Lemon-Coconut Cake

When life gives you lemons, make this Lemon-Coconut Cake. The bright showstopper features coconut and lemon flavors, a cream cheese frosting, and luscious lemon filling.

A gorgeous cake on a pretty cake plate, this dessert is a must-have at Southern holiday gatherings. This coconut-dusted layer cake features a sunny yellow filling making it just right for springtime celebrations.

What's To Love About Lemon-Coconut Cake?

We ask, "What’s not to love?" The moist cake and creamy filling bring a flavor and texture contrast between lemon tartness and the sweet cream cheese coconut frosting. Whenever you serve this cake, it’ll brighten up the day.

Lemon-Coconut Cake Ingredients

Most of the ingredients are pantry staples; the lemon zest/juice and coconut flakes may be your only purchases.

For the cake, you’ll need these dry ingredients: granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, baking powder. and kosher salt. The cake's wet ingredients include: salted butter, large eggs, whole milk, and vanilla extract, and sweetened coconut.

For the filling, you’ll need more granulated sugar, cornstarch, boiling water, large egg yolks, lemon zest and juice, and unsalted butter.

The cream cheese frosting requires only four ingredients: a package of cream cheese, unsalted butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.

Can you use ingredient substitutions to make Lemon-Coconut Cake? 

As always, ingredient substitutes can affect consistency and flavor. Check out these easy pantry substitutions and what you can use for the filling's cornstarch.

How To Make a Lemon-Coconut Cake

Making a Lemon-Coconut Cake follows mostly the same recipe rules as any layered cake. The main step that requires a little more technique and time is the lemon curd filling. 

Step 1. Make Lemon Filling 

Start with the lemon filling so it has time to cool.

Preheat your oven. Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan, and whisk in boiling water. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the sugar and cornstarch dissolve. Beat the egg yolks, and gradually whisk hot sugar mixture into yolks, put into pan.

Whisk in lemon zest and juice. Cook until mixture thickens to curd consistency, remove from heat. Whisk in butter, and let cool completely; stir occasionally. 

Step 2. Make the cake layers 

Butter and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.

Beat butter in a large bowl at a medium speed until creamy, Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating until blended.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; add to the butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended. Stir in vanilla extract.

In a medium bowl, beat egg whites at high speed until stiff peaks form.. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the batter, and gently fold in the remaining beaten egg whites just until blended. Add in the sweeteened coconut. Spoon batter evenly into prepared cake pans. 

Step 3. Bake the cake

Bake in your preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool in pans on wire racks; remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Step 4. Make the frosting 

Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended. Stir in vanilla.

Step 5. Assemble

Place one cake layer on a serving platter or cake stand. Spoon 1/2 cup Cream Cheese Frosting into a piping bag with a round tip. Pipe a ½-inch ring of frosting around the outer cake layer edge. Spoon 1 cup Lemon Filling inside the frosting ring, and spread evenly.

Top with a second cake layer, and repeat the frosting ring and remaining Lemon Filling. Place the third cake layer on top; spread remaining Cream Cheese Frosting on top and sides of cake. Sprinkle sides of cake with coconut and garnish with lemon wedges.

Tips for Using the Lemon Filling 

To help save on time, make the curd while your cake layers are in the oven. The curd can cool in the fridge while your cakes cool to room temperature.

The filling has the consistency of jam, so to ensure it stays put between the cake layers without dripping down their sides or causing them to slip and slide around, pipe a thick ribbon of the cream cheese frosting around the outer edge of each cake layer, which will serve as a dam to hold the filling in place. 

How To Store Lemon-Coconut Cake

This cake works great when made ahead and stored in an airtight container, in the refrigerator. The cream cheese frosting means you shouldn't store it at room temperature. 

Can I freeze Lemon-Coconut Cake for later?

The cake layers of the Lemon-Coconut Cake can be made ahead and frozen, but because of the filling and cream cheese frosting's properties, it may be best to only freeze the cake. Then, either make the filling and frosting separately later, or make and store them in the refrigerator up to three days.

Other Classic Citrus Cakes

Try this Pineapple-Coconut Cake featuring pineapple instead of lemon for another lovely citrus-y option.

If you are looking for a denser version of the Lemon-Coconut Cake, try a Lemon-Coconut pound cake, Coconut Citrus Bars, or our unique Japanese Fruitcake with Lemon-Coconut Frosting.

Editorial contributions by Amy Cipolla Barnes.