Quick Christmas Coconut Cake

Growing up, Christmas dessert always meant my mom’s coconut cake. Back then, I thought it was some complex recipe that only she could master. I’d watch her sprinkle coconut over the frosting, making it look like fresh fallen snow, and assume it required special baking magic.

Turns out, this cake isn’t nearly as tricky as I once thought. Mom finally shared her recipe with me a few years ago, and now it’s become my go-to holiday dessert. The best part? My kids get just as excited about helping me decorate it as I did watching my mom all those years ago.

What Kind of Coconut Should I Use?

For this Christmas cake, you’ll want to focus on unsweetened shredded coconut for the coating, since the cake itself already has plenty of sweetness from the coconut cream and sugar. Regular shredded coconut from the baking aisle works perfectly fine, but if you can find it, fresh frozen shredded coconut will give you an even better flavor and texture. When shopping, make sure not to grab sweetened shredded coconut by mistake – it’s usually in a similar package but will make the cake too sweet. If your shredded coconut pieces seem a bit large, you can pulse them briefly in a food processor to get a finer texture that will stick better to the frosting.

Options for Substitutions

Need to make some swaps? Here are some helpful substitutions for this coconut cake:

• Coconut cream: If you can’t find sweetened coconut cream, use regular coconut milk mixed with 2 tablespoons of sugar per cup. In a pinch, you could use heavy cream with 1 teaspoon of coconut extract added, though the coconut flavor won’t be as rich.
• Buttermilk: No buttermilk? Make your own by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to 1 cup of regular milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
• Cream cheese: For the frosting, mascarpone cheese works great as a substitute. If you’re dairy-free, try dairy-free cream cheese alternatives, but note the texture might be slightly different.
• Unsweetened shredded coconut: You can use sweetened shredded coconut, just reduce the sugar in the frosting by 1/2 cup. Desiccated coconut also works, but soak it in a little warm milk first to soften it.
• Rosemary sprigs: These are purely decorative – feel free to skip them or use fresh mint leaves, sugared cranberries, or any other festive decorations you like.
• Coconut flavoring: This is marked as optional in the recipe, but if you want that extra coconut punch without it, try adding 1/2 teaspoon of coconut extract to both the cake and frosting.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The success of your coconut cake largely depends on the temperature of your ingredients – cold eggs, butter, or cream cheese can lead to a lumpy, uneven batter, so make sure everything is properly brought to room temperature (about 1 hour on the counter). Another common mistake is overmixing the batter once you’ve added the flour – this develops too much gluten and results in a tough, dense cake instead of a light, tender crumb. When it comes to the frosting, rushing the process can create a grainy texture, so take your time beating the cream cheese and butter until they’re completely smooth before gradually adding the powdered sugar. For the perfect coconut coating, lightly toast about half of your shredded coconut in a dry pan until golden brown – this adds depth of flavor and creates a beautiful contrast against the white frosting (just watch it closely as coconut can burn quickly).

What to Serve With Coconut Cake?

This rich coconut cake pairs beautifully with a hot cup of coffee or tea, making it perfect for holiday dessert time or afternoon gatherings. If you want to make it extra special, serve it alongside some fresh berries – raspberries or strawberries work particularly well with the sweet coconut flavor. For a complete dessert spread, you might want to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream on the side. Since this cake is pretty sweet and rich, having something slightly tart or fresh nearby helps balance out the flavors – even a simple fruit compote would do the trick!

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This Christmas coconut cake stays moist and yummy when kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you live somewhere warm, it’s better to pop it in the fridge to keep the frosting from getting too soft. Just make sure to use a cake container that’s tall enough to protect all that beautiful coconut decoration!

Refrigerate: The cake will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days. Because of the cream cheese frosting, keeping it cold is important. Just remember to take it out about 30 minutes before serving so it can come to room temperature – the flavors are much better this way!

Freeze: You can freeze this cake for up to 3 months! Wrap individual slices or the whole unfrosted cake tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. I don’t recommend freezing the frosted cake as the coconut texture might change. When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the fridge.

Make Ahead: Want to prep ahead? You can bake the cake layers up to 2 days before assembling. Just wrap them well in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature. The frosting can be made 1 day ahead and stored in the fridge – just let it come to room temperature before spreading.

Preparation Time	30-45 minutes
Cooking Time	45-60 minutes
Total Time	75-105 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 4000-4500
• Protein: 40-50 g
• Fat: 250-300 g
• Carbohydrates: 450-500 g

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp coconut flavoring
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 large eggs (separated into yolks and whites)
• 1 cup sweetened coconut cream
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 3/4 cups flour (I use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 1 cup unsalted butter (softened, I prefer Kerrygold brand)
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the frosting:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 1/2 cup sweetened coconut cream
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 8 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 lb icing sugar

For the garnish:

• 4 sprigs rosemary (optional, for decorative garnish)
• 4 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

Step 1: Prepare the Cake Pans and Oven

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans or three 6-inch cake pans to ensure the cakes do not stick.

Set the prepared pans aside for the batter.

Step 2: Beat the Egg Whites

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, which should take around 3 minutes.

Be sure to check periodically to avoid over beating, as this can cause the egg whites to dry out.

Transfer the beaten egg whites to a separate bowl to free up the mixer for the next steps.

Step 3: Mix the Wet Ingredients

Using the stand mixer, beat the softened butter and sugar together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.

Add the coconut cream, egg yolks, coconut extract, and vanilla extract; then continue beating for another 2 minutes until fully combined.

Step 4: Combine Dry Ingredients and Prepare Batter

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

With the mixer set to low speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk into the butter mixture, mixing until just blended.

Gently fold in the beaten egg whites until just incorporated, being careful to maintain the airy texture.

Step 5: Bake the Cakes

Divide and pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.

Once done, allow the cakes to cool completely in their pans before frosting.

Step 6: Prepare the Frosting

While the cakes are cooling, make the frosting by beating the butter and cream cheese together in the stand mixer with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add the coconut cream, vanilla extract, salt, and powdered sugar, continuing to beat until the mixture is fluffy, another 2 minutes.

Step 7: Assemble and Decorate the Cake

Once the cakes are cool, place one layer on a cake stand.

Spread a thick layer of frosting over the top.

Top with the second layer (and third, if making a 3-tier cake) and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.

Press shredded coconut onto the top and sides of the cake for texture and flavor.

Step 8: Optional Decoration

For a festive touch, decorate the cake by placing a few large sprigs of rosemary on top to create a “forest” effect.

Lightly sprinkle additional powdered sugar over the cake for a snowy finish.

Enjoy your beautiful and delicious coconut cake!