An old-fashioned coconut cake recipe, made with soft, fluffy cake layers, iced with an old-fashioned frosting, and covered in sweet shredded coconut. My recipe includes plenty of tips and tricks for flawless results and includes a how-to video tutorial.

Soft, Fluffy Coconut Cake
Those of you who follow the blog regularly (💗) are familiar with a lot of my grandmother’s recipes. Maybe you’ve tried her hot milk cake, potato candy, or apple dumplings, but her coconut cake with its unique, silky-smooth frosting was always one of my favorites. However, her cake layers always came from a box!
We don’t do box-mixes here, so, after years of testing cake recipes, I finally developed a super soft, super moist, sturdy and stable cake with a tender, melt-in-your-mouth crumb that works as the perfect base for today’s coconut cake.
It’s a stunning, but also simple cake, with tender, soft, fluffy layers and an old-fashioned frosting.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Incredible texture. If you’ve ever struggled in the past with dense, dry, cornbread-esque cakes, you’re in for a pleasant surprise with this one. Not only is it carefully designed to be soft, tender, and so moist, I also include notes in the recipe and video to help prevent some classic mistakes bakers run into when making cakes from scratch.
- The BEST flavor. It’s tricky to balance the flavors of coconut cake when coconut has such a distinct flavor that can quickly become overwhelming. We lightly flavor the cake layers with a bit of coconut extract, then use coconut milk in the frosting and cover everything in shredded, sweetened coconut. The perfect balance.
- A proven recipe. I first shared this recipe in 2016 and it’s since not only been a favorite with my family but has received dozens of five star reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
- It’s just cute! It looks like a giant, fluffy snowball and tastes like heaven. It’s a beautiful dessert to grace your Easter (or any holiday) dessert table.
While this cake is great any time of the year, something about it just feels like springtime to me. Maybe it’s the fresh coconut flavor, maybe my grandmother made it around Easter every year, but to me it belongs in the ranks of other spring recipes like my hummingbird cake, carrot cake, and carrot cupcakes (all great springtime dessert options!).
What You Need
For the Cake Layers

This is a moist fluffy cake comprised of two thick layers. I adapted it from my gender reveal cupcakes because I loved the fluffy crumb and taste of those. Here’s an overview of what goes into the cake layers.
- Butter and oil. I took a page from my vanilla cake and chocolate cake and used a blend of butter and oil for best flavor and texture (the oil really helps keep the cake moist since it ideally is refrigerated).
- Flavor. Vanilla extract is essential for flavor. While my grandmother never used coconut extract in her cake, I like the lovely tropical flavor a splash of it adds to my coconut cake and recommend using it.
- Sour cream. Full-fat sour cream (or a plain, full-fat Greek yogurt) works best here. Sour cream adds a lovely depth of flavor in addition to moisture (and that’s why it’s such a key ingredient in my yellow cake, too!).
- Egg whites. You’ll need just the whites for this recipe, discard the yolks or save them to make creme brulee or chocolate pie. While this cake isn’t a white cake in color, it’s similar to that one in that it get much of its fluffy structure from whipped egg whites.
For the Frosting

The frosting that I use (and my grandmother used) for coconut cake is a bit unique so I thought it deserved its own section. It uses flour and is quite similar to my ermine frosting in taste and texture, only there’s no need to make a roux!
- Butter. When I first shared this recipe I used a mix of butter and shortening (I think my grandmother only used Crisco). I don’t prefer to use this in my baking anymore so switched everything over to butter and have been very happy with the results. I use salted butter, but if you only have unsalted just add ยผ teaspoon of salt into the frosting.
- Sugar. We’re using granulated sugar, not powdered sugar. Because of this, the frosting needs to be beaten for an extended amount of time (over 10 minutes!) so that the sugar can fully dissolve.
- Flour. Since raw flour was in the news a few years ago for being contaminated, I now recommend heat-treating any flour that isn’t baked into your baked good (like edible cookie dough). This can quickly be done in the microwave in under a minute and I explain how to in the recipe card.
- Coconut milk. You can substitute whole milk instead, but I prefer to stay in coconut-theme since this is a coconut cake, after all, and opt for coconut milk. Shake the can very well before opening!
- Extract. I use just vanilla extract and skip the coconut extract here. You could certainly add a small amount if you wanted, but I felt it overpowered the cake and made things too coconut-y
- Coconut. My grandmother always used frozen shredded coconut, but I can’t ever find that in my grocery store. I use sweetened shredded coconut. Since that can be a bit stringy, I’ll often pulse it in my food processor for several seconds before using it on my cake.
SAM’S TIP: If you have a stand mixer, use it to make the frosting! This recipe requires a minimum of 12 minutes of stirring to properly dissolve the sugar. It’s great to have a machine do the heavy lifting!
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
Helpful Tips When Making Coconut Cake

Coconut cake comes together pretty quickly and easily, but there are a few things that I wanted to cover in more detail before we begin:
- Tips for the egg whites: This recipe calls for egg whites that need to be whipped to stiff peaks. Set yourself up for success and use a stainless steel or glass bowl (avoid plastic or silicone) and make sure it is completely clean, dry, and grease free. Make sure not even a tiny drop of egg yolk gets in with the whites or they won’t reach stiff peaks. (these are tips I’ve also shared when whipping egg whites for macarons and meringues). I demonstrate how I do this in the video in the recipe card, if that is helpful.
- Shred the coconut (again). Sweetened shredded coconut can sometimes be a bit stringy, lending itself to a texture that many people just don’t love. To help with this, I sometimes like to chop the coconut even finer; a few blitzes in the food processor usually does the trick!
- Bring in the machines (for the frosting). As I mentioned above, the coconut cake frosting is made with granulated sugar, which must be dissolved for the frosting to have its signature, smooth consistency. This has never taken me less than 12 minutes. Save yourself a major arm workout and use your stand mixer if you have one. If you don’t have a stand mixer or an electric mixer, you may want to opt for one of my other frosting recipes (I give a few options below!).
- The frosting WILL become smooth. Just keep mixing and be patient! It takes time but will ultimately be silky smooth.

Frequently Asked Questions
Use your hands and don’t be afraid of a mess. I scoop the coconut up the sides of the cake with my hands and gently press it into the frosting (make sure you apply the coconut immediately after applying the frosting so it sticks). Since coconut can sometimes be quite stringy, I find it helpful to cut it finer with a food processor before applying, which helps give an even coverage, too.
If you follow the instructions as written you shouldn’t run into any issues, but there are 2 main reasons homemade cakes (of any variety) sometimes turn out dry:
1) Over-measuring the flour. Never scoop your flour, which can pack it into the measuring cup! Instead, use a kitchen scale or stir the flour then spoon it into measuring cup and level off the excess flour.
2) Over-baking the cake. Bake both cake layers at the same time in the center rack and make sure our oven isn’t running hot (many ovens do! An oven thermometer is your best friend). Even 1 or 2 minutes too long in the oven can make the cake dry out.
Avoid these two classic pitfalls and you shouldn’t have any problem!
Yes! Cream cheese frosting would be an excellent alternative, or for a tropical fruit theme cover it with strawberry frosting or lemon frosting!

Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! Subscribe to my newsletter to be notified of all the newest recipes, and find my free recipe tutorials on YouTube 💜

Coconut Cake Recipe

Ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ⅔ cup (157 ml) avocado, vegetable, or canola oil
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240 g) sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon coconut extract
- 2 ¾ cup (344 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 6 (190 g) large egg whites room temperature
FROSTING
- 4 Tablespoons (31 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cup (282 g) salted butter softened (this is typically 2 ½ sticks of butter)
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar (300g)
- 1 cup (236 ml) coconut milk (235ml)
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups (300 g) sweetened shredded coconut, divided
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and grease and flour the sides of two 8” cake pans (or spray with baking spray) and line the bottom with rounds of parchment paper.
- Combine butter, oil, and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment (or in a large bowl and use an electric mixer) and beat until ingredients are creamy and well-combined.6 Tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, ⅔ cup (157 ml) avocado, vegetable, or canola oil, 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and then stir in sour cream, vanilla extract, and coconut extract.1 cup (240 g) sour cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon coconut extract
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.2 ¾ cup (344 g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon table salt
- Using a spatula and stirring by hand, gradually, gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet (butter/sugar mixture) until completely combined. I'll usually add the dry ingredients in 3-4 parts.
- Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure that all of your ingredients are well-combined. Set aside.
- Pour egg whites into a medium-large sized glass or stainless steel bowl that is completely clean, dry, and grease-free. Using an electric mixer, beat on high-speed until stiff peaks form (meaning that if you remove the beater from the mixture, the peak that forms holds its shape and does not fold over or dissolve back in on itself).6 (190 g) large egg whites
- Add the whipped egg whites to the batter and use a spatula to gently fold the egg whites into the batter. While you do not want to over-mix this batter, it is important that the egg whites are completely combined. Use a gentle hand and stir until you can’t see any streaks of egg whites in the batter.
- Divide batter evenly into prepared cake pans.
- Bake on 350F (175C) for 35-37 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean or with a few moist crumbs (no wet batter).
- Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10-15 minutes before running a knife around the edge to loosen the cakes and carefully inverting onto a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
- Heat treat the flour: Place flour in a microwave-safe dish and heat for 30 seconds. Stir, then use an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature (must exceed 160F (71C)). If not warm enough, continue to heat in 10-second intervals until temperature is reached. Allow flour to cool completely before using (if it is lumpy, run it through a sifter before using). This "heat-treats" the flour in case it was contaminated. Set aside.4 Tablespoons (31 g) all-purpose flour
- Combine butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium-speed until creamy and well-combined.1 ¼ cup (282 g) salted butter, 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- Add flour, one tablespoon at a time, beating on medium speed for 15 seconds after each addition. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl and beat again for 20 seconds.
- Add coconut milk and vanilla extract and stir to combine1 cup (236 ml) coconut milk, ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Turn mixer speed up to medium-high and beat for 6 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat again at least another 6 minutes, until frosting is smooth.
- Test the frosting by tasting or rubbing between your fingers, it should not be gritty or grainy at all. If it still is, carefully scrape the sides and bottom of your mixing bowl again and stir again on high speed until no longer grainy.
- Once your cakes are cool, ice them by placing one layer on your serving dish and applying an even layer of frosting to the top. Sprinkle liberally with some of the shredded coconut.3 cups (300 g) sweetened shredded coconut, divided
- Place your second layer on top of the first and apply an even layer of frosting around the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle remaining coconut over the top of the cake, and then use your hands to press coconut all around the sides.
Notes
Frosting: Butter vs Shortening
In the original version of this recipe (and the one I recorded in the video) I originally used ยพ cup of butter and 9 Tablespoons of vegetable shortening (Crisco). I don’t prefer to use shortening in my baking any longer so have tested and updated the recipe to use all butter. Feel free to use whichever you prefer.Frosting – Stand Mixer Note
If you have a stand mixer, definitely use it for this recipe as the frosting requires a long period of mixing. It *can* be done with an electric hand mixer, but may take longer than indicated and will be an arm workout!Frosting alternatives
For me, coconut cake just wouldn’t be coconut cake without this old-fashioned frosting. However, I know it’s not for everyone. This cake could also be covered with any of these frostings below, just make sure to cover with coconut shavings!- Cream Cheese Frosting (a splash of coconut extract would be a good addition for coconut flavor)
- Vanilla Frosting
- Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Chocolate Frosting (of course the cake won’t have that pristine white appearance outside, but I love the chocolate/coconut pairing!).
Coconut
The shreds of coconut are often a bit too long for my liking so I’ll typically pulse them in my food processor for a few seconds to make the shreds finer. My grandmother always used 18 oz of frozen shredded coconut for the outside of the cake, but that’s not easily accessible near me any longer. Just thaw it first before using.What To Do With Those Leftover Egg Yolks?
Here are some great recipes that use a lot of egg yolks!Storing
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This cake may also be tightly wrapped and frozen for several months.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
I originally published this recipe in April of 2016. In 2019 I made some improvements to the cake recipe and in 2024 updated the post to be more helpful.
Jose
i love anything with coconut, i was wondering if i can use cream of coconut instead of milk.
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Jose! I am not sure how the cream of coconut will do as it is a different consistency; it may alter the texture quite a bit. Coconut milk has the liquid consistency of cow’s milk and will probably be a better alternative. I have not tried either so if you do, please keep me posted on how it turns out. ๐
Yvette
Hi! I am wondering if I could incorporate using canned coconut milk in place of the sour cream in the cake portion of the recipe? If so, would the measurement differ? Thanks in advance! Love all of your recipes!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Yvette! I have not tried using coconut milk as a substitute in this recipe so I can not provide you with any personal recommendations. If you try it, I’d love to know how it turns out for you. ๐
Renuka atthi
What can I use instead of eggs?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Renuka! Unfortunately, I have not tried making this recipe egg-free so I can not provide you with any personal recommendations. If you are looking for a cake that is egg-free, I just published a Crazy Cake that does not require butter, milk, or eggs that you could give a try instead. ๐
Denis
Hello Sam,
I am trying to find a recipe for coconut cake icing my Grandmother use to make. The icing was none of the normal white cake icings. It was an opaque slightly transparent icing. My guess is some type of melted sugar and egg whites. I am not really sure. She would mix the coconut into the icing and then spread it on the cake. When the icing set/dried it had a slight crust on the surface kind of like the crust on the dry glaze of a donut. Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Denis
Sam
Hi Denis, I am going to ask my grandmother if she knows what you might be talking about. I am not familiar with this icing you are describing, unfortunately ๐
If my grandmother has an idea I will certainly report back!
Denis
Okay.
Thanks for your help.
Denis
Nancy
Denis, about the icing your grandmother used to make…I have an old Rumford Complete Cookbook that was my grandmothers. There is a recipe for Boiled Frosting that sounds like what you describe. The orig copyright was 1908.
Boiled Frosting
1 Cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup hot water
1 egg white
1/6 level teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tsp flavoring
Boil the sugar and water together, without stirring, till they form a thread when a little is lifted from the pan; beat the white of the egg, add the cream of tartar and pour the hot syrup over them, beating while doing so. Add the flavoring and beat till thick enough to spread.
I hope that this might be what your grandmother used to make. I have never made it, so donโt know if it would get a dry glaze on top.
Carol Crowson
This was the first time I made a coconut cake from scratch and it turned out so wonderful!! I loved the icing recipe and it just set the cake off. I promised my mom I would make a coconut cake for her over the holidays. She is 90 yrs. old and cooking is really hard for her now. Coconut cake was my dad’s favorite cake and mom made him one every December 21 which was his birthday. She would make it using a fresh coconut starting with it in the shell. Holidays bring many memories back for my whole family but especially my mom who celebrated anniversary and dad’s birthday a few days before Christmas. Thanks for sharing the recipe and helping me to make my mom’s wish for a coconut cake come true.
Sugar Spun Run
What a sweet comment and I am happy that my recipe was able to bring back such sweet memories for your mom, Carol. Thank you for trying my recipe and for commenting. I am so glad that everyone enjoyed the cake. ๐
Mable Oler
Very good, thanks.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the coconut cake, Mable! ๐
Wayne
Do u think it would it be possible to make this cake in a 9ร13 pan???
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Wayne! Yes, it should be fine. The bake time will be different, so I recommend keeping an eye on it. I hope that you enjoy the cake. Let me know how it turns out. ๐
Marina
Love this cake itโs my favorite ๐ฅฐ
Sam
I’m so happy to hear it, Marina! Thank you for letting me know how you liked the coconut cake! ๐
Michele Near
I am a home baker and have found that you consistently have the best recipes I can find anywhere. I read cookbooks for pleasure but rarely find any baked goods that are as wonderful as yours. So, thank you! I had combined a few coconut cake recipes a few years ago but am always fine tuning. I am anxious to try this one! I often substitute coconut oil for the oil portion of the cake. Wondering your thoughts on that:) Is there any way to do that for the frosting? I donโt really use shortening anymore.
Sam
Thank you so much for the kind comment, Michele! That really means a lot to me <3
I hope you love this coconut cake as much as you love the other recipes. I have not tried substituting coconut oil for the other oil and honestly am not very familiar with baking with coconut oil, so while in theory it sounds like it should work I am hesitant to advise for sure one way or another in the cake. If you try it would you please let me know how it works out for you?
I also haven't tried in the frosting but I feel like that should work and now want to try that out for myself!
Donna
I have been baking since third grade. My first cake contest was an elephant shaped pink coconut cake by Betty C. Cookbook, and won 1st prize (the yr was 1976)
This cake was a true prize to find as an adult. I have been addicted to your baked goods recipes since I made your version of the Pineapple-Upside-Down cake, which is perfection!!! You won me over with the perfect vanilla cake!
It is rare to find a website regarding baking that is enjoyable, is knowledgeable, offers the most “fail-proof ” and delicious versions of sweets while being well worded and easy to follow. Your site offers it all and I am not easily impressed. Congratulations on your stellar recipes and beautifully executed website. All around success!!
Thank you for sharing it all, and blessings to and yours throughout the Holidays!
Sugar Spun Run
Donna, your comment made my day, THANK YOU! I am so happy that you have had such great success with my recipes and that you find my site enjoyable. Thank you for your sweet comment. Happy Holidays to you! ๐
CHERYL FERRARA
Hi Sam,
This frosting is very similar to a cooked version my mom always made and I’ve used. ..so I think I’ll give it a go.
Question- do u think that the frosting can be made a day ahead? Making this for my grandson’s b’day- who LOVES coconut- but need to travel an hour with the cake. So thinking of taking cake and frosting separate to put together there.
Thanks!
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Cheryl! I think the icing will be fine if you made it a day ahead of time. I recommend storing it in an airtight container until ready to use. I hope that your grandson has a wonderful birthday and enjoys the coconut cake. ๐
Elaine C.
Old fashioned coconut cake
Where do you buy frozen coconut? . I just saw frozen avocado in with frozen fruits , but never coconut.
Thank you,
Elainw
Sam
Hi Elaine! I’ve always been able to buy it in the frozen section near the other frozen fruits.
macrae
for your cakes do you use cake pans like for example 9 x 2 or 9 x 1 inch cake pans,and same with the 8 inch pans for example 8 x 2 or 8 x 1 inch pans. Thanks.
Sam
I always use a standard 2 inch tall cake pan. ๐
Jessica
I love this frosting! It is perfectly sweet and so simple to put together. But what would it be called? It’s not an ermine because the milk and flour aren’t cooked. Not quite a buttercream, but it sort of is. What IS it?!?!
Sam
You know, I think my grandmother does have a name for it but it’s slipping my memory right now, I’m going to have to ask her and get back to you!
Jim
Thatโs not a Seven Minute Frosting, is it?
Iโm searching for the โcompletely from scratchโ coconut cake my mother made.
She cracked open her own coconuts, poked holes in the cake with her finger and poured in coconut milk. I seem to remember she called it a seven minute frosting on her cake can anyone help me find my Momโs recipe
Sam
Hi Jim! Yes, this is a seven minute frosting. Enjoy ๐
Jackie
do you think I could substitute coconut extract for the vanilla in the cake? BTW I’ve tried both you vanilla cake and carrot cake and both were absolutely delicious, loved by everyone!
Sam
You can definitely use coconut extract, BUT I wouldn’t substitute the whole amount. Coconut extract seems to me to be stronger than vanilla extract, so maybe I’d start with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and just 1 – 1 1/2 teaspoon of coconut unless you’re looking for a very strong coconut flavor. I’m so glad you have enjoyed the other cakes, and hope that you love this one just as much!! ๐