Lemon Coconut Cake

4.34 from 27 votes

This moist Lemon Coconut Cake has a tangy hint of lemon and is topped with extra fluffy coconut frosting. The perfect easy cake recipe with a fun flavor combo!

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Cooling Time30

Total Time1 30

Course: America's Best 4th of July Desserts, Recipes and Sides, Easy Cake Recipes For Beginners, Over 100 Easter Recipes for Spring

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cake, coconut, dessert, frosting, lemon

Servings: pieces

Author: Fiona

Ingredients

Lemon Cake:

3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter room temperature
1 1/3 Cups Granulated Sugar
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
3 Large Eggs
2 1/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour sifted
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 teaspoon Salt
3/4 Cup Buttermilk
3 Tablespoons Lemon Zest
1/3 Cup Lemon Juice (use 1/4 cup for a lighter lemon flavor)

Coconut Frosting:

3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter
4-5 Tablespoons Canned Coconut Milk (mix well before measuring)
1/2 teaspoon Coconut Extract (optional)
3 - 3.5 Cups Powdered Sugar
1/4 Cup Toasted Coconut *

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the Lemon Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy.
3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter, 1 1/3 Cups Granulated Sugar
Mix in the vanilla, then the eggs one at a time.
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract, 3 Large Eggs
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2 1/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour, 2 teaspoons Baking Powder, 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda, 1/4 teaspoon Salt
Mix about 1/2 of the flour mixture into the butter mixture, followed by about 1/2 of the buttermilk. Repeat with the rest of the flour mixture and buttermilk, turning off the mixture and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
3/4 Cup Buttermilk
Gently fold in the lemon zest and lemon juice.
3 Tablespoons Lemon Zest, 1/3 Cup Lemon Juice
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 27-33 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Cool fully. (You can speed up this process by placing the cake in the fridge.)

For the Coconut Frosting:

Beat the butter until fluffy. Then beat in 4 tablespoons coconut milk, and optional coconut extract.
3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter, 4-5 Tablespoons Canned Coconut Milk, 1/2 teaspoon Coconut Extract
Mix in the powdered sugar about 1 cup at a time until the desired sweetness is reached, adding a little more coconut milk as necessary.
3 - 3.5 Cups Powdered Sugar
Frost the cooled cake and decorate with coconut.
1/4 Cup Toasted Coconut

Notes

*To toast coconut: preheat the oven to 325ºF. Spread flaked coconut onto a cookie sheet (sweetened or unsweetened), and bake for 5-10 minutes. Just make sure to watch it closely because it can go from toasted to burnt pretty quickly.

Cake may be frozen, frosted on not, for up to 3 months.

Nutrition