24 Coconut Cake Recipes

By Southern Living Editors
March 30, 2015
Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller
Coconut is a true Southern ingredient, and one of our favorite flavors in beautifully baked cakes. These delicious recipes make it simple to have a bite of coconut every day. You’ll love the ease of making the Lemon-Coconut Pound Cake Loaf, or the Coconut Sheet Cake. For beautiful coconut cake kitchen creations, bake the Coconut-Almond Cream Cake—it looks as good as it tastes, and the Four-Layer Coconut Cake. If you prefer your coconut as a bite-size delight, whip up a batch of the Coconut-Pecan Cupcakes. They mix two classic Southern tastes into one handheld treat. However you crack it, coconut cake is one of our favorite sweet treats.
Start Slideshow

1 of 23

Coconut Cream Cake

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Recipe: Coconut Cream Cake

The nostalgia of coconut cream pie meets the fanfare of a layer cake in one delicious dessert.

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 23

Coconut-Almond Roulade

Credit: Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Recipe: Coconut-Almond Roulade

If you can't find desiccated coconut, process shredded coconut in a food processor until finely ground.

3 of 23

Coconut-and-Pecan Strawberry Shortcakes

Credit: Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Recipe: Coconut-and-Pecan Strawberry Shortcakes

For a creative, updated take on shortcake, we added coconut and pecans to the dough.

Advertisement

4 of 23

Pineapple-Coconut Cupcakes with Buttermilk-Cream Cheese Frosting

Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Vanessa McNeil Rocchio

Recipe: Pineapple-Coconut Coconut Cupcakes with Buttermilk-Cream Cheese Frosting

These delectable Pineapple-Coconut Cupcakes with Buttermilk-Cream Cheese Frosting start with a cake mix and are a favorite dessert for any gathering. Make an impression by making birds' nests with malted milk balls and edible paper as a garnish for these cupcakes.

5 of 23

Ambrosia Coconut Cake

Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Recipe: Ambrosia Coconut Cake

Make the filling and frosting up to 2 days ahead. Then, build the cake, and chill up to 24 hours.

6 of 23

Lemon-Coconut Pound Cake Loaf

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Recipe: Lemon-Coconut Pound Cake Loaf

Garnish this pound cake with flaked coconut or, for a dressier look, curly shavings of coconut. See the Test Kitchen note below for instructions on making fresh coconut shavings.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 23

Coconut-Almond Cream Cake

Credit: Photo: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Rose Nguyen

Recipe: Coconut-Almond Cream Cake

Brooks Hamaker, from New Orleans, makes this cake with the precision of a skilled baker who has made his masterpiece many times. If the tops of the layers are a little rounded, he recommends leveling them with a serrated knife. "This is a tall cake," he says, "and it needs to be level if you want your friends to admire your work before they devour the cake--as they absolutely will."

8 of 23

Four-Layer Coconut Cake

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Four-Layer Coconut Cake

Coconut shavings can be purchased in the bulk section of your local health food store or dried fruit section in the supermarket.

9 of 23

Coconut-Pecan Cupcakes

Credit: Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Coconut-Pecan Cupcakes

Small bites are big treats! These Coconut-Pecan Cupcakes topped with a sweet Caramel Frosting make for a perfect after-dinner treat.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 23

Coconut Sheet Cake

Recipe: Coconut Sheet Cake

Coconut cake just got easier. Make a sheet cake instead of a layer cake for a dessert that's as easy as it is delicious. Top with cream cheese icing and a sprinkle of coconut for a cool, delicious dessert.

11 of 23

Chocolate-Coconut Pavlova Cake

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos

Recipe: Chocolate-Coconut Pavlova Cake

Your guests will never realize this gorgeous and delicious dessert is dairy-and gluten-free, but the ones who usually have to decline dessert based on dietary restrictions will be so grateful.

12 of 23

Coconut-Carrot Cake with Coconut Buttercream

Credit: Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Recipe: Coconut-Carrot Cake with Coconut Buttercream

Swap out your usual carrot cake with a lightly spiced, coconut-sweet version this Easter. A sheet cake feeds a crowd and travels better than a layered cake.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 23

Coconut Pound Cake

Credit: Antonis Achilleos

Recipe: Coconut Pound Cake

Coconut pound cake sounds delicious enough, but this recipe packs two secret Southern ingredients that take this cake over the top—pecans and bourbon.

14 of 23

Coconut Cake with Rum Filling and Coconut Ermine Frosting

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Coconut Cake with Rum Filling and Coconut Ermine Frosting

This stunning layer cake will be the star of any Southern holiday table, and if you’re a baker who’s never tried ermine frosting, you’ll love its soft, buttercream-like texture.

15 of 23

Japanese Fruitcake with Lemon-Coconut Frosting

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Japanese Fruitcake with Lemon-Coconut Frosting

This spiced cake is a holiday favorite for many families, and unlike some of the less-than-appetizing fruitcakes that might come to mind, this one only contains raisins—no odd dried fruits.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 23

Toasted Coconut-Pecan Cupcakes with Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting

Credit: Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Toasted Coconut-Pecan Cupcakes with Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting

These rich cupcakes are filled with coconut flavor. They’re perfect for feeding a crowd at the potluck but impressive enough for a holiday dinner.

17 of 23

Coconut Tres Leches Sheet Cake

Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Coconut Tres Leches Sheet Cake

The word might make you cringe, but there’s no other way to describe a well-done tres leches cake than moist—and this one has dreamy coconut flavor to go along with that velvety texture.

18 of 23

Fresh Orange Italian Cream Cake

Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Fresh Orange Italian Cream Cake

A sweet, tangy orange filling between layers adds so much zest to a traditional Italian cream cake, and it’s perfect for a dressy holiday celebration.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 23

Tropical Carrot Cake

Credit: Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Tropical Carrot Cake

This tropical treat combines everything you love about carrot cake and our beloved Hummingbird cake into one decadent dessert that might become a new Easter tradition.

20 of 23

Coconut-Macadamia Nut Pound Cake

Credit: Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Coconut-Macadamia Nut Pound Cake

This dreamy dessert is topped with an easy rum glaze that’s festive for any dinner party or Christmas cocktail.

21 of 23

Festive Piña Colada Cheesecake

Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Festive Piña Colada Cheesecake

This fruity cheesecake is like a slice of the tropics for your cake stand.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

22 of 23

Coconut-Lemon Cake

Credit: Photo: J. Savage Gibson

Recipe: Coconut-Lemon Cake

This classic white layer cake has a dreamy lemon filling and fluffy frosting. If you have leftover lemon filling from the layers, use it to fill tart shells for an extra bite.

23 of 23

Chocolate-Coconut Layer Cake

Credit: Greg DuPree

Recipe: Chocolate-Coconut Layer Cake

If you’re a coconut-cake fanatic but you have all chocolate lovers in your family, let us introduce you to the ultimate, delicious compromise.

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Up Next

By Southern Living Editors