Coconut Cake Recipe & Buttercream Frosting

Cute Easter Cupcakes Decorated in Toasted Coconut Buttercream Icing

Mar 26, 2009 Donna Diegel

Spring Dessert: Snow white cake layers infused with Coco Lopez & coconut oil, decorated with vanilla buttercream icing and fragrant toasted coconut. A pretty spring cake!

Looking for the perfect spring and summer desserts? This gorgeous moist Coconut Cake, decorated with coconut or vanilla buttercream frosting, will dress up any Sunday brunch!

Classic Coconut Cake Recipe

2-1/4 cups cake flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
4 egg whites, room temperature
2 teaspoons coconut extract
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup Coco Lopez

How To Make Coconut Cake and Coconut Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter or spray two 9 X 2 - inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Likewise, spray or butter one 9 X 13 - inch baking pan, or prepare 24-30 cupcake tins with paper liners. Set aside.
Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a medium size bowl and set aside.
With mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add egg whites one at a time, beating until light and fluffy. Add coconut extract and beat again. Scrape down sides of bowl.
With mixer on low - medium speed, add half the dry ingredients to the butter, alternating with half the milk and Coco Lopez, repeat, and scrape as needed between additions. Mix until batter is nice and smooth with no lumps, being careful not to over mix.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans, or divide evenly between the cupcake tins.
Bake round cake layers for 25 - 30 minutes, 9 X 13 - pan for 35 - 45 minutes, or until a pick comes out clean. Bake cupcakes for approximately 20 - 25 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched.
Cool 9 X 13 - inch cake and cupcakes completely on wire racks before frosting or freezing. Cool round layers 10 minutes before loosening, then remove them from the pans, and cool completely.
The cake, layers and cupcakes can be double wrapped in plastic and frozen for later use.

Coconut Frosting Recipe

1/2 pound solid shortening (1 cup)
1/2 pound butter, room temperature (1 cup)
1/4 cup marshmallow fluff
1/4 cup Coco Lopez
1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract, or vanilla extract
2 lbs. confectioner's sugar, sifted (powdered sugar)
1-2 Tbsp water
Garnish: 2 cups toasted coconut

How To Make Coconut Frosting

Using a high-speed mixer, cream shortening, butter, marshmallow fluff and Coco Lopez together using the beater attachment. Add coconut extract and beat until light and fluffy. If vanilla buttercream frosting is desired, substitute vanilla extract for the coconut, and omit Coco Lopez.
Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating after each addition until smooth and there are no lumps left.
Add water a little at a time until the frosting is of spreading consistency. Add more water if necessary. If by chance too much is added and the frosting is watery, just add a little more sugar and beat again.
Frosting should be totally smooth with no lumps.

How To Assemble & Decorate a 9-inch Round Coconut Cake

Smear a good size dab of vanilla buttercream frosting on a flat, round, decorative serving plate. Place one round cake layer on top of the frosting and press lightly. Brush 1/4 cup Coco Lopez over the layer and let sink in a bit. Spread a thick coat of frosting over this layer and place the second layer on top, pressing down lightly to seal. Brush with a small amount of Coco Lopez and allow to sit for a few minutes to penetrate the cake layer.
Remove approximately 1 cup of frosting and place in a pastry bag fitted with a medium size star tip and set aside.
Frost the sides and top of cake using an off-set spatula, making sure to seal all edges evenly.
Pat toasted coconut all around the sides, pressing lightly to adhere. Save a small amount to garnish the top of the cake.
Using the pastry bag, place 12 evenly spaced rosettes on the top of the cake.
Refrigerate any leftovers. Cake and cupcakes can be double wrapped in heavy duty plastic wrap and frozen.

How To Decorate Cupcakes

Spread the frosting over the tops of the cupcakes as desired, maybe with a slight twist of the wrist to form a swirl. Decorate with edible flowers, small edible rose petals and pansies for the ultimate chic-cupcake!
Or, place the coconut frosting in a large pastry bag fitted with a large star or rosette tip.
Starting close to the cupcake, firmly squeeze the bag and frosting through the tip in a round circular motion, finally swirling the frosting into a peak.
Sprinkle tops with toasted coconut if desired.

Makes one 9 X 13 - inch cake, one thick 9-inch double layer round cake, or 24 - 30 cupcakes depending on the size. The recipes for Coconut Cake and Vanilla Buttercream Frosting can be halved to make and decorate one 8 X 8 - inch square cake or 12 cupcakes.

For more springtime cake and cupcake recipes, try the moist and stunning Red Velvet Cake and the spicy Homemade Carrot Cake, both with Cream Cheese Frosting or the Spice Cake with Penuche Frosting.

The copyright of the article Coconut Cake Recipe & Buttercream Frosting in Baking & Desserts is owned by Donna Diegel. Permission to republish Coconut Cake Recipe & Buttercream Frosting in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.