Coconut has such a distinct flavor. It certainly is assertive enough to be make it's appearance known, but is also mild and delicate in it's own way. This coconut cake is absolutely divine. When I first saw the recipe on America's Test Kitchen, it was on my to-do list right away. I was very pleased with the results, especially when my husband loved it too. Sergi doesn't usually like coconut, but he loved this cake.
I decided to add raspberry jam to the cake, adding some tartness and another dimension of flavor. Since I don't like butter cream, I decided to make a Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting instead and it was the right decision. This cake is going to be made for many special occasions in my family, and I hope you and your family will enjoy it too.
Cake Layers:
1 large egg plus 5 large egg whites
¾ cup cream of coconut
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
2 ¼ cups cake flour (9 ounces), sifted
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon table salt
12 tablespoons butter (1 ½ sticks), cut into 12 pieces, softened
Raspberry Jam:
12 oz raspberries (fresh or frozen)
⅓ cup sugar (or to taste)
Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:
2 sticks butter, softened
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
remaining cream of coconut
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoon coconut extract
Garnish:
1-2 cups toasted coconut flakes
fresh raspberries
Cake Layers:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 2 (8-9 inch) round cake pans and line with parchment paper.
First of all, let's talk about the cream of coconut. You can find this in the baking aisle, or in the international food aisle. Make sure it says Cream of Coconut on the can, not coconut milk, etc. You will need one full 15 oz can. We're going to use part of it in the cake layers and the rest of it in the frosting. 
Combine all the wet ingredients (egg, egg whites, water, cream of coconut, vanilla and coconut extract) together and mix to combine.
In a large bowl of a standing mixer, with a paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer, combine all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder and salt) and mix to combine. 
Add the softened butter, one piece at a time, until it's incorporated into the dry ingredients, about 2 minutes. The butter pieces shouldn't be larger than pea sized. 
With the mixer running on low, pour in the liquid ingredients. 
Mix until the batter is smooth. 
Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. 
Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes. Cool for about 10 minutes and then take out of the pans onto cooling racks. 
When the cakes have cooled, cut them in half horizontally with a serrated knife.
Raspberry Jam:
Meanwhile, make the raspberry jam by combining the raspberries and sugar in a small saucepan. 
Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. 
Strain the raspberries through a fine mesh sieve. Set aside. 
Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:
Combine the cream cheese and butter in a standing mixer using a paddle attachment. Mix until creamy and smooth. 
Add the powdered sugar, the remaining container of cream of coconut and the extracts. Mix to combine. 
Assembling the Cake:
Spread ⅓ of the raspberry jam on top of the first cake layer. 
Spread part of the frosting over the jam. 
Repeat with the rest of the cake layers. 
Spread the frosting evenly over the top and sides of the cake. 
Decorate the sides of the cake with the toasted coconut flakes and with fresh raspberries on top of the cake.
Coconut Raspberry Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 large egg plus 5 large egg whites
- ¾ cup cream of coconut
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 2 ¼ cups cake flour 9 ounces, sifted
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon table salt
- 12 tablespoons butter 1 ½ sticks, cut into 12 pieces, softened
Raspberry Jam: 12 oz raspberries (fresh or frozen)
- ⅓ cup sugar or to taste
Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 2 sticks butter softened
- 1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- remaining cream of coconut
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 teaspoon coconut extract
- Garnish: 1-2 cups toasted coconut flakes
- fresh raspberries
Instructions
Cake Layers:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 2 (8-9 inch) round cake pans and line with parchment paper.
- Combine all the wet ingredients (egg, egg whites, water, cream of coconut, vanilla and coconut extract) together and mix to combine.
- In a large bowl of a standing mixer, with a paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer, combine all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder and salt) and mix to combine.
- Add the softened butter, mixing on low speed, one piece at a time, until it's incorporated into the dry ingredients, about 2 minutes. The butter pieces shouldn't be larger than pea sized.
- With the mixer running on low, pour in the liquid ingredients. Mix until the batter is smooth.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes.
- Cool for about 10 minutes and then take out of the pans onto cooling racks. When the cakes have cooled, cut them in half horizontally with a serrated knife.
Raspberry Jam
- Meanwhile, make the raspberry jam by combining the raspberries and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes.
- Strain the raspberries through a fine mesh sieve. Set aside.
Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Combine the cream cheese and butter in a standing mixer using a paddle attachment. Mix until creamy and smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar, the remaining container of cream of coconut and the extracts. Mix to combine.
Assembling the cake:
- Spread ⅓ of the raspberry jam on top of the first cake layer. Spread part of the frosting over the jam. Repeat with the rest of the cake layers.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the top and sides of the cake.
- Decorate the sides of the cake with the toasted coconut flakes and with fresh raspberries on top of the cake.
My icing was extremely soft, I added a lot more powdered sugar to make it firmer. Is this something that happens or is it supposed to be very soft?
It's supposed to be soft, Terri. I personally don't like how sweet buttercream frosting is, so this is the version that I prefer.
frosting is terrible! way to runny, and way too much extract!
HI,
Just found your recipe and am hoping to try to make it this evening for my Mom's Birthday. Was wondering if you think this cake would be possible to make in a 9 X 13 pan as opposed to the cake pans? If so, what would you recommend for the baking instructions?
Hi Angela,
I have never made it in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, so I can't give you the instructions for that. I hope the cake works out for you. Happy birthday to your mom.
I am trying out this cake today and it smells amazing. Might be worth mentioning, not all stores carry a 15 oz can of Cream of Coconut. Had to buy mine in a liquor store and it came in a 22 oz container. So for the wet ingredients use 3/4 Cup and for the frosting use 1 Cup.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I am very excited to share with a friend who loves coconut as her birthday cake!
I can only speak to the grocery stores where I live. I am sure grocery stores around the world are all different in what they have stocked. I'm happy to hear that you enjoyed the cake.
Made the cake according to the directions. Used all purpose flour and took out 2 tablespoons and replaced with 2 tablespoons cornstarch per cup. The cake did not rise much so I didn't cut each cake horizontally because I thought each layer would be too thin. So unfortunately there won't be the 4 layers only 2. Same problem with the jam as others have mentioned. So I added the seeds back. Haven't eaten it yet. Having it tonight for a birthday celebration.
So your recipe calls for 3/4 cup cream of coconut for the cake part. The Frosting is calling for the remainder of the cream of coconut. What amount would the original be? Your recipe does not include this valuable piece of information. Does the frosting need 1 and 7/8 cups based up your 15 oz of Lopez cream of coconut? Not everyone who is trying to make this recipe will have Lopez cream of coconut.So we have to know what the original size is in order to calculate the remaining part for the frosting. Thanks.
So...we DEVOURED this cake today lol. It sure is delicious and I absolutely love how subtle the coconut is, but still there, and that it's not too sweet. I missed one step of adding the leftover cream of coconut to the frosting, and by the time I realized it, the cake was all done. Nonetheless, it was delicious!! Thank you , Olga for delicious recipes! 😊😊😊
That's wonderful, Oksana! After all the trouble you had finding the cream of coconut, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to write. I feel like I've been rooting for you these past few days, hoping you'll find all the ingredients and wishing I could help more across the miles:).
Ah thank you, Olga!!! It was all worth it 😊😊
Hi Olga,
I went on a serious hunt (5 stores!), for that cream of coconut and absolutely no luck! It Coconut Cream the same thing? Wish I could post a pic of it hear to be sure, buthe that's all I found. Will it work?
I'm so sorry you had such a hard time, Oksana. It's a very common ingredient in my area; I've found it in all our regular grocery stores. It's usually in the International aisle. Coconut cream and Cream of Coconut are not the same. Cream of coconut is a sweetened version of coconut cream, and is often used for desserts and mixed drinks. Because of the added sugar, it is usually not interchangeable with coconut cream. I'm not sure if you can substitute coconut cream for the cream of coconut. It might work if you add more sugar, but honestly, I've never used it in this cake and I can't guarantee that it will work out and not mess up the texture and flavor of the cake.
I guess it makes sense since you're closer to all the tropics 😊 Here on the west coast, I'm not having much luck. I'm gonna keep looking!! I'm determined to find it .
UPDATE!! I found it at wal mart in the mixer aisle!! I googled where I can find cream of coconut in my state, and wal mart popped up and people commented that it's in the mixer aisle. So glad I found it I'll let you know how the cake turns out 😊
Yay! Finally, Success:). I'm glad you were able to find it.
Love love love this cake! I've had to make it over and over again with all the requests. Quite honestly this is one of the best cakes I've ever made, and it even tops my Irish Car Bomb cake...which is decadent and full of liquor!
I have to admit that I cheat and use premium raspberry jam from a jar. I had too much trouble with the fresh raspberries and straining (ie seeds). I ended up wasting so much and raspberries are $$$ no matter what time of year you buy them. The jam from a jar was just as tasty as the fresh. I used one that was 100% natural, with no artificial anything or preservatives.
Thanks for the recipe!! (I am a little biased and I'm coconut freak. haha)
Also, if there is anyone out there who has never used baking strips on the pan, and heating cores, I highly recommend especially since they will keep this cake very level in the oven. I just discovered this apparently well-known secret! After all these years of crowning cakes, I finally found a solution to keeping them level!
Wow, Terry! I'm so happy to hear that the Coconut Cake was such a hit. Thank you so much for taking the time to write.
I'll have to check out those baking strips. I've head about them before and you've peaked my interest again.
Hey Olga,
Coconut is my absolute favourite ingredient! This cakes looks amazing and I would like to make it for my birthday this weekend. One question... I would like to put shredded coconut in the cake because I really like the texture it gives and that extra bit of flavour - what do you think? Thanks!
You can certainly add coconut to the cake too, Angeliki. It might be harder to cut the cake layers horizontally later on though.
Just to follow up - I did this with coconut flakes in the cake, turned out very well, a bit denser than without but very tasty and definitely not too dense to eat! Also, if anyone can't be bothered to make the icing this cake also goes well with whipped cream (I made it without sugar)!
All in all, great recipe, I'm making it again soon 🙂
Thank you for sharing, Angeliki. I am so glad that you enjoyed the Coconut Cake.
Do you use fresh coconut for the toasted flakes?
I use packaged shredded coconut, Laura.
I make this cake over and over. I can say without a doubt that not only is it beautiful, but it is the best cake I have ever tasted!
Hey Olga, does the frosting taste really buttery with two sticks of butter? I am not a fan of buttercream and am wondering if I can get by using one stick.
I actually hate buttercream myself too, Tanya! This one is much lighter than most recipes. Using cream cheese and the cream of coconut really helps to make it not as heavy. If you use only 1 stick of butter, you won't have enough frosting, but you can make a cream cheese frosting instead.
Olga, I made this cake for a family gathering at my sister's house. We all loved it 🙂 The cake layers were so moist and soft. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Thank you so much for taking the time to write, Dina. I'm so happy to hear that you and your family enjoyed the cake.
I love anything coconut. This is my kind of cake 🙂 I will be making this for sure! Beautiful picture.
That's great, Dina. I would love to hear what you think once you make it.
I will definitely leave some feedback 🙂
I'VE NOW MADE THIS CAKE AT LEAST 4 TIMES, BECAUSE ONCE I MADE IT FOR THE FAMILY, IT IS CONSTANTLY REQUESTED. TRULY AN AMAZING CAKE!!! IT IS NOW OFFICIALLY OUR FAMILY EASTER CAKE, AND 4 PEOPLE ONLY WANT THIS CAKE FOR THEIR BIRTHDAYS.
Wow, that's amazing, Joliene. I'm so glad the cake is such a hit with your family.Thank you for taking the time to write.