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes or until stiff peaks form but the frosting is still creamy. Frost top and sides of cake immediately, being generous with your swoops and swirls and flourishes. Generously sprinkle the top of the cake with shredded coconut. Originally published April 21, 1999.
Recipe Testers' Reviews
It’s hard to put into words just how wonderful this cake is. It’s moist, sweet, rich, and just pure decadence. I shared a slice with my goddaughter, and she said, “It’s so good that it doesn’t make sense!” It really is!
The filling was amazing and the frosting tastes SO good. (And I will admit that I sampled quite a bit of the frosting before it made it on the cake!) You make the frosting like you would an Italian meringue, except you don’t add any butter. It tastes like the best marshmallow you have ever tasted! The recipe was spot on as written; the only deviation I made was to toast the coconut before putting it on the cake, which gave it a somewhat nutty taste that was really well received.
I always use a little of the batter to make a single cupcake so that I can taste the cake without having to cut into it, and I can tell you this recipe makes a really nice cupcake, too. I added a small layer of the filling to the top of the cupcake, then I added the frosting and the toasted coconut, and it turned out really cute! I can’t wait for another reason to make this cake again, as this is the kind of cake you need to make with an intent to share, otherwise you could definitely eat this entire cake by yourself.
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David I am going to make this cake when I come home this afternoon….was wondering if you add the syrup while hot or do you let it cool? Also, I noticed you added vanilla INSTEAD of coconut extract…do you think the vanilla is better? Thank you so much as I have never made a real coconut cake like this better and it is for a special lady in our church…..
Hello, Donna. You let the syrup cool only long enough to mix the whites (1 minute). Then you pour the hot syrup into the bowl–making sure not to hit the beater, otherwise it will splatter all over. I pour it slowly down the side of the mixer bowl.
About the vanilla extract: I find it rounds out the flavor of the frosting, giving it more depth.
I hope your church friend likes it!
Best coconut cake ever!!! I’ve made it many times and it’s always perfect : )
Well. Can’t really say much more than that, can we? Thank you, Briseida!
Briselda, I have to agree. This is my go-to cake recipe. And I am a coconut freak–so I know a good coco-loco cake.
I made this cake for a get together at a friends house…it was wonderful! My only problem was making the frosting, just could not get it thick enough to be of spreading consistency…but I will definately try again. The flavor and texture of the cake were amazing, loved the coconut filling, and the frosting was delicious–like homemade marshmallow…I did not have self-rising flour so I used 2 3/4 cups of cake flour and added 3 tsp baking flour. Perfect.
Hi Denise, so glad you liked the cake. It’s one of my favorites. A few things about the frosting:
1. Did you let the sugar mixture come to a rolling boil?
2. Was your mixing bowl impeccably clean? Even a little bit of egg yolk can make the frosting not as fluffy.
3. Did you use the whisk attachment?
4. Did you beat the mixture long enough?
Hi David,
Thanks for your reply! Yes, a few bits of egg yolk did escape when I was separating the eggs..no wonder…to compensate for the sides of the cake, I just added a wall of shredded coconut and left the top of the cake gleaming with the shiny, white icing. It was gorgeous! I will be making this cake again this weekend. I have been looking for the perfect coconut cake and this it! My search is over. Thanks!
Denise
My pleasure, Denise.
I would make it again but use a lemon or pineapple filling. We did not care for the filling at all.
Absolutely Fantastic! Lots of fun preparing.