Chocolate Coconut Layer Cake
Chocolate and coconut are such a decadent pairing in this delicious scratch Chocolate Coconut Layer Cake recipe!
Unlike our Almond Joy Cake, which is another favorite chocolate and coconut recipe, today's cake incorporates coconut right into the chocolate cake batter.
The moist chocolate coconut layers are then filled and frosted with a whipped coconut cream cheese frosting. The result is a completely dreamy dessert that is guaranteed to please!
Table of Contents
How to Make Chocolate Coconut Layer Cake
*As always, you can find the full, printable cake recipes below. here is just a quick rundown of our process!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, an grease and flour three 8x2 inch round pans. We also like to add circles of parchment to the bottom of each pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside
In another bowl, add the buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Set aside
In the bowl of your mixer, add the softened butter and mix at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and continue to mix on medium speed 3 to 5 minutes until lightened in color and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until the yellow of the yolk disappears.
Alternately, add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients (three additions of dry and two additions of wet).
Be careful not to mix above medium speed or over mix the batter.
Finally, fold coconut into the chocolate cake batter. Divide the batter between the three prepared cake pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes and turn out of pan. (See our section below about freezing if you'd like to freeze your layers!)
For the Whipped Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
For today's recipe, we chose a light, whipped coconut cream cheese frosting. It is delicious! However, if you prefer a thicker consistency of frosting, you can simply add a teaspoon of coconut to our classic cream cheese frosting recipe, or even to our classic vanilla buttercream recipe. These are both really flavorful options also!
You can find the full recipe printed further down in this post, but here is a quick rundown of our steps.
First, freeze the mixing bowl and beaters/whisk attachment for 15 minutes before whipping the cream. (Use the whisk attachment for a stand mixer, or beaters if using a hand mixer).
Next, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. This can happen very quickly so don't walk away from the mixer.
You've reached the stiff peak stage when you lift the beater and the cream stands straight up forming a peak. Keep the freshly whipped cream in the refrigerator while completing the next step.
In another bowl combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, coconut extract and vanilla extract. Beat until very smooth.
Gently fold this cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream (or vice versa) until well combined. Now you have luscious, light, and delicious frosting! You're going to want to dive right into this heavenly frosting but try to cover and refrigerate until you're ready to frost the cake ;0)
Can the Cake Layers Be Baked and Frozen in Advance?
Yes! We actually prefer to bake, wrap, and freeze our freshly baked cake layers while they are still warm. Not only does freezing allow you to work well in advance, but it also adds an additional boost of moisture to this already moist cake!
Whenever time allows, no matter what the recipe, we allow our baked cake layers to cool for about 10 minutes before flipping them out onto foil-wrapped cake boards and then we wrap them in plastic wrap and foil, and into the freezer they go, for anywhere from a few hours to a few months.
Thanks to the dramatic change in temperature, additional moisture is created which becomes trapped inside of the cake.
As long as the layers are tightly wrapped, a cake layer that is wrapped and frozen (while still warm) will always taste as fresh as the day it was baked (or even better!).
When it is time to defrost, simply move the wrapped cakes to the kitchen counter and allow it to thaw to your liking before unwrapping. Some decorators like to work with partially frozen cake layers because they are much less fragile.
Assembling the Chocolate Coconut Layer Cake
Coconut cakes are some of my favorite cakes to decorate because they are so quick and easy. It's hard to mess up a cake when you are covering it entirely with coconut!
First, place a chocolate coconut cake layer onto the cake base or pedestal. Next, spread with a layer of whipped coconut cream cheese frosting.
*As an optional step, you can add a light sprinkling of coconut on top of the filling. Then top with another cake layer and repeat the steps.
Top with the final chocolate coconut cake layer and frost the entire cake with whipped coconut cream cheese frosting.
Press coconut into the frosting on top and around the sides of the cake.
What kind of coconut should i use?
We prefer to use sweetened flaked coconut as the additional sugar not only adds a nice sweetness to the coconut, but it also makes the coconut much more moist than unsweetened.
This is especially noticeable when the cake is completely covered in coconut, as ours is today. (We used Baker's Angel Flake Coconut, Sweetened).
More Delicious Cakes with Coconut
If you love cakes with coconut, don't miss these other favorite recipes!
...and several others! You can find the full listing in our Recipes section!
Looking for more Chocolate Cakes?
We are big fans of chocolate cake recipes! Here are just a few of our favorites. You can find a full listing of our favorite chocolate cakes here: The Best Chocolate Cake Recipes!
German Chocolate Cake (another coconut recipe!)
Chocolate Coconut Layer Cake
Chocolate coconut cake layers are filled and frosted with whipped coconut cream cheese frosting is this decadent dessert!
Ingredients
For the Cake Layers
- 1 ½ sticks (170g) unsalted butter, softened ( do not microwave)
- 2 cups (400g) sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature - putting cold eggs in a bowl of very warm water will warm them quickly
- 2 cups (242g) all purpose flour
- ¾ cups (69g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measure the sift)
- 1 ½ teaspoons (7g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (6g) baking soda
- 1 ½ cups (355g) buttermilk ( if you do not have buttermilk, see Note below)
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) vanilla
- ½ cup (104g) vegetable oil (I use canola oil)
- 1 cup (75g) flaked sweetened coconut (We used Baker's Angel Flake Coconut, Sweetened)
Coconut Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
- Two 8 ounce (423g total weight) packages cream cheese, softened. (Use full fat, not reduced fat or cream cheese in a tub, those are too soft.)
- 2 cups (230g) powdered sugar, sift then measure
- 2 teaspoons (8g) vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon (4g) Coconut Extract (Adjust amount to your liking)
- 3 cups (696g heavy whipping cream
Cake Assembly/Decoration
- Additional Sweetened Flaked Coconut for outside of cake and in between cake layers (optional)
Instructions
For the Cake Layers
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, grease and flour three 8x2 inch round pans
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside
In another bowl, add the buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Set aside
In the bowl of your mixer, add the softened butter and mix at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and continue to mix on medium speed 3 to 5 minutes until lightened in color and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until the yellow of the yolk disappears.
Alternately, add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients (3 additions of dry and 2 of wet).
Do not mix above medium speed or over mix the batter.
Fold coconut into the cake batter. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes and turn out of pan.
For the Whipped Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
Freeze your mixing bowl and beaters 15 minutes before whipping the cream (30 minutes if chilling in the refrigerator.
Use the whisk attachment for a stand mixer, beaters on your hand mixer. Beat the cream until stiff peaks form. This can happen very quickly so don't walk away from the mixer. You are at the stiff peak stage when you lift the beater and the cream stands straight up forming a peak. Keep in the refrigerator while completing the next step.
In another bowl combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, coconut extract and vanilla extract. Beat until very smooth. Fold this into the whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate. If you are piping this frosting and it becomes too soft, just refrigerate the filled piping bag for a short while.
Assembly of Cake
Place chocolate coconut cake layer on cake base or pedestal. Spread with a layer of whipped coconut cream cheese frosting.
Sprinkle lightly with coconut (optional)
Repeat for the next cake layer, and top with the third cake layer.
Frost the cake with whipped coconut cream cheese frosting and press coconut into the cake around the sides and on top.
This cake should be refrigerated until a couple of hours before serving.
Notes
One 14 oz bag shredded coconut should be enough for the coconut used both inside and outside of the cake.
If you do not have buttermilk this is the substitute. Use a measuring cup for liquid, add 1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar then fill with milk to the 1 ½ cup mark, stir. Wait 5 minutes and it is ready to use.
I am wondering what if you don't put in the coconut extract and just put on the coconut on the frosting
The cake will still be very good with just putting coconut on the frosting. Hope you enjoy it.
Thank you for this recipe, please can coconut milk be used to substitute dairy milk
Hi Bee, Yes, you can substitute coconut milk for dairy milk. I hope you will enjoy the cake.
OMGosh! Heavenly :-) The frosting is so delish! Love it.
Is there a different frosting you could use other than cream cheese? Family doesn’t care for frosting with cream cheese.
Hi Angela, You could use a 7 minute frosting with coconut pressed into the frosting after you have frosted the cake ( link below)
https://www.mycakeschool.com/recipes-tutorials/seven-minute-frosting/
You could also use our Classic Vanilla Buttercream recipe ( in recipe section) and add 1 teaspoon coconut frosting plus pressing coconut into the frosting.
looks delicious, looking for a spectacular Christmas desert, this may be it, I would have not added it to my list, until I saw the whipped creme frosting, my mom and I have always done a divinity icing for our coconut cakes, when making the divinity icing I always make 1.5 x the recipe, everyone wants a spoonfuls of the icing, and I love homemade divinity