Easy Coconut Cake

Easy Coconut Cake recipe

This easy Coconut Cake recipe produces a wonderful moist cake. It has lots of layers of coconut flavour as it includes desiccated coconut, coconut cream and coconut flavouring. It is topped with coconut-flavoured buttercream and decorated with a sprinkle of desiccated coconut.

I regularly make a Coconut and Lime Drizzle cake but wanted to make a cake which had a full-on coconut flavour. This cake is somehow softer, both in flavour and in texture. I think it is perfect if you are looking to do a bit of comfort eating. I also think it looks very attractive, in an understated, white-on-white way.

What you need to know about making my easy Coconut Cake
  • First off, it is very quick and easy. After all, the clue is in the title. It is a simple loaf cake which means that it is cooked in 45 minutes. However, you do need to wait until the cake is completely cool before you add the icing. Therefore, you may want to make it a few hours ahead. It is fine to make it the day before you want to eat it. Once cooled, wrap it in foil and then ice it the next day.
  • It uses various elements to create the full-0n celebration of coconut. There is desiccated coconut in the cake mix but I also use coconut flavouring. Many supermarkets produce this and it is worth seeking out a good quality one. I think it adds that extra hit of coconut. I also use coconut cream, rather than ordinary milk, to loosen up the cake mix. Again, this adds another layer of flavour. Coconut cream is used again in the buttercream icing.
  • You can keep the iced cake for a two or three days, wrapped in foil, but like all home-made sponge cakes it is best within a day or so. You can freeze it, wrapped in foil and then placed in a freezer bag, for up to three months.
  • I think of this as a typical cake to eat with your morning coffee or afternoon tea. However, I have used it as a dessert, with a scoop of coconut ice-cream for a full-on coconut experience!
Other loaf cakes

I love making loaf cakes. They are quick, easy, versatile and do not require any extra icing or decoration (unless you want to do it). If you want a basic everyday cake, look no further than a loaf cake. They are also a great base for experimenting with flavours which is a big reason for me to love them! Here are some of my favourites.

Easy Coconut Cake recipe

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Coconut Cake

Easy Coconut Cake

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 45
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 1 loaf cake (serves 6-8) 1x
  • Category: Cake
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: English

Description

This quick and easy Coconut Loaf Cake, topped with coconut butter cream, is perfect with morning coffee or afternoon tea.

Coconut Cake


Ingredients

Scale

For the cake

  • 125 g (5 oz) butter
  • 175 g (7 oz) caster sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 150 g (6 oz) self-raising flour
  • 25 g (1 oz) desiccated coconut
  • 80 ml (3 fl oz) coconut cream
  • 2 teaspoons coconut flavouring

For the icing

  • 200 g (8 oz) icing sugar
  • 80 ml (3 fl oz) coconut cream
  • 100 g (4 oz) butter
  • 1 teaspoon coconut flavouring
  • A little desiccated coconut to decorate


Instructions

  1. Set your oven to 180 degrees centigrade, 350 degrees fahrenheit or Gas Mark 4.
  2. Grease a 450 g (1 lb) loaf tin and line the bottom with baking parchment.
  3. Cream the butter with the sugar.  (I usually soften the butter for about 30 seconds in the microwave first as it makes it much easier)
  4. Gradually add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture.  If it looks as if it is going to curdle, add some of the self-raising flour.
  5. Once the eggs have been incorporated add the rest of the self-raising flour.
  6. Add the desiccated coconut, coconut cream and coconut flavouring.  Mix to combine.
  7. Spoon the cake mixture into your prepared loaf tin.
  8. Put the tin in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
  9. Remove the cake from the oven and place on a baking rack to cool.
  10. Prepare the icing by combining the icing sugar, coconut cream, butter and coconut flavouring in a food processor, or by beating by hand, until you have smooth paste.  
  11. When the cake is completely cool.  Remove from the cake tin and spread the icing on top of it.  You can sprinkle a little desiccated coconut on top to decorate.

This recipe has been shared on #CookBlogShare with Lost in Food and #Fiesta Friday with Fiesta Friday and Diann@Goats and Greens and Liz@Spades, Spatulas and Spoons

Loved this recipe? You may also like the following recipes. Or checkout the Recipe Index.
Lime Cheesecake
Lime Cheesecake
Lemon Pavlova
Lemon Pavlova

Lime Drizzle Cake with Coconut

Lime Drizzle Cake with Coconut – Easy home-baking recipe

Lime Drizzle Cake. Like Lemon Drizzle Cake but with with an added tropical coconut twist. This is a very easy cake to make. It uses a basic sponge recipe which is taken to the next level by the lime and coconut flavour combination. As with all Drizzle Cakes, the icing is a simple combination of zesty fruit juice and icing sugar, so no need for fancy icing techniques. You just mix it together and pour it onto the warm cake so it adds an additional sweet and zingy punch of flavour.

Lovely limes…

I love limes. They have all the sharp citrus notes of lemons but with a more complex spicy background flavour which combines brilliantly with the richness of coconut. As well as cakes, I often use it with seafood, such as my Crab and Prawn Tart with Chilli, Lime and Coriander. It is also adds a fantastic zip of sharpness to sweet tropical fruits, such as mango, as in Mango and Lime Ice Cream.

…and creamy coconut

I use a combination of Coconut Cream and Desiccated Coconut to flavour this cake. Coconut Cream is one of my favourite ingredients for both sweet and savoury recipes. It comes in a block from which you can break off as much as you need. Once opened, you can keep it in the fridge for several weeks and use whenever you want to add a coconut hit to one of your recipes. It has a rich, creamy flavour which is great in cakes and puddings but also in Thai-style curries. If you don’t have a tin of coconut milk handy, you can just add some coconut cream to water and use that instead.

I have recently been won over to Desiccated Coconut having been put off by childhood memories of it as a dry, flavourless coating on rather unappetising shop-bought cakes. However, if you soak it in water before using, it becomes soft and flavourful and is a great addition to recipes. I guess the clue is in the name – it has had its moisture removed so you need to add it back again!

If you are inspired to explore the wonderful world of Drizzle Cakes by this recipe, you might like our recipes for Lemon Drizzle Cake and Blood Orange Drizzle Cake.

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Lime Drizzle Cake with Coconut

Lime Drizzle Cake with Coconut

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 45
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 1 loaf cake 1x
  • Category: Cake
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: English

Description

This Lime Drizzle Cake with Coconut is really easy and quick to make and provides a tropical twist on a traditional Lemon Drizzle Cake.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 25 g coconut cream (grated)
  • 50 g desiccated coconut
  • 250 ml boiling water
  • 125 g butter
  • 175 g caster sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 175 g self-raising flour
  • 2 limes
  • 100 g icing sugar
  • A little desiccated coconut or grated coconut cream to decorate.

Lime Drizzle Cake with Coconut


Instructions

  • Set your oven to 180 degrees centigrade or Gas Mark 4.
  • Grease a 450 g loaf tin and line the bottom with baking parchment.
  • In a small bowl, combine the grated coconut cream, desiccated coconut and boiling water.  Leave to cool slightly while you get on with the rest of the cake preparations.  The coconut cream will melt and the desiccated coconut will soften and expand in the hot water.
  • Cream the butter with the sugar in a large bowl.  (I usually soften the butter for about 30 seconds in the microwave first as it makes it much easier!)
  • Gradually add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture.  If it looks as if it is going to curdle, add some of the self-raising flour.
  • Once the eggs have been incorporated add the rest of the self-raising flour.
  • Add the contents of the small bowl – water, melted coconut cream and desiccated coconut – to the cake mixture together with the grated zest of your limes.
  • Spoon the cake mixture into your prepared loaf tin.
  • Put the tin in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
  • While the cake is baking, combine the juice from your limes with 100 g of icing sugar to form a thick syrup.
  • Remove the cake from the oven and immediately pour the syrup over the top.
  • Leave the cake in the tin to cool completely before removing.   If you try and take it out while it is still warm it may fall apart as it will be very moist due to the syrup.
  • You can decorate the top of the cake with a little desiccated coconut or grated coconut cream.

 

Loved this recipe? You may also like the following recipes. Or checkout the Recipe Index.