Coconut Sheet Cake
Apr 10, 2023, Updated Apr 09, 2024
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This homemade coconut sheet cake recipe is perfect to serve for any occasion. A homemade coconut cake topped with a cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut. The ultimate cake for coconut lovers.
Sheet cakes are a wonderful dessert to serve at a party or gathering because they serve a large crowd. We love this coconut sheet cake because:
- Taste: It’s full of coconut flavor from coconut extract and shredded coconut.
- Large: This cake recipe makes about 24 servings.
- Moist: Coconut milk and sour cream gives this cake so much moisture and makes the cake irresistible.
Ingredients needed for coconut cake
To ensure the cake turns out perfectly, make sure the butter is softened and the eggs, sour cream, and coconut milk are at room temperature. This helps the ingredients blend together nicely for the best results.
- Cake: You will need all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, eggs, unsalted butter, vanilla extract, coconut extract, coconut milk, sour cream, and shredded sweetened coconut.
- Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting: To make the frosting you will need cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, coconut extract, unsalted butter, and shredded sweetened coconut.
How to make coconut sheet cake
Step one: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 18 x 13 sheet pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Step two: Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large mixing bowl, beat together sugar and butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and coconut extract. Mix in coconut milk and sour cream.
Step four: Beat in flour mixture and shredded coconut. Carefully pour the coconut cake batter into prepared sheet cake pan. Bake for about 25 minutes.
Step five: Make the cream cheese frosting. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract and coconut extract on high speed until smooth (about 1 minute). Beat in the powdered sugar slowly until fully mixed in then beat on high until smooth (about 5 minutes).
Step six: Spread frosting on cooled cake. Sprinkle coconut on top of the cake.
I sprinkled a bit of toasted coconut around the outside edge of the cake. See below with tips on how to toast coconut.
Recipe tips
- It is important to measure out the flour accurately. Too much or too little flour will affect how the cake turns out. To accurately measure the flour, either use a food scale to measure out the grams exactly or use the spoon and scoop method. The spoon and scoop method means you put the measuring cup on the counter then use a spoon to scoop flour directly out of the bag and lightly sprinkle it into the cup. If you use the measuring cup to scoop directly from the bag, you’ll likely end up with 25% more flour than you actually need. This is because the flour gets packed down into the cup.
- Be sure to shake the can of coconut milk well before opening.
- Use the block style of cream cheese, not the spreadable kind (found in little tubs) that you use on bagels.
- Make sure to let the cake completely cool before spreading the frosting.
How to store coconut cake
Because this cake has cream cheese frosting, this cake should be stored in the refrigerator (for up to 4 days). Wrap the cake well in food-safe plastic wrap (or in an airtight container) so the cake doesn’t dry out.
How do I transfer the cake to a cake board without breaking the cake?
Be sure the cake has cooled before trying to remove it from the cake pan. Before frosting, place a wire rack covered with parchment paper (to prevent sticking) on top of the cake (parchment on top of cake and wire rack on top of parchment paper so the wire rack is facing your hands) then flip the cake pan upside down so the cake is now upside down on the parchment lined wire rack.
Remove the cake pan from the cake carefully then place the cake board on the cake (this will be the bottom of the cake) and flip it back over again so the cake is now the right side up on the cake board.
How do I toast coconut to decorate the cake?
To toast coconut, put the coconut in a small frying pan on the lowest heat setting, stirring constantly, until the coconut starts to brown slightly. Once the coconut starts to brown slightly, it’s important to remove the coconut from the frying pan immediately and put the coconut onto a separate cool plate. The coconut will burn quickly if left in the frying pan for too long.
Try serving this with a scoop of vanilla or coconut ice cream for the ultimate treat.
More cake recipes
Coconut Sheet Cake
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 3/4 cup canned coconut milk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Frosting
- 12 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line one 18” x 13” sheet cake pan with parchment paper (leave parchment paper slighter higher than the sides of the pan so it’s easier to lift the cake out after). Lightly spray parchment paper with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside for now.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, on high speed beat together the butter and granulated sugar until well combined and lighter in color (about two minutes). Use spatula to scrape down sides of bowl.
- Add eggs, vanilla extract and coconut extract into the butter mixture and beat on high until mixture is fluffy and well mixed (about 1 minute). Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl so all the ingredients are mixed together well.
- On low speed, beat the coconut milk and sour cream into the butter mixture just until combined (about 30 seconds). Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- On low speed, beat the dry ingredients into the cake batter just until combined (do not overmix). Use a spatula to scrape down sides and bottom of bowl. Beat until you no longer see streaks of white flour in the mixture and there are no large lumps in the batter. Do not overmix or your cake may not rise properly and will have a gummy texture.
- Gently stir (not beat) the shredded coconut into the cake batter.
- Pour the batter onto the prepared sheet cake pan and use a spatula to evenly distribute the cake batter in the pan.
- Bake in oven for 26 to 27 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and let cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
- Frosting Directions: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract and coconut extract on high speed until smooth (about 1 minute). Beat in the confectioners’ sugar slowly until fully mixed in then beat on high until smooth (about 5 minutes).
- Smooth an even layer of frosting over the top of the cake then sprinkle coconut over the top of the frosting or decorate as desired. For this cake, I sprinkled a bit of toasted coconut around the outside edge of the cake. See the Notes section with tips on how to toast coconut.
- With the cream cheese frosting, this cake should be stored in the refrigerator (for up to 4 days). Wrap the cake well in food-safe plastic wrap (or in a sealed food-safe container) so the cake doesn’t dry out.
Notes
- It is important to measure out the flour accurately. Too much or too little flour will affect how the cake turns out. To accurately measure the flour, either use a food scale to measure out the grams exactly or use the spoon and scoop method. The spoon and scoop method means you put the measuring cup on the counter then use a spoon to scoop flour directly out of the bag and lightly sprinkle it into the cup. If you use the measuring cup to scoop directly from the bag, you’ll likely end up with 25% more flour than you actually need. This is because the flour gets packed down into the cup.
- Be sure to shake the can of coconut milk well before opening.
- Use the block style of cream cheese, not the spreadable kind (found in little tubs) that you use on bagels.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
