Fluffy Coconut Cake

This soft and fluffy Coconut cake is a real crowd pleaser! It’s one of those recipes you come back to time and time again. Each layer is made of a soft and fluffy coconut vanilla cake sandwiched between fluffy cream cheese frosting and coated in shredded coconut. It’s not an overly sweet cake, it’s all about flavour.

My favourite thing about this Fluffy Coconut Cake

I love how soft and moist this cake is. And it’s the perfect make ahead of time cake because it’s even better the next day! The cream cheese frosting is nothing to sneeze at either. It’s so creamy and that’s because of my secret ingredient, milk powder!

What does it taste like?

The star of the show here is coconut! It’s in the cake as coconut milk and on the outside of the cake too. The cream cheese frosting is not overly sweet, it’s creamy and fluffy!

The ingredients you’ll need to make this Coconut Cake are simple!

Cake flour – this is a low gluten flour and when used in cakes, results in a soft delicate cake. To make your own cake flour, simply take out 2 tbsp of all-purpose flour from each cup of flour and replace with 2 tbsp of corn flour, also known as corn starch. Sift together twice to aerate the flour mixture.

Salt – I used fine salt.

Baking powder – helps your cake sponge rise.

Butter – I used unsalted butter for the cake and frosting. Make sure it is softened for both.

Caster sugar – also known as superfine sugar.

Vanilla Extract – Always use good quality vanilla extract when baking, it makes a huge difference. I have a great recipe here for it if you’d like to try your own!

Caned coconut milk – this will make your cake really moist and add loads of coconut flavor. If you don’t have it, you can use any type of plant-based carton milk with 1 tsp coconut extract.

Vegetable oil – or sunflower oil.

Eggs – you want to separate your eggs. Make sure you don’t get any yolks in your whites.

Cream of tartar – This will help stabilize your egg whites and help them fluff up better. If you don’t have cream of tartar, you can use 1/4 tsp fresh lemon juice or white vinegar.

Shredded coconut – desiccated coconut will also work.

Cream cheese – make sure your cream cheese is chilled. And no, low-fat cream cheese will not work!

Milk powder – you can use skim or full fat milk powder. The milk powder does two things in the frosting. It makes it super creamy and stabilizes it so it can support the weight of the cake.

Powdered sugar – also known as icing sugar.

Let’s go through each step.

1. Preheat your oven to 175C / 350F. Spray the bottom of three 8-inch cake tins with oil spray and line with baking paper. Set aside. To a large bowl, add the cake flour, salt and baking powder. Use a whisk to combine. Set aside.
2. To a separate bowl, add the butter, sugar and vanilla extract. Use an electric hand mixer to whip until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

3. Add the coconut milk and vegetable oil, and mix on low speed to begin with then up to medium high speed until well combined.
4. Add the dry ingredients and mix until a batter forms.

5. To a separate large mixing bowl add the egg whites and use clean beaters to whip for 10 seconds until frothy.
6. Add the cream of tartar and whip until soft peaks form.

7. While the mixer is on high speed, add the sugar a little at a time. Once all the sugar is In there, continue whipping for 2 minute
8. Until stiff glossy peaks form.

9. Add the egg yolks and use a spatula to fold through.
10. Next, add half the egg mixture to the batter and fold through until well combined. Add the remaining egg mixture and repeat.

11. Split the batter between the three cake tins and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Once baked, allow to cool in the cake tins

Cream cheese frosting

1. Add the softened butter and cream cheese to a large mixing bowl and use an electric hand mixer to whip on high medium speed until well combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
2. Add the milk powder, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Turn the beater to low speed and mix until no dry ingredients are showing. Then turn up to high speed and continue beating until frosting is fluffy and pale, about 5 minutes.

To Assemble

1. Carefully run a knife around each cake tin to loosen the cakes of needed.
2. Place your serving plate on a cake turntable if you have one. Add a dab of frosting on your serving plate. Add the first layer of cake.

3. Next, add 1/4 of the frosting on top of the cake and use a spatula to smoothen out flat.
4. Add the next layer of cake and repeat until you put on the third layer of cake.

5. Pipe frosting around the sides of the cake and smoothen out.
6. Add a baking tray underneath the cake turntable.

7. Use your hands to stick the shredded coconut on the top and sides of the cake.
8. Slice and serve.

My Top Tips!

Storage

This cake can be stored in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to three days.

To make your own cake flour

Cake flour gives cake a nice light and fluffy texture and is lower in gluten. To make your own cake flour, simply take out 2 tbsp of all-purpose flour from each cup of flour and replace with 2 tbsp of corn flour, also known as corn starch. Sift together twice to aerate the flour mixture.

Canned coconut milk

This will make your cake really moist and add loads of coconut flavor. If you don’t have it, you can use any type of plant-based carton milk with 1 tsp coconut extract.

Cream of tartar

This will help stabilize your egg whites and help them fluff up better. If you don’t have cream of tartar, you can use 1/4 tsp fresh lemon juice or white vinegar.

Frosting

When making the frosting, make sure the cream cheese is cold, straight out of the fridge and the butter is softened. The butter needs to be softened so that it can be aerate and making the frosting fluffy, and if the cream cheese is too soft, the frosting will not be able to hold it’s shape.

Make sure you whip the frosting on high speed. The only time you mix on low is right after the milk powder and powdered sugar in. Once there are no dry ingredients showing, whip that bad boy/girl up to high speed again!

When folding the batter

Make sure you fold through carefully and slowly otherwise you risk deflating your beautiful egg whites.

When adding the shredded coconut

Place a baking tray under your cake turntable to collect excess coconut.

Other Recipes You Might Like!

• Coconut Cream Cupcakes
• Coconut Lime Cupcakes
• Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake
• Lamington Cake

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Fluffy Coconut Cake

A soft and fluffy Coconut Cake layered with cream cheese frosting and coated in shredded coconut.

Serves 10

4.9 from 22 votes

Author: Nick Makrides

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep: 40 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 2 hours hrs

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 154kcal

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Ingredients

Cake

• ▢ 3 cups / 450 g cake flour, see notes
• ▢ 1 tsp salt
• ▢ 1 tbsp baking powder
• ▢ 3/4 cup / 170 g unsalted butter, softened
• ▢ 2 cups caster sugar
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups / 375 ml canned coconut milk, see notes
• ▢ 1/4 cup / 60 ml vegetable oil
• ▢ 5 eggs, divided
• ▢ 1/4 tsp cream of tartar, see notes
• ▢ 2 cups / 200 g shredded coconut

Frosting

• ▢ 2 cups / 500 g unsalted butter, softened
• ▢ 2 cups cream cheese, chilled
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 cup / 155 g milk powder
• ▢ 2 cups / 310 g powdered sugar

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Learn How To Make it! [VIDEO]

https://youtu.be/okhzVuLrNY4

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Instructions

Cake

• Preheat your oven to 175C / 350F. Spray the bottom of three 8-inch cake tins with oil spray and line with baking paper. Set aside.
• To a large bowl, add the cake flour, salt and baking powder. Use a whisk to combine. Set aside.
• To a separate bowl, add the butter, 1 1/3 cups of the caster sugar and vanilla extract. Use an electric hand mixer to whip until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the coconut milk and vegetable oil, and mix on low speed to begin with then up to medium high speed until well combined.
• Add the dry ingredients and mix until a batter forms.
• To a separate large mixing bowl add the egg whites and use clean beaters to whip for 10 seconds until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and whip until soft peaks form. While the mixer is on high speed, add the remaining 2/3 cup of caster sugar a little at a time. Once all the sugar is In there, continue whipping for 2 minutes until stiff glossy peaks form.
• Add the egg yolks and use a spatula to fold through.
• Add half the egg mixture to the batter and fold through until well combined. Add the remaining egg mixture and repeat.
• Split the batter between the three cake tins and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean Once baked, allow to cool in the cake tins

Cream cheese frosting

• Add the softened butter and cream cheese to a large mixing bowl and use an electric hand mixer to whip on high medium speed until well combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl.
• Add the milk powder, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Turn the beater to low speed and mix until no dry ingredients are showing. Then turn up to high speed and continue beating until frosting is fluffy and pale, about 5 minutes.

To Assemble

• Carefully run a knife around each cake tin to loosen the cakes of needed. Place your serving plate on a cake turntable if you have one. Add a dab of frosting on your serving plate and add the first layer of cake. Add 1/4 of the frosting on top of the cake and use a spatula to smoothen out flat. Add the next layer of cake and repeat until you put on the third layer of cake.
• Pipe frosting around the sides of the cake and smoothen out.
• Add a baking tray underneath the cake turntable. Use your hands to stick the shredded coconut on the top and sides of the cake. Slice and serve.

Notes

Storage

This cake can be stored in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to three days.

To make your own cake flour

Cake flour gives cake a nice light and fluffy texture and is lower in gluten. To make your own cake flour, simply take out 2 tbsp of all-purpose flour from each cup of flour and replace with 2 tbsp of corn flour, also known as corn starch. Sift together twice to aerate the flour mixture.

Canned coconut milk

This will make your cake really moist and add loads of coconut flavor. If you don’t have it, you can use any type of plant-based carton milk with 1 tsp coconut extract.

Cream of tartar

This will help stabilize your egg whites and help them fluff up better. If you don’t have cream of tartar, you can use 1/4 tsp fresh lemon juice or white vinegar.

Nutrition

Calories : 154kcal

Carbonhydrates: 6g

Protein: 3g

Fat: 2g

Saturated Fat: 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g

Monounsaturated Fat : 1g

Trans Fat : 1g

Cholesterol: 82mg

Sodium: 395mg

Potassium : 106mg

Fiber: 1g

Sugar : 5g

Vitamin A: 119IU

Calcium: 88mg

Iron: 1mg

Nutrition Disclosure

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