This simple Coconut Cake recipe has a fresh and delicious pineapple filling inside layers of coconut cake and frosted with a creamy coconut cream cheese frosting. It's one of my absolute favorite cakes!
Trust me, you'll fall hard for this Coconut Cake.
Trust me, you'll fall hard for this Coconut Cake.Everyone does! We can't make this for an event without everyone asking for the recipe. The secret to greatness is how we cut each cake layer in half, to create four thin layers of cake, add some pineapple filling between each, and coconut cream cheese frosting to frost the cake. It's to die for; on the same level as my Mom's incredible German Chocolate Cake!
The original recipe was from Utah State Fair Winner, Lisa Blodget (and was shared by Si from A Bountiful Kitchen). I adapted Lisa's version to add my cream cheese buttercream frosting with a splash of coconut milk for extra creaminess and the perfect hint of coconut flavor. This is the best coconut cake recipe, perfect for Easter, birthdays, or any occasion.
How to make Coconut Cake:
Make Cake Batter: Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat butter on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add sugar and mix well. Add coconut extract and 1 ¼ cups of coconut milk. Add flour mixture. Whip egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form then fold into batter.
Bake: Line 8″ cake pans with parchment and spray with cooking spray. Divide cake batter between pans and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 25-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. After they have cooled use a sharp serrated knife to cut each cake round in half horizontally, so you have 4 thin cake rounds.
Assemble and Frost: Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread with half of the pineapple filling. Top with second cake layer and then some frosting. Add third cake layer and the rest of the pineapple filling. Finally, add the last cake layer and frost the sides and top of the cake. Sprinkle with shredded coconut flakes, if desired. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: Follow the instructions to make and frost the cake and refrigerate for 1-2 days. The pineapple filling and coconut frosting can be made up to a week in advance, stored separately in the fridge. Allow frosting to come to room temperature before using.
To Freeze: Slice cake rounds in half horizontally as indicated in recipe, then wrap each layer in plastic wrap, place in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. The pineapple filling and coconut frosting can also be frozen in separate freezer safe containers.
More Cake Recipes:
- Meringue Roulade
- Carrot Cake
- Lemon Tiramisu
- Biscoff Cake
- Hershey's Chocolate Cake
- Mini Pavlova
- Cinnamon Roll Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Orange Olive Oil Cake
- Berry Cake
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Recipe
Coconut Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Coconut Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (250g)
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder (12g)
- 1 teaspoon salt (6g)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (113g), room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar (400g)
- 13.5 ounces canned unsweetened coconut milk , divided (400 ml)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract (7.5 ml)
- 5 large egg whites
Pineapple Filling:
- 20 ounce can crushed pineapple (567 g)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar (134g)
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch (16 g)
For the Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter (113g), room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese , room temperature (226g)
- 4-5 cups powdered sugar (480g-600g)
- 1 – 2 Tablespoons leftover coconut milk , regular milk (15-30 ml)
- 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut (85g)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of two 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper and spray the bottom and sides of the pan lightly with cooking spray.
- Mix dry ingredients In a mixing bowl; flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 Tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt
- In a separate mixing bowl beat the butter on medium speed with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer for 1 minute, until light and fluffy. Add sugar and mix until well creamed together. Add 1 ¼ cups canned coconut milk and coconut extract and mix.½ cup unsalted butter, 2 cups granulated sugar, 13.5 ounces canned unsweetened coconut milk, 1 ½ teaspoons coconut extract
- Gradually add flour mixture and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Beat egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the batter until incorporated.5 large egg whites
- Bake: Divide cake batter evenly between prepared cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, or with few moist crumbs. Remove the pans from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before inverting them onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Torte Cakes: Once cakes have cooled, use a sharp serrated knife to torte/cut each cake round in half horizontally, so that you end up with four thin cake rounds.
- Pineapple Filling: Add all ingredients to medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir well to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens and looks "glossy", about 5-8 minutes. Pour filling into a container and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the filling. Once cooled, cover container and refrigerate until ready to use, up to one week.20 ounce can crushed pineapple, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add powdered sugar and a splash of remaining coconut milk and mix until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add a little more milk, to thin, or powdered sugar to stiffen, if needed, until you reach your desired frosting consistency. Stir in coconut flakes, saving some for sprinkling on the sides and top of the cake, if desired.½ cup butter, 8 ounces cream cheese, 4-5 cups powdered sugar, 1 – 2 Tablespoons leftover coconut milk, 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
- Assemble: Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread half of the pineapple filling over it. Top with another cake layer, and smooth a layer of cream cheese frosting over it. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining half of the pineapple filling over it. Top with last (4th) cake layer. Frost the sides and top of the cake with coconut cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle outsides of cake with shredded coconut, if desired.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, before serving. (Tastes even better the next day!)
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe February 2018. Updated March 2021, April 2023, and April 2025.
Some process photos by Nikole from The Travel Palate
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OMG, LET ME TELL YOU, this recipe is amazing!! Im a new hobby/cake baker, and i made this cake exactly as is (i did only put 3 cups powdered sugar in the icing) and everyone who ate this almost died. and then came back for a second piece. Melts in your mouth and wonderful flavor. Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe.
This recipe looks so good! I am planning to make this for a work function, but I think it’d work better as cupcakes. Are there any adjustments to make for best results? (Apologies if this has already been asked, didn’t see it)
This recipe works really well as cupcakes! I recommend you bake them at 350°F for about 18–22 minutes, and fill liners about 2/3 full. You will want to core the center after baking to add the pineapple filling before frosting. Hope they’re a hit at your work event!
I used vanilla sugar and caramelized it before adding the pineapple.
I also baked mine in a 9×13 rectangle for a long thin cake.
I’m not an expert baker but I’m trying to become a regular baker on my days off from work. My issue came up when my cakes came out the oven. They appeared too think to slice. I dont know where I went wrong! I have my layers cooling now so I’ll update on the final product 🤞🏿😁
Can you use fresh pineapple instead of canned pineapple? If so, what would the sugar adjustment be? Cannot wait to make this! Thanks! ❤️
Yes, you can definitely use fresh pineapple! Just make sure to chop it really fine or pulse it in a food processor to mimic that crushed texture.
-Stacy
Thanks loads, Stacy!!
Hey I don’t have coconut extract, what could I use as substitute?? Will the vanilla be fine ?
Yes, vanilla extract will work just fine as a substitute! It won’t have the same coconut flavor, but the cake will still be delicious, especially with the coconut milk and shredded coconut.
-Stacy
Can I use a pineapple marmalade for the filling?
Yes, you can definitely use pineapple marmalade for the filling! It’ll be a little sweeter and thicker than the homemade filling!
-Stacy
Just wanted to share how amazing this recipe is. I love Coconut and Pineapple, so making it was a no-brainer. It came out so very moist and scrumptious. Everyone at our small 5-person Mother’s Day party had one small slice because we were already so full, so that has left pretty much 3/4 of an entire cake for my boyfriend and me to slice through all week. Not that eating an entire cake was on my list of things to do this week, but here we are, so extra yoga and steps in order! It came out a little dense and the frosting a tad bit pasty, but that is only because I tend to go off grid a little when baking and think I can start getting creative with a little more of this or that. In this case, I don’t think my egg whites were the absolute freshest, and then I added extra coconut, both sweetened and toasted, to the frosting, so it just got a little thick, of course. I did talk to a professional cake baker friend of mine, and she did suggest using very chilled coconut cream that has been whipped until it’s very light (vs. coconut milk) in both the cake and the frosting. I might try using just the coconut cream whipped for the frosting also. Nothing against the cream cheese whatsoever, but just for a lighter version. Will make again, again and again!
Any tips for making this cake at high altitude (8,800 ft)? Thanks!
We always recommend this guide for high altitude baking! https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking
Should I use regular coconut milk or first pressed coconut milk for this cake? I’m new to baking and LOVE your recipes. They are always easy to follow and taste delicious!
Any answers to my question?
We’re so happy to hear you’re enjoying the recipes! For this coconut cake, regular unsweetened canned coconut milk works great. First-pressed coconut milk is richer, so if that’s what you have, it should still work well—just be sure to give it a good stir if it’s separated.
So, I used this recipe to make a “kosher for Passover” version but substituted with almond flour. Came out terrible. Then, I used gluten-free flour and one half of the cake was “cakey” the other half was rubbery. I sliced off the rubbery part and threw it away. Filled and frosted the cake and it was truly delicious. Any reason why half the cakes came out rubbery on one side? Is is due to the lack of gluten? Should I have added xanthum gum?
Yes—gluten-free baking can be a bit tricky, especially without a binder. That rubbery half could definitely be from the lack of structure in the gluten-free flour. Adding a little xanthan gum (usually about ½ teaspoon per cup of flour) can help prevent that weird texture. Also, be sure the batter is evenly mixed and your oven heats evenly—sometimes one side can cook differently if there’s a hot spot. So glad the flavor still hit though!
-Stacy
Making the cake now 😁 looking at the reviews and the only thing I was going to do different was going to change is the can of Coconut milk sweetened any suggestions??