The Ultimate Coco Real Coconut Cake: A Moist, Dense & Flavorful Delight
Prepare to be enchanted by a coconut cake like no other – a truly exceptional dessert crafted from scratch, featuring the luscious cream of coconut. This isn’t just any coconut cake; it’s a dense, incredibly moist, and intensely flavorful experience that will transport your taste buds straight to a tropical paradise. While many coconut cake recipes utilize coconut cream, this particular rendition champions cream of coconut, the star ingredient often found in delightful Pina Coladas. It’s crucial to note that cream of coconut is a distinct product from coconut cream, so if you’re seeking that specific, rich flavor and texture, you’ve found the perfect recipe. Beyond its delightful use in baking, any leftover cream of coconut is perfect for whipping up your favorite tropical drinks, making this a versatile ingredient to have in your pantry.
Inspired by The Shubox Cafe: A Legacy of Deliciousness
This remarkable coconut cake recipe draws its inspiration from a beloved classic: a renowned layer cake attributed to The Shubox Café in New Jersey. The original Shubox Cafe cake was traditionally a grand, standard-sized 9-inch round layer cake, much like the impressive one often pictured in classic cookbooks. However, recognizing that not everyone needs such a large confection, we’ve thoughtfully adapted and scaled down the recipe. For our version, we halved the original proportions and made a few other delightful adjustments, baking it as a convenient 8-inch square cake. This modification makes it perfect for smaller gatherings or when you simply crave a substantial, satisfying slice without the commitment of a huge cake. This dense, moist cake is celebrated for its ability to retain its freshness and exquisite flavor for several days, making it an excellent dessert to prepare in advance. Below, you’ll find an older photo, which we aim to update soon, but it beautifully illustrates a piece cut from the more manageable square cake, highlighting its delightful texture.
Coco Real vs. Coco Lopez vs. Coconut Cream: Understanding Your Ingredients
The secret to this cake’s unparalleled flavor and moistness lies squarely in its star ingredient: cream of coconut. It’s a key distinction often overlooked, as cream of coconut is less commonly used in general baking than its more ubiquitous cousin, coconut cream. However, once you experience the unique richness and sweetness it brings, you’ll find it an incredibly fun and rewarding product to bake with. Cream of coconut is a sweetened, syrupy product, perfect for beverages like Pina Coladas, offering a concentrated coconut flavor and smooth consistency. Coconut cream, on the other hand, is unsweetened and much thicker than coconut milk, often separating in the can to form a thick layer on top, commonly used in curries or as a dairy alternative. Understanding this difference is crucial for the success of this recipe.
When it comes to brands, Coco Real is our preferred choice for this specific recipe, particularly for its convenient 21-ounce squeeze bottle. This packaging makes it incredibly easy to measure and use, especially for smaller cake batches like ours. While we typically gravitate towards Coco Lopez for its established quality in many recipes, the practicality of Coco Real’s bottle for precise measurements in a halved recipe is undeniable. However, don’t feel limited by brand; any high-quality cream of coconut will yield fantastic results. Just ensure you are indeed using cream of coconut and not coconut cream or milk for that signature taste and texture.
The Perfect Pairing: Our Unique Cream Cheese Coconut Frosting
While the cake itself is a star, its partner in crime—the frosting—is equally deserving of applause. If you’ve been on a quest for an exceptional coconut cake frosting, look no further. This recipe features a truly unique cream cheese frosting that perfectly complements the dense and sweet cake. What makes it stand out? It’s a classic, tangy cream cheese base, but with a delightful twist: whipped cream is delicately folded in. This ingenious addition lightens the frosting considerably, giving it an airy, cloud-like texture that melts in your mouth without being overly heavy or cloyingly sweet. It strikes a beautiful balance, offering a creamy, rich flavor while maintaining a surprising lightness that enhances, rather than overwhelms, the coconut cake. We also incorporate toasted coconut flakes into the frosting for an added layer of texture and intensified coconut aroma, ensuring every bite is a harmonious symphony of flavors and sensations.
More Coconut-Inspired Delights & Baking Adventures
If you’re a fan of coconut, or simply love exploring new baking challenges, you might enjoy these other recipes and posts from our collection. They offer a diverse range of treats, from more cream of coconut applications to other beloved cakes and cookies.
- Easy Cream of Coconut Pie: Another fantastic way to utilize that versatile cream of coconut!
- Cream of Coconut Dream Bars: Simple, chewy, and bursting with tropical flavor.
- Yellow Cake Bake-Off Results — 3 Cakes: A deep dive into finding the perfect classic yellow cake.
- Mokonuts’ Cranberry Rye Chocolate Chunk Cookies: For when you’re craving something entirely different but equally delicious.
- Coconut Upside Down Cake: A twist on a classic, offering a beautiful presentation.
Recipe: Coco Real Coconut Layer Cake
Coco Real Coconut Layer Cake
Anna
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs (approx. 105 grams)
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened (114 grams, at room temperature for best creaming)
- ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (160 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons cream of coconut (we recommend Coco Real or Coco Lopez for optimal flavor)
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (190 grams, sifted for a lighter texture)
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup milk, room temperature (whole milk is recommended for richness)
- ⅓ cup shredded or flaked sweetened coconut (for mixing into the batter)
Cream Cheese Icing
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream (120 grams, very cold for whipping)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (120 grams, full-fat for best texture)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (28 grams)
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar (110 grams, sifted to prevent lumps)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup shredded or flaked sweetened coconut (lightly toasted, for garnish and flavor)
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
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Thoroughly grease and flour an 8-inch square metal baking pan. For easier removal and frosting of the sides, you can line the pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil, ensuring to grease the lining as well.
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Carefully crack the eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. Place the egg whites in a clean, dry metal mixing bowl. Using a hand-held electric mixer, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. This means when you lift the beaters, the peaks will gently flop over. Set the beaten egg whites aside for later.
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In a separate large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light, fluffy, and creamy. This process should take about 2-3 minutes. Next, beat in the egg yolks one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract, then thoroughly beat in the cream of coconut until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
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In another bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Make sure these dry ingredients are well combined to ensure even leavening throughout the cake.
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Gradually add the flour mixture and the room temperature milk to the butter mixture alternately, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix by hand or with an electric mixer on low speed, stirring just until the flour is incorporated and no streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to a tough cake. Gently stir in the ⅓ cup of shredded coconut.
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Carefully fold the beaten egg whites into the cake batter in two additions. Use a spatula to gently incorporate the whites, preserving as much air as possible. This step contributes to the cake’s tender crumb and airy lightness despite its overall density.
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Pour the prepared batter evenly into your greased and floured (or lined) 8-inch square pan. Bake on the center rack of your preheated oven for approximately 30-40 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake springs back lightly when touched. Once baked, let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 10-15 minutes before inverting it onto the rack to cool completely. Ensure the cake is entirely cool before applying the frosting.
Coconut Frosting
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To prepare the frosting, first, beat the cold heavy whipping cream in a chilled bowl with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overbeat, or it may turn grainy. Set this whipped cream aside. In a separate mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and softened unsalted butter until the mixture is smooth, creamy, and free of lumps. Gradually add the sifted confectioners’ sugar, beating until fully incorporated and smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract. Finally, gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until just combined, creating a light and airy frosting. Spread this delectable frosting generously over the completely cooled cake. For a beautiful finish and an extra burst of flavor, sprinkle the top and sides with the lightly toasted shredded coconut.
Notes & Pro Tips
Buttermilk Variation: If you prefer the subtle tang and extra tenderness that buttermilk brings to a cake, you can easily adapt this recipe. Simply substitute the regular milk with buttermilk and add an additional ¼ teaspoon of baking soda to your dry ingredients. This will react with the buttermilk’s acidity, contributing to an even more tender crumb.
Easy Cake Removal: For a hassle-free experience when lifting the cooled cake from its pan to frost the sides, line your baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper before greasing. Make sure the foil or paper extends a few inches beyond the sides of the pan to create ‘slings’. Grease or spray this lining thoroughly. After baking and cooling, you can simply use these ‘slings’ to lift the entire cake out, making frosting a breeze!
Storage: To keep your Coco Real Coconut Cake fresh and moist, store it covered in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. For longer storage, or if your kitchen is particularly warm, you can refrigerate it for up to 5 days. Just remember to bring it to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor.