There’s something undeniably special about a Southern Coconut Cake. With its soft, fluffy layers, silky frosting, delicious pineapple filling, and delicate balance of sweetness, it’s the kind of dessert that feels like a celebration all on its own. This cake isn’t just a treat for the taste buds—it’s an experience of texture and flavor, making it the perfect centerpiece for Spring gatherings and Easter celebrations.
A Cake That’s All About Texture
The magic of this cake starts with its crumb. A well-made Southern Coconut Cake should be moist yet airy, with a tender bite that melts in your mouth. The shredded coconut, both baked into the cake and pressed onto the frosting, adds a subtle chewiness that contrasts beautifully with the smoothness of the buttercream. The filling, a luscious layer of sweetened crushed pineapple nestled between each tier, seeps into the cake just enough to create an irresistible harmony of flavors and textures. Every forkful gives you a perfect balance of soft, creamy, and lightly crisp textures.
The frosting, a rich and velvety coconut cream cheese buttercream, wraps the cake in a cloud-like finish, providing a creamy contrast to the light cake layers. And the final touch—sweetened shredded coconut—creates an added layer of texture that’s both beautiful and delicious. Each bite is soft yet satisfying, with just enough contrast to keep you coming back for more.
Mastering the Bake: The Key to a Perfect Cake
Baking a showstopping Southern Coconut Cake starts with the right technique. Using room-temperature ingredients ensures a smooth batter, while carefully measuring ingredients—especially flour—prevents a dense cake. A kitchen scale is the best way to achieve accuracy, but if using measuring cups, be sure to spoon and level the flour instead of scooping and packing, which can lead to too much flour in the batter.
Another secret to achieving the perfect texture is the mixing method. Creaming the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy creates a delicate structure that helps the cake rise properly. Mixing just until combined once the dry ingredients are added prevents overworking the batter, which could make the cake tough. And, of course, baking each layer evenly is crucial—using an oven thermometer ensures the temperature is just right, so the cakes bake up evenly without sinking or overbrowning.
Once the cakes are baked, patience is key. Allowing them to cool completely before frosting ensures the buttercream stays smooth and stable. A quick chill in the fridge before serving helps set the layers, making it easier to slice and serve.
The Perfect Cake for Spring and Easter
Spring is the season of renewal, and this cake embodies that light, fresh feeling with its soft texture and delicate sweetness. Its bright flavors and airy consistency make it an ideal dessert for warm-weather gatherings, whether enjoyed at a garden brunch, an Easter celebration, or an afternoon tea.
Easter, in particular, calls for desserts that feel special—something elegant yet comforting, indulgent yet balanced. The pure, snowy-white layers symbolize the freshness of spring, while the coconut coating gives it a festive and classic appeal. It pairs beautifully with pastel-themed tables, floral centerpieces, and the joyful spirit of the season.
Whether you’re carrying on a family tradition or baking this cake for the first time, it’s a recipe that brings people together. A slice of this cake, served with a cup of coffee or tea, is the perfect way to welcome the season and create sweet memories with loved ones.
Coconut Cake with Pineapple Filling
Notes
You’ll need:
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment
- medium bowl, small bowl, measuring jug/pouring
- cake turntable for decorating (optional)
- small and medium saucepans
Ingredients
- For the Cake:
- 1½ cups (340g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (103g) unrefined coconut oil, melted
- 3 large eggs (150g), room temperature
- 1 tsp (4g) pure coconut extract
- ½ tsp (2g) pure vanilla extract
- 3½ cups (438g) cake flour
- 2 tsp (10g) baking powder
- ½ tsp (2.5g) baking soda
- ½ tsp (1.5g) kosher salt
- ¾ cup (185g) buttermilk, room temperature
- ½ cup (120g) full fat coconut milk (from a can, in the Asian Foods section), room temperature
- 1½ cups (143g) sweetened shredded coconut
- For the optional ‘Soak’:
- ½ cup of water
- ¼ cup of granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons of Cream of Coconut, sweetened (like Coco-Lopez or Coco Real)
- For the Pineapple filling:
- 1 can (20 oz) canned crushed pineapple, in juice
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- For the Frosting:
- 1½ cups/3 sticks (340g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 – 6 tbsp full fat coconut milk (from a can, in the Asian Foods section), room temperature
- 6 ½ cups to 7 cups (up to 840 g) powdered sugar
- ½ tsp pure coconut extract
- Additional full fat coconut milk (from a can, in the Asian Foods section), room temperature if needed to make a smooth and easily spreadable frosting
- Garnish:
- sweetened flaked coconut
- left over pineapple filling and any left over frosting, if so desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with baking spray with flour. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Melt the coconut oil by microwaving for about 1 minute. Set aside to cool, but it should still remain in a liquid state.
- For the pineapple filling: pour the entire can of crushed pineapple including the juice into a medium saucepan, and add the sugar and cornstarch. Heat over medium high heat until bubbling, stirring constantly, until the cornstarch dissapears completeley, it has a ‘translucent’ look to the juice and it begins thickening. (about 5 minutes). Pour into a container, set aside to cool completely.
- For the Cake, in a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a 2 cup measuring beaker (pourable, with a spout), add the buttermilk and the full fat coconut milk, and set aside.
- For the soak, in a small saucepan, add the water, sugar, and cream of coconut. Heat over medium-high until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar, and melted coconut oil at medium speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and stopping to scrape sides of bowl.
- Beat in extracts.
- With mixer on lowest speed, add 1/3 of the flour mixture to butter mixture in three additions alternately with buttermilk/coconut milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, barely mixing until only just combined after each addition.
- Pull the bowl from the mixer, and add the shredded sweetened coconut, and using a big spatula gently fold in shredded coconut until just combined.
- Divide among the prepared pans (about 2½ cups or 600 grams each), smoothing with an offset spatula as needed.
- Bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.
- Let cool in pans for 10 minutes.
- Remove from pans and let cool completely on wire racks.
- While they’re cooling, make the frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the room temperature butter, and mix until soft.
- With the mixer on medium low, add one tablespoon of full fat coconut milk at a time, and mix into the butter as best you can. The butter and coconut milk don’t want to combine easily, it will look sloppy and somewhat separated but keep mixing and adding really slowly to incorporate the liquid into the butter as best you can.
- After you’ve added all the coconut milk, add the coconut extract and mix.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar and continue mixing on medium low until all the powdered sugar has been added. Add 1 tbsp off additional coconut milk, one at a time, if needed to make a smooth frosting.
- Turn the mixer up to medium high and beat until fluffy and white. Fill a big piping bag with the frosting, no piping tip required. Cut the end to make a ½ inch opening.
- Level cooled cake layers, if desired.
- Place 1 cake layer on a serving platter or cake turntable.
- If using the optional soak, spray or drizzle the soak over the top of the layer. Let it sit for a second to absorb into the cake layer.
- Pipe a thin layer of buttercream on top, spreading to edges with an offset spatula. Pipe a 1 inch thick ribbon around the edge of the cake.
- Add enough of the pineapple filling to fill this area (but not too much to break through the ribbon of frosting!) and then place the next layer of cake on top. ‘Snuggle’ the layer of cake into the filling and frosting ribbon, and repeat the process of the soak, thin layer of frosting, ribbon of frosting around the edge, and adding another layer of filling on the second cake layer.
- Place the third and final layer of cake. Cover with plastic wrap or place in an airtight cake container and refrigerate until the buttercream in between the layers is firm again. (at least 1 hour) (if you’re confident in frosting cakes and work quickly, you can skip the pre-chilling before the crumb coat.)
- Bring the cake out of the refrigerator and add more frosting for thin a crumb coat over the entire cake. Refrigerate again for at least 30 minutes.
- Spread remaining Coconut Buttercream on top and sides of cake. Carefully press shredded coconut into top and sides of cake. If you have any left over frosting, you could pipe rosettes or mounds around the top of the cake in a decorative pattern, and make small indentations in the rosettes or mounds with a melon baller or very small scoop/spoon and add a small amount of pineapple filling in each indentation.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Enjoy!
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