Best Coconut Cake

The coconut cake guaranteed to convert even the most self-proclaimed coconut hater. The marshmallow meringue frosting and vanilla coconut filling make angels sing and define carpe diem. And the vanilla butter cake balances the whole thing out making this coconut cake recipe perfect for a birthday cake or any celebration. Recipe adapted from the Magnolia Bakery and courtesy of David Leite.

Meet the best coconut cake

You know that coconut cakes you see in the old-fashioned diners that twirl around in the tall dessert cases? It looks so awesome but when you take a bite, it just tastes like refrigerated coconut cardboard?

This cake isn't that.

This cake deserves to be called the best coconut cake you'll ever make. I didn't invent it so I can call it that.

The recipe is adapted from a very popular cake at the Magnolia Bakery in NYC. A big cup of Magnolia’s famous banana pudding, specialty cakes or dainty pink cupcakes (made extra famous by a cameo on season 3 of Sex and the City) drew throngs of people eager to feel like Carrie and Samantha for the day. 

What makes it special?

• An amazing vanilla coconut filling sandwiched between the cake layers lends the right amount of coconut to the whole dessert.
• The whole cake isn't too coco-nutty (and this comes from someone who ♥ coconut) because the vanilla butter cake is more like a moist pound cake.
• And the heavenly swirls of marshmallow frosting add a light and airy texture.

Ingredient Information

Coconut. You might be considering the idea of using unsweetened coconut for this cake. I’m a firm believer in the idea that dessert should taste like dessert and not something that I’m trying to convince myself is dessert. So with that being said, We are going to use the sweetened coconut for this cake because that's the recipe and I'm a firm believer that dessert should be dessert. You will be disappointed in the results if you use unsweetened coconut.

TIP

Unsweetened coconut is drier and is perfect for savory recipes where you wouldn’t want the extra sugar.

-Josie + Nina

Vanilla. Another key ingredient is pure vanilla. Use only real pure vanilla not vanilla extract in your baking.

Sugar. I might get some questions about using different sweeteners other than real cane sugar. All I will say is that I can't guarantee you'll be successful.

The Cake Making Process

A very sturdy vanilla cake batter is the foundation of this coconut cake recipe. This isn’t your dainty, pinky finger kind of cake. It’s a cake that you could just bake and eat all on its own without anything else except for a dusting of powdered sugar. It’s that good. With a moist crumb and texture that is on the denser side, these cake layers easily cut in half if you choose to make thinner cake layers with more filling in between. 

This. Is. CAKE. 

The way cake was meant to be enjoyed. In thick layers and big pieces. 

• Blend your dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and then make sure to first spray your cake pans with the baking spray of your choice and then line the bottom with a cutout circle of parchment paper.

• Cream the butter for a bit and eventually you’ll add the sugar and then the butter to get a nice smooth mix.
• Next you’ll alternate your dry ingredients with the milk and vanilla mixing it all for a bit until it all is one happy, big bowl of yummy batter.

• Pour the batter evenly into two prepared cake pans. 

Layer Cake Fine Print:

• I prefer the cake to be in two layers. The original recipe calls for dividing the batter into three pans which means more cake and less filling. You decide.
• Use a ladle with measuring marks (i.e. ½ cup or 4 oz.) and count each time you scoop some batter into each pan while alternating scoops as you go.
• Shimmy that batter back and forth in the pan until it’s evenly distributed and place them in the oven.

Now for the coconut part...

The Filling

While the cake is baking, you’re going to make the cooked filling. Although it seems intimidating, it’s really easy as long as you keep the heat low and slow. You’re just going to be heating milk, sugar, and a little bit of flour together until it thickens up to custard consistency.

And then you’ll mix in the coconut and vanilla and set the whole thing aside while the cake bakes and cools. 

Easy, right? Now onto the frosting which I like to call...

Unbelievably amazing marshmallow meringue frosting

Just you try and keep a spoon out of this marshmallow meringue frosting. It's sort of like homemade marshmallow fluff. Some people (and I’m certainly not naming names) have been known to layer this with a little peanut butter to make some fluffernutter. 

Nothing wrong with that, right? RIGHT?

Frosting steps:

• Heat water, sugar and a little bit of cream of tartar in a small saucepan and heat for just a couple of minutes. 
• Next you’re going to slooooowly pour this mixture into egg whites and vanilla already waiting in a mixing bowl while the mixer is running on medium high. 

Using a hand-mixer

• Place your mixing bowl (with the egg whites and vanilla in it) into the bottom of your sink.
• Hold the hand mixer in your dominant hand and the saucepan in the other. 
• Turn the mixer on low and mix the egg whites and vanilla together. Increase the mixer to medium-high and start pouring the sugar and water mixture into the mixing bowl in a very slow and steady stream continuously beating for five minutes until stiff peaks form.

Filling the cake

• After the cake layers have cooled, remove them from the pans carefully and remove the parchment paper from the bottom of the layers. Need more help? This video from King Arthur shows you how to remove cooled cakes easily from the pan without breaking them.
• Place the bottom layer on a sturdy cake stand and using a large spoon, spread the filling into the middle. Leave about ½” border around the edge.
• Place the next layer, TOP SIDE DOWN. This will ensure that the cake is flat on top.

Frosting the cake

Grab a big spoon and load it up with some frosting. Using a flat icing spatula, go around the outside of the cake making sure to fill the gap on the edges with frosting. You want an even smooth first coat. 

Next, frost the top of the cake in an even layer. And then go back and start swirling the sides. I like to use the tip of the spatula and make little curly-q’s one of top of the other. Use as much of the frosting as you need. If you make two layers, you’ll have some left over for that fluffernutter project. 

Making ahead and storing

• You can make the layers ahead of time and freeze them.
• This cake is best made the same day you’ll eat it BUT eating a piece the next day is almost a certainty.  In between servings, store the cake in the fridge, letting it come to room temperature before eating (that should take about ½ hour).

Tips

For a few: Make the recipe as is and enjoy it over a few days. And share a little with the neighbors!

For many: Make as cupcakes and use an apple corer to remove a little bit of the center. Don’t go through to the bottom. Fill the hole with the coconut vanilla filling and pipe the frosting on top.

A couple of notes from the trenches:

• The recipe looks long and time-consuming but it really isn't hard. And you'll feel so accomplished. Your family will look at you differently  - in a good way.  Not in that "what are you trying to feed us?" way.
• Make this the day you want to eat it. While it's almost as good the next day, any time after that and you're pushing it.
• GIve this a try as a cupcake - use an apple corer to remove a bit of the center and put the coconut filling in the middle. it's so good!

Some other cakes to try:

Banana Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Peanut Butter Mousse between chocolate cake layers

📖 Recipe