This easy coconut cake recipe gives moist, fluffy, coconut sponge cake that is intensely flavoured and irresistibly yummy. It's made with simple ingredients like flour, butter, desiccated coconut and few other ingredients.
If you're looking for a simple homemade coconut cake recipe that is easy anyone can bake it, here is the one.
Read through this entire post for answers to frequently asked questions, tips, storage information and more about this recipe before moving to the printable recipe card for ingredient list and directions.
Coconut Cake Recipe
Coconut cake is perfect for afternoon tea, dessert, birthday cake or any other celebration like baby shower and others. This simple cake recipe has a moist and spongy texture and coconut taste with every bite.
Just like my best madeira cake recipe, this recipe is suitable for the home baker and professionals. It requires simple ingredients, little effort and you get the best tasting desiccated coconut cake ever.
In this post I have included how to make coconut buttercream to decorate the cake if you wish.
Let me show you how to make the best coconut cake ever!
Why this easy coconut cake recipe is the best
- This dessicated coconut cake is easy, quick and versatile.
- Moist and intense coconut flavour - Say no to dry cakes!
- Cheaper to make your own with just few inexpensive ingredients.
- Makes use of simple ingredients you most likely have in your kitchen cupboards.
- No need for expensive baking tools. You most likely have all the tools needed at home.
- Failproof recipe. You get consistent results with this recipe.
- It's homemade with love so no unnecessary preservatives.
- Use any shape cake pan you have available.
Cake baking tools you'll need
Mixing bowl
Mixer - hand or stand mixer
Spatula
Baking paper / Parchment paper
Cake pans - Two 8" round cake pans
Cooling rack - To cool cakes after baking.
Cake tester - Skewer or toothpick
Timer - If your oven doesn't have one.
Ingredients
Detailed ingredient list in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
For this simple coconut cake recipe, the ingredients you'll need are :
Butter
Sugar- Granulated or Caster sugar
Eggs
Coconut milk or cream
Self raising flour or All-purpose flour (plain flour)
Baking powder
Desiccated coconut
FOR COCONUT BUTTERCREAM
Butter
Icing Sugar - Also known as powdered sugar or confectioner's sugar
Coconut extract
Desiccated coconut
How to make coconut cake
1)Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature then prepare the cake pans by rubbing with butter and lining with baking paper/parchment paper. Set pans aside.
2) In a bowl add the flour, baking powder and desiccated coconut then mix together. Set aside.
3) In a mixing bowl, add in butter and sugar then use electric hand or stand mixer to mix till batter is light, fluffy and turns pale.
3) Break eggs in a separate bowl one at a time (i like to do this so if there’s any bad egg in the batch, you wouldn’t have ruined your batter).
4) Add coconut milk and extract to the eggs and whisk.
5) Pour the whisked eggs in the butter and sugar mixture and mix with the mixer for 2 minutes.
6) Add in the flour/desiccated coconut mixture. Mix for a few minutes till all ingredients well incorporated.
7) Divide cake batter into the prepared cake pans. Place in preheated oven and bake at a temperature of 170C for 40 minutes or till cake tester when inserted comes out clean.
Turn cake onto a cooling rack and leave to cool.
How to make coconut buttercream
1) Put butter in a mixing bowl and mix with electric mixer for about 5 minutes.
2) Add in sifted icing sugar and coconut extract then mix till light and fluffy.
3) Use to fill and decorate cooled coconut cake or store in the fridge (for up to 3 days) or freezer (up to 3 months) till ready to use.
How to decorate coconut cake
1)Scoop some buttercream on one of the cakes and spread out then place the other cake on top.
2) Using a spatula, cover the cakes with the buttercream ensuring all parts are covered.
3) Cover decorated cake with desiccated coconut.
4) Cut, serve and enjoy
Tips for easy coconut cake recipe
- Bring ingredients to room temperature.
- Unless otherwise stated, weigh ingredients with measuring scale rather than using measuring cups.
- Break eggs in a separate bowl one at a time.
- Don’t overmix batter once the flour has gone in or you might end up with dense cake.
- Preheat oven before putting in the cake batter.
- Place cake in the middle shelf of the oven for better heat distribution.
- Do not open the oven while cake is baking. If you open too early, this might cause the cake to sink in the middle.
- Cool cake on a cooling rack as this help with air circulation around the cake that prevents steam from gathering on the bottom of the cake.
Frequently asked questions
What is desiccated coconut?
Dessicated coconut is grated coconut meat that has been dried. It is mostly unsweetened and used in cakes, some curries and soups. Usually displayed in the baking aisle in stores like Tesco, Asda, Walmart, etc.
Can I use coconut milk in carton?
No. The coconut milk specified in this recipe is canned coconut milk.
How to Store
This cake without the buttercream covering can remain safely at room temperature for up to 2 days however it’s best to refrigerate this coconut cake.
To store, leave cake to cool completely then if undecorated, wrap tightly in clingfilm or foil, put in freezer bags and store in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up 6 months.
If decorated with coconut buttercream, it's best to wrap loosely in foil and not clingfilm then put in freezer bag to prevent cake absorbing other foods odour from the fridge or freezer.
Other Baking Recipes on the blog
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Easy Coconut Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Oven
- Electric mixer
Ingredients
- 300 g Butter
- 300 g Sugar granulated or caster
- 5 Eggs
- ½ cup Coconut milk Canned
- 315 g Self raising flour check notes below if using all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- 60 g Dessicated Coconut
COCONUT BUTTERCREAM
- 150 g Butter
- 300 g Icing sugar (Powdered sugar)
- 1 teaspoon Coconut extract
- Dessicated coconut as desired (to cover)
Instructions
- Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature then prepare the cake pans by rubbing with butter and lining with baking paper/parchment paper. Set pans aside.
- In a bowl add the flour, baking powder and dessicated coconut then mix together. Set aside.
- In another mixing bowl, add in butter and sugar then use electric hand or stand mixer to mix till batter is light, fluffy and turns pale.
- Break eggs in a seperate bowl one at a time (i like to do this so incase there’s any bad egg in the batch, you wouldn’t have ruined your batter). Add coconut milk to the eggs and whisk.
- Pour the whisked eggs in the butter and sugar mixture and mix with the mixer for few minutes.
- Add in the flour/dessicated coconut mixture. Mix for few minutes till all ingredients well incorporated.
- Divide cake batter into the prepared cake pans. Put in preheated oven and bake at temperature of 170C (150C fan) for 40 minutes or till cake tester when inserted comes out clean.
- Turn cake onto cooling rack and leave to cool.
HOW TO MAKE COCONUT BUTTERCREAM
- Put butter in a mixing bowl and mix with electric mixer for about 5 minutes.
- Add in sifted icing sugar and coconut extract then mix till light and fluffy.
- Use to fill and decorate cooled coconut cake or store in the fridge (for up to 3 days) or freezer (up to 3 months) till ready to use.
HOW TO DECORATE COCONUT CAKE
- Scoop some buttercream on one of the cakes and spread out then place the other cake on top.
- Using a spatula, cover the cakes with the buttercream ensuring all parts are covered.
- Cover decorated cake with dessicated coconut.
- Cut, serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Bring ingredients to room temperature.
- Unless otherwise stated, weigh ingredients with measuring scale rather than using measuring cups.
- Break eggs in a separate bowl one at a time.
- Don’t overmix batter once the flour has gone in or you might end up with dense cake.
- If using all-purpose flour (plain flour) instead of self-raising flour, add 2 teaspoon baking powder to the 315g plain flour. You still have to add ½ teaspoon baking powder in the ingredient list.
- Use Canned coconut milk, not coconut milk in carton.
Yummy yummy... can I have a piece right now?
I love this recipe. My cake was moist and tasty!
That's so good to know. Thank you for the feedback.
Hi!?I would like to make this recipe, but Iam not totally clear about the measurements. Is there a way I can have the recipe in cups measurements, instead of grams? Thank You
Hi Liza, I have now added a unit conversion button under the ingredient list. Use that and it will give you the cup measurements. Do feedback when you make it.
Thank You. I will!
Hi there?
Lovely recipe - looking to bake it today, I just have a few questions:
1. How much coconut extract should I put in the actual cake mixture?
2. Is it 170 degrees C fan assisted?
Thanks!
Hi Demi, Thank you. There's no coconut extract in the cake. Extract goes into the buttercream frosting. I've worded it better and it's 150C fan oven.
Loved the coconut cake! Can’t wait to enjoy
Some of your other recipes!!!
Hi Suzanne, I'm glad you love it. Many thanks for the feedback.
Hi! I am planning to do this cake for my son's birthday. Can I use oil instead of butter? If so, how much?
Can you please confirm the measurement for coconut milk - 1/2 cup. It this 200ml or 1/2 of can?
Half cup is 125ml.
hi, can I make these into cupcakes ? any suggestions on baking time and temp?
Absolutely. You can get the temperature to bake at and cupcakes tips on my Vanilla cupcakes post.
Hi, can I substitute coconut oil for the butter? Thanks!
Hi Abir, I haven't done that before so not sure how it'll turn out.
Hi there, loved the banana cake, was delicious. How can i make this a gluten free version? Same for the coconut cake? Thanks. Karan
Hi Karan, Its good to know you loved the banana cake recipe.
I haven't tried making gluten-free version of both recipes so I'm unable to advise on that.
Would this recipe work in a bundt pan?
Tried it few hours ago and everyone loved it. Super moist and super yummy 😋
Hi Ajuthra, I'm glad you all loved it. Many thanks for the feedback.
Hi, for the actual cake is it better to use sweetened or unsweetened dedicated coconut?
Thanks
It's unsweetened dessicated coconut.
Is it large eggs or medium please
Medium
Do you use just the solid part of the coconut milk or the liquid as well
Both. Mix to combine if separated in the can.
Hello, thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I made it yesterday. Used boxed milk as I didn't have coconut milk at home. Tasted really nice. Thank you
I'm glad you like it. Thanks for the feedback.
Hi Kemi i would like to bake the coconut moist cake but i cant find any can coconut milk. Can i use fresh milk instead? Thank you.
Hi Amy, Canned coconut milk has a thicker consistency than fresh milk so I'll suggest you half the milk so the batter is not runny.
Hi Kemi, Thank you so much! I followed the recipe as you put and the cake is absolutely gorgeous!
This feedback makes me happy. Thank you Diane.
Hi kemi. I love this simple but deliciously looking recipe. I love 2 make d's cake d's weekend. But it's a size 10pan do I double or triple d's recipe. Tanks
I have not used a 10-inch pan in testing this recipe. If you do use 10 inch pan, it won't have the height as pictured in the post.
Tried this recipe! Worked fab❤️
Thank you for this amazing recipe, i was in search of a coconut sponge for a long time and this was absolutely perfect!
Thank you for the feedback. I'm happy it was perfect for you.
Thank you. I am a novice Baker and had been doing ok but my last few bakes have been awful and I needed to bake something to get my confidence back, this cake did it in spades. I made the cake today and it is fab, really light and moist with a gorgeous crumb. I made a couple of adjustments to the buttercream, slightly less icing sugar and added double cream, it was really good. I also added a layer of raspberry jam on the bottom half of the cake. I wish there was a way to upload a picture of my finished cake I am very proud of it. This was the first recipe from your blog but it won't be the last.
Hi Jayne, I'm glad this recipe gave you your baking confidence back. Welldone and thank you for the feedback.
Hi can you use block coconut cream if how do you use it.
Thanks Sarah
Hi Sarah, I am not familiar with block coconut cream.
Coconut Cake turned out fabulously. Made it for my Brother in Law’s 70th Birthday Party. Went dow a storm with lots of requests for the Recipe.
So glad to read this. Thanks for the feedback Sheila.
Lovely cake. Followed your recipe to the t it was easy thank you I’ll make it more often I did cut down on the sugar as we are diabetic
Thank you! I appreciate the feedback.
this recipe looks so good and the pictures make it look so fluffy and just yummmm haha
im looking to do this tomorrow but i want to do it in 10 inches.
do you think i should change anything or keep it the same and just expect smaller thickness or can you help on making the recipe a little bigger.
i was going to us my normal recipe and add in the milk and coconut then found this 🙂
can you help?
ignore my above i managed to work it out haha, i have had excellent feed back from it too! thank you for sharing your recipe!
looks like i will defo be asked to do this again!
Glad you worked it out and thanks for the feedback.
My absolute favourite cake recipe, I've made it for several birthdays and always come back to it. Thank you!
Thank you!
I have used 200 mls coconut milk, how do I rectify before I make the cake? I have already added 5 eggs to the milk
I see you mentioned you use 5 medium eggs. Can you tell me how many grams this would be? Thanks!
About 300g
Sorry, it’s just that it seems there’s quite a bit of difference in sizing of eggs in the UK vs the US. A US medium egg is ~49.6g, but a UK medium egg is ~63g (at least that’s what Google says 😁). Thanks!
Only found your site this morning. Made this cake this afternoon. Have I died and gone to heaven, this cake is so light and soft I just had to have a second piece and then hide the rest. Will be making this again.
I'm glad you like it. Thanks so much for the feedback.