Ina Garten’s Coconut Cake

Prep Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins Total: 60 mins Yields: 10

Experience the irresistible flavors of Ina Garten’s Coconut Cake recipe, a true delight if you’re looking for a sweet treat. Delight in the moist layers of coconut-infused cake, topped with luscious cream cheese frosting and a generous sprinkle of shredded coconut. This recipe will transport your taste buds to a blissful culinary paradise.

What is this coconut cake (Ina Garten)?

Ina Garten’s Coconut Cake is a heavenly confection that embodies the essence of coconut in every bite. The cake itself is incredibly moist, thanks to the addition of buttermilk and coconut milk, which infuse it with a rich, creamy texture. Each layer is delicately flavored with shredded coconut, almond, and vanilla extract creating a fragrant and irresistible taste.

The star of this recipe is the delectable cream cheese frosting, which perfectly complements the coconut cake. It’s smooth, tangy, and creamy, making it the ideal partner to the sweet and nutty flavors of the cake. A generous coating of shredded coconut adds a delightful crunch and enhances the tropical experience.

Why you’ll like it

• Sensational Flavor: The combination of coconut-infused cake, cream cheese frosting, and shredded coconut creates a magic trio that will transport you to a tropical paradise.
• Moist and Tender Texture: The cake keeps moist and tender melting in your mouth with every bite.
• Easy to Make: Ina Garten’s recipe provides clear instructions and handy tips, making it accessible even to novice bakers.
• Impressive Presentation: This coconut cake is a showstopper on any dessert table requiring little effort and expertise making it perfect for special occasions or gatherings with friends and family.
• Budget: You can easily assemble the cake for less than $and given it’s simple to make you might want to save the $50 to buy it from a confectionery. Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, hosting a dinner party, or simply craving a slice of heaven, this recipe fits any occasion at a minimal cost.

Homemade Coconut cake recipe

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter – ¾ pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans
• Sugar – 2 cups sugar
• Eggs – 5 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• Vanilla extract – 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• Almond extract – 1½ teaspoons pure almond extract
• All-purpose flour – 3 cups, plus more for dusting the pans
• Baking powder – 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Baking soda – ½ teaspoon baking soda
• Kosher salt – ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• Milk – 1 cup milk
• Shredded coconut – 4 ounces of sweetened shredded coconut

For the frosting

• Cream cheese – 1 pound of cream cheese, at room temperature
• Unsalted butter – ½ pound (2 sticks) of unsalted butter, at room temperature
• Vanilla extract – ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Almond extract – ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
• Confectioners’ sugar – 1 pound of confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• Shredded coconut – 6 ounces of sweetened shredded coconut

Instructions

Here are the step-by-step instructions to make the coconut cake from scratch:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare two 9-inch round cake pans lining them with parchment paper, greasing them, and lightly dusting them with flour.
3. Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer using a paddle attachment on medium-high speed.
4. Mix for 3 to 5 minutes until they turn light yellow and fluffy.
5. Add the eggs one at a time with the mixer still on medium speed, scraping down the bowl once during mixing.
6. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well. Don’t worry if the mixture appears curdled.
7. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.
8. Add the dry ingredients (mixed together in step 7) and the milk to the batter with the mixer on low speed in the following way: i) 1/3 milk ii) 1/3 dry ingredients iii) 1/3 milk iv) 1/3 dry ingredients v) 1/3 milk vi) 1/3 dry ingredients.
9. Mix until combined.
10. Fold in the coconut using a rubber spatula.
11. Pour the batter into the pans and smooth the tops with a knife.
12. Bake in the oven for 45 to 55 minutes until the tops turn brown and a knife comes out clean.
13. Set aside the cakes for 30 minutes.
14. Turn them out onto a wiring rack to finish cooling.

For the frosting:

1. Combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and almond extract with a mixer on low speed.
2. Add the confectioner’s sugar and mix until just smooth, avoiding overmixing.

To assemble the cake

1. Place one layer on a flat serving plate with the top side down and spread frosting over it.
2. Place the second layer on top, top side up, and frost the top and sides of the cake.
3. Decorate by sprinkling coconut on top and lightly pressing more coconut onto the sides. Serve the cake at room temperature.

Tips

• Make sure the butter, eggs, and cream cheese are at room temperature for optimal results.
• Toasting the shredded coconut before using it as a topping adds a lovely nutty flavor.
• For an extra coconut kick, you can brush the cake layers with coconut syrup before frosting.

Variations

• Tropical Twist: Fill the cake layers with a pineapple filling for a tropical twist.
• Citrus Note: Add a hint of lime zest to the cream cheese frosting for a refreshing citrus note.
• Enhance Flavor: Experiment with different extracts, such as coconut or rum extract, to enhance the coconut flavor even more.

How to serve Ina Garten’s coconut cake

Prepare to be captivated by the mouthwatering allure of Ina Garten’s Coconut Cake and if you want to take this cake to the next level you can:

• Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of toasted coconut on top.
• Pair it with a scoop of coconut or vanilla ice cream for an indulgent dessert experience.
• Enjoy alongside a cup of freshly brewed coffee or a tropical fruit-infused iced tea for a delightful combination.

• Apple and Coconut Cake: A delightful combination of apples and coconut in a moist and flavorful cake.
• Tottenham Cake: A traditional Tottenham Cake with sweet icing and coconut sprinkles.
• Cacao Energy Balls: Healthy and delicious energy balls packed with coconut oil, almond flour, peanut butter, and cacao.
• Mary Berry Flapjacks: A chewy and satisfying treat with a mix of flavors and textures of cranberries, rice cereal, oats, and desiccated coconut.
• Berry smoothie: A refreshing and nutritious smoothie bursting with the goodness of berries and coconut.
• Kurabiye Turkish biscuits: Crispy and buttery Turkish biscuits topped with a sprinkle of coconut flakes.

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Ina Garten's Coconut Cake

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Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Servings 10

Ingredients

  

• Unsalted butter - ¾ pound 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pans
• Sugar - 2 cups sugar
• Eggs - 5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
• Vanilla extract - 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• Almond extract - 1½ teaspoons pure almond extract
• All-purpose flour - 3 cups plus more for dusting the pans
• Baking powder - 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Baking soda - ½ teaspoon baking soda
• Kosher salt - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• Milk - 1 cup milk
• Shredded coconut - 4 ounces of sweetened shredded coconut

For the frosting

• Cream cheese - 1 pound of cream cheese at room temperature
• Unsalted butter - ½ pound 2 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature
• Vanilla extract - ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Almond extract - ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
• Confectioners’ sugar - 1 pound of confectioners’ sugar sifted
• Shredded coconut - 6 ounces of sweetened shredded coconut

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
• Prepare two 9-inch round cake pans lining them with parchment paper, greasing them, and lightly dusting them with flour.
• Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer using a paddle attachment on medium-high speed.
• Mix for 3 to 5 minutes until they turn light yellow and fluffy.
• Add the eggs one at a time with the mixer still on medium speed, scraping down the bowl once during mixing.
• Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well. Don't worry if the mixture appears curdled.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.
• Add the dry ingredients (mixed together in step 7) and the milk to the batter with the mixer on low speed in the following way: i) 1/3 milk ii) 1/3 dry ingredients iii) 1/3 milk iv) 1/3 dry ingredients v) 1/3 milk vi) 1/3 dry ingredients.
• Mix until combined.
• Fold in the coconut using a rubber spatula.
• Pour the batter into the pans and smooth the tops with a knife.
• Bake in the oven for 45 to 55 minutes until the tops turn brown and a knife comes out clean.
• Set aside the cakes for 30 minutes.
• Turn them out onto a wiring rack to finish cooling.

For the frosting:

• Combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and almond extract with a mixer on low speed.
• Add the confectioner's sugar and mix until just smooth, avoiding overmixing.

To assemble the cake

• Place one layer on a flat serving plate with the top side down and spread frosting over it.
• Place the second layer on top, top side up, and frost the top and sides of the cake.
• Decorate by sprinkling coconut on top and lightly pressing more coconut onto the sides. Serve the cake at room temperature.

Notes

• Make sure the butter, eggs, and cream cheese are at room temperature for optimal results.
• Toasting the shredded coconut before using it as a topping adds a lovely nutty flavor.
• For an extra coconut kick, you can brush the cake layers with coconut syrup before frosting.