By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 11, 2026
75 min
Coconut Cake with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
Recipe GLPRc9ed842f713d99
A luxurious four-layer coconut cake with tender, moist crumb made with olive oil and coconut milk, topped with a silky coconut cream cheese frosting. This elegant dessert features shredded coconut throughout the cake and can be adorned with edible flowers for a beautiful presentation.
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Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
fine sea salt
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp canned coconut milk
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup unsweetened dried coconut
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
½ tsp vanilla extract
edible flowers for decoration
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare four 6-inch cake pans by lining each with parchment paper and lightly coating the sides with butter. Set the prepared pans aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and a pinch of fine sea salt. Set aside.
In another bowl, whisk together the melted unsalted butter, olive oil, and canned coconut milk until well combined. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the room-temperature eggs and granulated sugar together on medium speed until the mixture becomes pale in color and slightly thickened, about 3–4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.
Alternate adding the flour mixture and wet mixture to the egg-sugar mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Add in three additions, mixing on low speed until just combined after each addition. Be careful not to overmix.
Gently fold the unsweetened dried coconut into the batter using a spatula until evenly distributed.
Divide the batter evenly among the four prepared cake pans. Level the surface of each layer using a spoon or small offset spatula.
Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the cakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 5–10 minutes, then carefully unmold them onto wire racks. Cool completely to room temperature.
While the cakes cool, prepare the frosting. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip the softened unsalted butter and softened cream cheese together on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy, about 2–3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as necessary.
Add the sifted powdered sugar, canned coconut milk, vanilla extract, and a pinch of fine sea salt to the butter-cream cheese mixture.
Mix on low speed until the frosting is smooth and spreadable, about 1–2 minutes. Do not overmix, as this can make the frosting grainy.
Once the cakes are completely cooled, layer them with the coconut cream cheese frosting between each layer and on top. Decorate with edible flowers if desired.
Comments
All ingredients are readily available at Charlotte chains—Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Walmart, and ALDI all stock coconut milk, dried coconut, and cream cheese without a special trip. The 75-minute stated time is honest for mixing, baking, and frosting, though you'll want an extra 15 minutes if the cake needs to cool fully before frosting. At roughly $2 per serving for a two-layer cake (butter and cream cheese drive the cost), it's reasonable for a dessert that feeds eight to ten. The real caveat is the edible flowers: they're not essential to the cake's success, and Charlotte grocers don't stock them reliably, so budget a stop at a specialty florist or skip them without loss. This is a make-ahead dessert that actually improves a day later as flavors meld, and leftovers keep well covered for three days.
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