Southern Coconut Cake Recipe (2024)

Birthdays are a big deal in my house. They always have been. From the time I was a little girl, I started planning my birthday before Christmas (my birthday is in January).

Now, I’ve somewhat transferred that to planning my son’s birthday and my husband, bless his heart, falls somewhere in there, too.

And this year, I wasn’t big on planning for my husband’s day. I’m not sure why I wasn’t. I just didn’t do much at all. As a matter of fact, you could say I didn’t do enough at all.

And you’d be right.

You could even say I was a pitiful wife for not doing more for him.

And you’d be right again.

So I decided to pull out all the stops and surprise him with a gorgeous birthday cake. He has three favorite cakes — strawberry, caramel, and coconut.

I decided on coconut for this year. It just sounded like a good surprise cake.

Here’s how I made it.

I started with my favorite Butter Cake recipe and then dolled it up with an over the top delicious Southern Coconut Frosting.

Can you say to die for?

Oh my word!!!

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients

Butter Cake

  • 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon (6 g) baking soda
  • pinch (0.4 g) kosher salt
  • 1 cup (226 g) butter, softened
  • 2 cups (396 g) sugar
  • 4 large (200 g) eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup (227 g) buttermilk, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons (9.4 g) vanilla extract

Southern Coconut Frosting

  • 1 cup (226 g) butter, softened
  • 8 cups (908 g) confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 cup (227 g) milk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons (7.05 g) vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon (14 g) coconut extract , or coconut rum
  • 1 (14-ounce) bag (400 g) unsweetened coconut flake

Instructions

Butter Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  • Prepare 3 9-inch cake pans with shortening and flour.

  • Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt with a whisk in a large bowl. Set aside.

  • Cream butter until fluffy and then add sugar. Cream together for about 8 more minutes.

  • Add eggs, 1 at a time, and cream together after each.

  • Add flour mixture and buttermilk, alternately, beginning and ending with flour. Combine each addition of flour and then turn mixer on high to add air into the batter.

  • Add vanilla and beat well. Turn mixer on high once vanilla has been incorporated for about 10 seconds to lighten batter.

  • Divide among pans and bake for 25-30 minutes until set. You can follow my tips forhow to tell when your cake is done.

  • Turn out of pans onto cooling racks and allow to cool completely.

Southern Coconut Frosting

  • Whip butter until it reaches light and fluffy stage.

  • Slowly add sugar, beating well after each addition.

  • When all sugar has been incorporated, the butter and sugar will look like crumbles.

  • With mixer set on low speed, add in milk.

  • Then, beat on high speed for few minutes.

  • Add vanilla and coconut flavorings and beat on high speed until the frosting reaches a spreading consistency.

  • If it is too dry, add milk a few drops at a time.

  • If it is too wet, add powdered sugar a few sprinkles at a time until it reaches the correct consistency.

  • Frost cake and then sprinkle with coconut flakes.

Notes

Store: You can store this coconut cake in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Freeze:To freeze the cake before frosting, wrap each layer in plastic wrap, then in an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.

To freeze after frosting, place the cake on a baking sheet or tray and place it in the freezer for about 4 hours. Once the cake has frozen, wrap in airtight freezer wrap or place in a freezer-safe container and freeze up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 881kcal | Carbohydrates: 140g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 390mg | Potassium: 197mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 114g | Vitamin A: 1101IU | Vitamin C: 0.001mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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I’m hoping he didn’t notice all of the other stuff I didn’t do for his birthday.

And… I sure hope he remembers mine!

Enjoy!
Robyn xo

Categorized as:All Recipes, Birthday Recipes, Cake, Christmas Recipes, Dessert Recipes, Easter Recipes, Holiday and Occasion Recipes, Mother’s Day Recipes, Recipes, Shower Recipes, Southern Favorites, Thanksgiving Recipes

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About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

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FAQs

Where does Tom Cruise get his coconut cake? ›

Have you heard about the viral Tom Cruise cake? It's a white chocolate coconut cake from Doan's Bakery – a cake so delicious, Tom apparently gifts it to all of his friends at Christmas. In fact, several of those said friends have talked about it on social media and talk shows.

What coconut cake does Tom Cruise like? ›

The famous “Tom Cruise Cake” is a white chocolate-coconut Bundt cake from Doan's Bakery in California. Every year, Tom Cruise gifts the decadent cake to his closest friends for the holidays.

What flavor ice cream goes with coconut cake? ›

The coconut flakes in the batter give it a texture that is really to die for. This would be the perfect cake to pair with fresh fruit or – in my case – delicious homemade strawberry ice cream!

What country is coconut cake from? ›

Coconut cake
A coconut cake garnished with Peeps
TypeCake
CourseDessert
Place of originUnited States
Region or stateSouthern states
2 more rows

How much is the coconut cake at Doan's? ›

Even if you can't drop by Doan's in Los Angeles for a white chocolate coconut bundt cake, where a whole cake retails for $55, you can also order the iconic confection for national shipping on Goldbelly.

Is the Tom Cruise cake really that good? ›

"This cake is so great, you can really only have it once a year. This is just off-the-scale fantastic," Hanks raved. If it's so good that Tom Hanks wants to eat it at his last meal on Earth, it has to be pretty darn good, right?! The Woodland Hills-based bakery behind the Bundt cake sells it on Goldbelly year round.

What is Elvis Presley's favorite cake? ›

Have you ever tried Elvis Presley Cake? Legend has it that Elvis Presley's favorite cake was an ultra moist and flavorful pineapple and pecan cake that Elvis' grandmother used to make for him at his request whenever he came to visit.

What is a Tom Selleck cake? ›

Tom Selleck – Sometimes Better Than Sex Cake or Robert Redford is a Midwest dessert that is a shortbread crust, chocolate pudding layer, and cream top.

How many cakes does Tom Cruise buy? ›

I've gone on about the cakes far too much lately, but for the uninitiated: every December, Tom Cruise buys hundreds of $126 (£101) white chocolate coconut cakes from Doan's Bakery in California, packages them up with a note and a Christmas tree decoration, and sends them to his nearest and dearest. Colleagues.

What kind of frosting goes on Dolly Parton coconut cake? ›

In the meantime, I highly recommend starting with a box of Dolly Parton's Southern Style Coconut cake mix and topping it off with the Creamy Buttercream frosting.

What fruit pairs best with coconut? ›

Coconut: Pairs well with almond, banana, basil, Brazil nut, caramel, chocolate, cilantro, citrus, cucumber, guava, honey, makrut leaf, lemongrass, lime, lychee, mango, mint, passion fruit, pineapple, other tropical fruits, and vanilla.

Can I use coconut cream instead of coconut milk in cake? ›

If you prefer a richer flavour and texture, try coconut cream or vice versa. However, be careful when substituting coconut milk and cream in baked goods. Coconut cream doesn't contain as much water and can change the balance of your recipe.

What is oil cake of coconut called? ›

and thus a lucrative product for many coconut-producing countries. The palatable oil cake, known as copra cake, obtained as a residue in the production of copra oil is used in animal feeds. The ground cake is known as coconut or copra meal.

What country makes the best cakes? ›

For sweet pastry/ cakes etc => Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France.

What country is pineapple upside down cake from? ›

The first American recipes for upside-down cake, using prunes, appeared in newspapers in 1923. Traditional upside-down preparations include the American pineapple upside-down cake, the French Tarte Tatin, and the Brazilian or Portuguese bolo de ananás (also known as bolo de abacaxi).

Who does Tom Cruise send a cake to? ›

Kirsten Dunst & Jesse Plemons

Dunst has been on the list of recipients since working with Cruise in 1994's Interview with the Vampire. "He gives me a cake every Christmas," Dunst told Graham Norton during a 2016 appearance on his show. "We call it the Cruise cake at my house.

Who owns Doans bakery? ›

LA's Legendary Bakery to the Stars

The cake is the creation of Karen Doan, who founded Doan's Bakery in 1984, and now runs it with her son Eric. Despite their worldwide renown, it's still a family-owned and operated business, with a single location in Woodland Hills, California.

What Caribbean island is black cake? ›

Black cake is Jamaica's version of British plum pudding. In Britain, plums and raisins and other fruits are marinated in brandy and brown sugar, then combined into a cake-like loaf.

References

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