Description
Ina Garten’s coconut cake delivers a luxurious dessert experience with pure Southern charm. Moist layers, creamy frosting, and coconut flakes create an irresistible treat you’ll want to share with friends and family.
Ingredients
Scale
- ¾ lb (340 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups (400 g) sugar
- 5 extra-large eggs, room temperature
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (240 ml) milk
- 4 oz (113 g) sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 ½ tsps pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tsps pure almond extract
- 1 lb (454 g) cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ lb (227 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 lb (454 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 6 oz (170 g) sweetened shredded coconut
- ¾ tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp pure almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Heat oven to 350°F and thoroughly grease two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper, ensuring smooth cake release.
- Create Cake Base: Cream butter and sugar using an electric mixer until fluffy and pale, then incorporate eggs individually, mixing thoroughly after each addition.
- Blend Flavor Enhancers: Introduce vanilla and almond extracts, stirring until mixture is completely integrated and smooth.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl, creating a uniform dry mixture.
- Develop Batter: Alternately add dry ingredients and milk to the butter mixture on low speed, folding in coconut gently to maintain batter’s delicate texture.
- Bake to Perfection: Distribute batter evenly between prepared pans, baking for 45-55 minutes until golden brown and a cake tester emerges clean.
- Cool and Rest: Allow cakes to cool in pans for 30 minutes, then transfer to a baking rack to complete cooling process.
- Craft Frosting: Blend cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and almond extract, gradually incorporating confectioners’ sugar until smooth and spreadable.
- Assemble and Decorate: Layer cake with frosting, covering entire surface and generously sprinkling remaining coconut for a luxurious finish.
- Serve and Enjoy: Present cake at room temperature, showcasing its rich, tropical-inspired flavor profile.
Notes
- Chill Ingredients: Bring butter, eggs, and cream cheese to room temperature 30-60 minutes before baking for smoother mixing and better texture.
- Precise Measuring: Use precise, level measurements for dry ingredients to ensure cake’s perfect rise and consistent texture.
- Avoid Overmixing: Mix batter just until ingredients combine to prevent tough, dense cake texture and maintain tenderness.
- Coconut Storage: Toast coconut briefly in oven for enhanced flavor and crispier texture before adding to cake and frosting.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 570
- Sugar: 58 g
- Sodium: 290 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 63 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg