Coconut Cake with Coconut and Vanilla Icing

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Light, fluffy, moist coconut sponge cake slathered with a coconut and vanilla icing. Enough said! Nothing complicated, nothing fancy, quick and easy to make, but oh, so good! Absolute heaven and my new obsession.

Coconut and Chocolate

Coconut and chocolate are meant to be eaten together. If you love this classic combination, you may wish to try my Coconut Loaf Cake with Salted Milk Chocolate Ganache.

Lyngen Lodge

This is my version of a cake we enjoyed on our trip to Lyngen Lodge last April. Clare, Julie, Chris and I went husky sledding and were served a delicious coconut cake when we stopped for lunch. This is how I recreated that delicious cake.

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How to make Coconut Cake with Coconut and Vanilla Icing

This recipe is based on my Butter and Oil Cakes – Core Recipe. The changes I made were to:

• use coconut milk instead of milk/liquid and yoghurt.
• replace the vegetable oil with coconut oil.
• add coconut extract, (if you have some).
• reduce the amount of flour and add desiccated coconut.
• use just caster sugar rather than a combination of caster and soft brown sugar. This allows the coconut flavour to shine.

Collect all your ingredients together:

For the cake:

• unsalted butter, cubed
• coconut oil
• plain/all-purpose flour
• cornflour
• fine salt
• baking powder
• bicarbonate of soda/baking soda
• desiccated coconut
• caster sugar
• large eggs
• vanilla extract
• milk
• coconut extract (if you have some)

Coconut and Vanilla Icing –

• icing sugar
• coconut milk
• coconut extract
• vanilla extract
• toasted desiccated coconut (to scatter on top of the cake)

Make the cake:

1. Grease and line a deep 20cm/8in round cake tin.
2. Preheat the oven. As soon as it has heated, scatter the desiccated coconut, (for the topping) onto a baking tray and pop in the oven to lightly toast – this should take only 2 – 3 minutes.
3. Remove from the oven and transfer to a bowl to prevent further discolouration.
4. Using a microwave safe mixing bowl, melt the butter and coconut oil in a microwave. Leave to cool a little, whilst you collect all the remaining ingredients together.
5. Add the remaining ingredients. Do not let the baking powder and bicarbonate of soda come into contact with the wet ingredients. You can ensure this by adding the ingredients in this order:
   • plain/all-purpose flour
   • cornflour
   • salt
   • baking powder
   • bicarbonate/baking of soda
   • desiccated coconut
   • caster sugar
   • eggs
   • vanilla extract
   • coconut extract, if using
   • tinned coconut milk
6. Beat with a balloon or electric whisk until incorporated – be careful not to over-mix. It should take 30 seconds to a minute and you may need to stop half way to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl.
7. The batter is quite liquidy. The easiest way to transfer the cake batter to the cake tin, is by pouring it.
8. Bake in a preheated oven for 40 – 45 minutes or until cooked.
9. Leave in the tin for 10 minutes, and then transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

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Make the Coconut and Vanilla Icing:

1. When the cake is completely cold, gradually add the coconut milk, coconut and vanilla extracts to the icing sugar. Mix thoroughly, until you have a spreadable paste.
2. Pour the icing over the top of the cake. Spread to level over the surface.
3. Sprinkle the toasted coconut over the icing.

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Order of ingredients: it is important to add the ingredients in the order shown in the recipe. This is to ensure the raising agents do not come into contact with too much liquid too soon and activate.

Food processor: this cake can also be made in a food processor. Simply place all the ingredients in the processor bowl, in the order stated, and blitz until thoroughly mixed. Be careful not to over-mix.

Freezing the cake: this cake freezes well, covered, for up to 3 months. Although you can freeze it with the icing, I recommend freezing it without and adding it when you de-frost the cake and you are ready to eat it. 

Made this recipe?

If you make this recipe, do please tag me on instagram @daffodil_kitchen. You could also leave a comment in the box directly below the recipe.