Super Easy Coconut Cake

Coconut Cake

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Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 16 servings

Coconut cake is one of those desserts that will impress every guest; it is pretty and delicious and feels quite festive. This recipe can't get any simpler as it is made with a white cake mix, sweetened condensed milk, cream of coconut, whipped topping, and shredded coconut. And considering only the top of the cake is frosted, this is the perfect recipe when you need a special cake in a snap!

You do need to begin the recipe with a freshly baked, just out of the oven cake.

Ingredients

  • 1 (18 1/2-ounce) box white cake mix, baked as directed

  • 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

  • 12 ounces cream of coconut (coconut cream)

  • 8 ounces nondairy whipped topping

  • 1 cup shredded coconut

Steps to Make It

  1. While the baked cake is still hot, poke holes throughout the cake with a fork.

  2. Mix the sweetened condensed milk with the cream of coconut in a measuring cup or bowl and pour over cake, making sure it goes into the poked holes. Cool the cake completely.​​

  3. Spread the non-dairy whipped topping over the top of the cake. Sprinkle with the coconut.

Recipe Tips

If you've never bought any coconut products before, there are a few things to keep in mind. When shopping, you will find coconut milk, coconut cream, and cream of coconut; they are all different products, so make sure you grab the right one. Coconut milk is cooking coconut with water and then straining out the solids. Coconut cream is coconut milk that has been chilled; a creamy, thick layer forms on top, which is the coconut cream. Cream of coconut is the result of combining this coconut cream with lots of sugar.

Coconut is sold as shredded or flaked, as well as sweetened or unsweetened. This recipe calls for shredded coconut and since there are a lot of sweet flavors in the cake you can safely choose unsweetened.

Sweetened condensed milk may be labeled just as "condensed milk." It is cow's milk from which the water has been removed and sugar has been added. Make sure you do not buy a can of evaporated milk as that is not sweet in flavor.

Decorating Ideas

This coconut cake says "special occasion" all on its own, but it is also the ideal dessert to add a bit of decoration. If you are serving this for Easter, adding a few jelly beans to the top is perfect; you can even toss the shredded coconut in green food coloring before placing on the cake so it looks like Easter eggs nestled in the grass.

Coconut cakes are also a great fit for baby showers. If the mom-to-be knows the sex of the baby, the whipped cream and coconut can be tinted pink or blue. If your child is a fan of coconut, dye the topping his or her favorite color and then add a few of their beloved candies. Raspberries and strawberries also look beautiful on top of this coconut cake.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
261 Calories
8g Fat
44g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 261
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g 11%
Saturated Fat 7g 34%
Cholesterol 12mg 4%
Sodium 168mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 44g 16%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 37g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 1mg 4%
Calcium 127mg 10%
Iron 0mg 3%
Potassium 172mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)