Coconut Cream Cake
This dreamy Coconut Cream Cake is the ultimate treat for coconut lovers. A soft white sheet cake is baked and infused with a luscious coconut cream mixture while still warm, creating a rich, moist texture. It’s topped with fluffy whipped cream and a blend of fresh and sweetened flaked coconut for maximum flavor and texture. Perfect for potlucks, family gatherings, or holiday celebrations, this easy coconut cream poke cake is always a crowd-pleaser.
Easy Coconut Cream Cake Recipe
As a lifelong fan of all things coconut and its tropical decadence, this Coconut Cream Cake has become a favorite in my Southern kitchen. What makes it truly special is how the coconut flavor deepens and develops the longer it chills, creating irresistible layers of flavor. It’s best made ahead, making it an ideal dessert for entertaining, holiday gatherings, or potlucks. Honestly, I can only make this cake when company’s coming, it’s just too tempting to resist!
Checkout this quick list of key ingredients you’ll need to make a Coconut Cream Cake Recipe: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card and quantities.)
- Box Cake Mix – One box of coconut cake mix or white cake mix plus ingredients to prepare. (Oil, eggs and water or milk).
- Flour – Self-rising flour increases the volume of cake batter.
- Shredded Coconut – One package of sweetened flaked coconut for the cake batter and the whipped frosting.
- Coconut Cream Filling – Cream of coconut mixed with sweetened condensed milk forms the milk mixture.
- Coconut Frosting – Heavy cream, powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar), room temperature cream cheese and vanilla extract
- Frozen Coconut – Fresh coconut adds a fresh coconut flavor to the frosting.
How to Make Coconut Cream Cake Recipe
- Prepare Pan and Heat Oven – Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 13x9x2 inch non stick metal pan or spray with baking spray.
- Make the Cake Batter – Prepare the cake per the directions on the box using the amount of eggs, water and oil (or butter) called for. Add 1/2 cup flour.
- Add Coconut to the Cake Batter – Stir half of the flaked coconut into the batter by hand. Pour coconut cake batter into prepare pan.
- Oven – Bake per the package directions until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes back clean.
- Poke Holes in Cake – After removing the cake from the oven use a fork, a wooden spoon or bamboo skewer to poke holes over the top of the hot cake. Be generous.
- Coconut Cream Mixture – Whisk together the cream of coconut with the sweetened condensed milk. Slowly pour over the hot cake, spreading the coconut milk into the holes as you go. Allow the cake to cool completely.
- Make Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting – Beat together the heavy cream, powdered sugar, softened cream cheese and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Spread over the top of the cake.
- Coconut – Toss together the remaining sweetened flaked coconut with the thawed fresh coconut. Sprinkle evenly over the frosting. Chill in the fridge until serving.
What’s the Difference Between Canned Coconut Milk and Cream of Coconut?
Please note, cream of coconut and coconut milk are not the same thing:
- Cream of coconut is very thick and sweet while coconut milk has a thinner consistency and it’s unsweetened.
- This coconut poke cake recipe uses cream of coconut and it can typically be found with the drink mixers or in the Asian foods section.
Kitchen Equipment to Making Coconut Cream Sheet Cake
- One 13×9-inch cake pan. There’s a lot of liquid in this particular cake is best made in a sheet pan and not cake pans. See how to make a fresh Coconut Layer Cake here.
- Large bowl for making the batter.
- Measuring cups and spoons.
- Electric mixer. You can use a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Long skewer or wooden spoon to poke holes in the cake.
- Offset icing spatula.
Special Note for Making Easy Coconut Cream Cake
Since I began making this original coconut cake recipe years ago, boxed cake mixes have become increasingly less in volume. To counter this, I’ve updated the original recipe adding 1/2 cup of self-rising flour to the cake batter. There’s no need, in this instance, to add any more sugar as the coconut cream filling adds enough sweetness. Add the flour along with the other dry ingredients, oil, water and eggs called for on the cake mix package and bake according to the directions.
Recipe Variations, Tips and Substitutions
- Frozen Coconut – Fresh frozen coconut is unsweetened and lends a real homemade flavor to the topping for this cake. It’s usually located with the other frozen fruits in the freezer section of most grocery stores. If you’re unable to find it, substitute sweetened flaked coconut in its place.
- Toasted Coconut – You could sprinkle the top of the cake with toasted coconut, if you like. See how to make Toasted Coconut here.
- Make the Cake Batter from Scratch – You can make the cake completely from scratch using my white buttermilk cake recipe. You can add 1-2 teaspoons coconut extract for more coconut flavor. You should still follow the recipe beginning with the step of poking holes on the top and filling the cake.
- Cream of Coconut – This coconut poke cake recipe uses cream of coconut and it can typically be found with the drink mixers or in the Asian foods section.
- Frosting – I frost this cake with a cream cheese frosting, but if you prefer a shortcut, you can use fresh whipped cream or Cool Whip (frozen whipped topping that’s been thawed), instead.
- Be Generous When Poking the Holes – You can use a long wooden skewer, a large fork or the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes all over the surface of the cake after baking.
- Fill the Warm Cake – It may seem unusual, but poke cakes are filled as soon as they come out of the oven while hot. In doing so the creamy coconut goodness can fully saturate the cake. That’s what makes this coconut cream cake so very unique and delicious.
- Chill Before Frosting – After pouring the rich coconut filling into the cake, it’s important to allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
- When to Serve Coconut Cake – Serve this cake for an Easter dessert, Christmas, Spring gatherings, picnics, potlucks, Thanksgiving, July 4th and entertaining.
Storage and Leftovers
- Make-Ahead Tip Leftovers – This cake can be made up to 3 days in advance of serving. The flavor of coconut cake seems to get better and better with each passing day.
- Leftovers – Store leftover Southern Coconut Cream Cake covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Freezer – You can freeze leftovers for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge and enjoy!
More Southern Style Cake Recipes to Make
Sheet cakes are one that bakers of all skill levels can make with success. They store easily and if they have a hard cover, you can even stack things on top of them to save space in the refrigerator. More sheet cake recipes you may like to try:
- Double Fudge Mississippi Mud Cake is topped with marshmallows and a fudgy icing.
- Easy Carrot Cake Recipe is a must-make for Easter.
- Citrus infused Lemon Burst Poke Cake.
- This Buttered Rum Cake is a fan favorite!
- Peaches and Cream Poke Cake is filled with fresh peaches.
- Fudgy Texas Sheet Cake is the perfect dessert for a crowd.
- Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Poke Cake with how-to video.
- Million Dollar Pound Cake is a classic!
- Mandarin Orange Cake from Simple Joy.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Coconut Cream Cake
This Coconut Cream Cake is soft, luscious and filled with rich coconut flavor topped with creamy frosting and sweet shredded coconut for a stunning dessert centerpiece.
Servings: 16 pieces
Ingredients
- 1 15.25 oz box of coconut cake or white cake mix plus ingredients to prepare eggs, oil and water OR whole milk
- 1/2 cup self-rising flour
- 1 7 oz package sweetened flaked coconut, divided
- 1 15 oz can cream of coconut
- 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 pint heavy cream
- 2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 8 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 6 oz package frozen fresh coconut, thawed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 13x9x2 inch non stick metal pan or spray with baking spray.
- Cake: Using an electric mixer on low speed, prepare the cake per the directions on the box adding 1/2 cup self-rising flour. Stir in ½ of the 7 oz bag of sweetened flaked coconut into the batter by hand.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake per the directions until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes back clean.
- Coconut Cream Filling: After removing the cake from the oven use a fork or bamboo skewer or the handle of a wooden spoon to poke holes over the top of the hot cake.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the cream of coconut with the sweetened condensed milk. Slowly pour the milk mixture over the hot cake, spreading the coconut milk into the holes as you go. Allow the cake to cool completely. Chill for several hours or overnight.
- Coconut Frosting: Beat together the heavy cream, powdered sugar, softened cream cheese and vanilla extract. until light and fluffy. Spread over the top of the cake.
- Toss together the remaining sweetened flaked coconut with the thawed fresh coconut. Sprinkle evenly over the frosting.
- Chill for 1 more day before serving.
Notes
- Please Note: Since I first began making this cake years ago, cake mixes have decreased in volume. To counter this, I’ve added self rising flour to the ingredients. Add the flour along with the ingredients called for on the cake mix package and bake accordingly.
- Filling: Use one can Cream of Coconut sometimes referred to as Coconut Cream in this cake. The name may vary by brand. This is NOT the same as coconut milk.
- Frozen Coconut: Fresh frozen coconut is unsweetened and lends a real homemade flavor to the topping for this cake. It’s usually located with the other frozen fruits in the freezer section of most grocery stores. If you’re unable to find it, substitute sweetened flaked coconut in its place.
- Make the Cake from Scratch: You can make the cake completely from scratch using my white buttermilk cake recipe. You can add 1-2 teaspoons coconut extract for more coconut flavor. You should still follow the recipe beginning with the step of poking holes on the top and filling.
- Frosting: I frost this cake with a cream cheese frosting, but if you prefer a shortcut, you can use fresh whipped cream or Cool Whip, instead.
Tried this recipe?Mention @melissassk or tag #melissassk!
Can i make this in an 8 inch layered cake
That’s tricky for this cake due to the filling. It’s best made as a sheet cake.
Hi i want to make this recipe for Easter but i cannot find the frozen coconut anywhere . What do i do ???
While the frozen coconut is the best choice, you can replace it with sweetened flaked coconut.
Hey. There I wanted to make this for a tomorrow dinner? But I see that it has to be made 2 days in advance. Do you think it will still be okay if I chill it overnight tonight and icing the cake tomorrow
Absolutely, and it will get better with each passing day.
Can I use coco Lopez for cream of coconut?
Yes.
I made this for my fiancé a few years ago for his birthday and he, along with my entire family, absolutely devoured it. I now make it for his and my fathers birthdays every year. The best cake in the world.
I’m so happy you guys are still loving it, thanks!
Made this last week and made it again yesterday to take to the Tennessee mountains for the weekend.
Unbelievably delicious!
Thank you!
I can’t find self rising flour. Can I use something else?
Looks delicious.Am planning to make it tomorrow.
My neighbors are waiting for leftovers (if there are any)
You can one of two things: Use an extra 1/2 cup cake mix or use the same amount of all purpose flour with 1/2 tsp baking powder.
Cake was delicious and the frosting was amazing.One of my friends was actually spooning
it out of the pan!!
Using the extra flour and baking powder worked well .
Will be making it again and again!
I’m so happy you all enjoyed it, thank you!
That cake is amazing! I don’t really like coconut but couldn’t shovel it in my mouth fast enough. I did use the light whipped cream and coconut for icing. Husband took a monster piece to work for lunch. It was that good.
I’m so happy you loved it, thanks!
I am not a sweet eater but I made this for my wife’s birthday. It was outstanding! I was out of cream cheese so for the topping I used Cool whip and topped it with toasted coconut. Considering the sweetness of the cake, I think that was a great idea! This will be a go-to dessert from now on.
Thanks so much!
Hi Melissa, I found this recipe I’m guessing on Facebook a few years ago. This recipe is a knockout! Everyone always loves it. We never hear any complaints and we even have people request we make it for gatherings and birthday’s. We found that the longer it sits the better it is so we normally make the cake about a week prior to the event. Thank you for this recipe!
Hi Matthew, I’m so happy you’re still enjoying this cake. I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know, thanks!
Not a problem at all Melissa!
I forgot to mention but since we made the icing tonight and added it to the cake I thought I’d add my final thought. We find the icing just a bit too sweet so we cut back from 2 cups to 1.5 cups of icing sugar and it still turns out wonderfully.
Thank you for the link to the layer cake recipe. I would really like to use the recipe for the sheet cake, but make it as a layer cake, if that would work. Do you know of any reason that it wouldn’t work? Would I only use part of the cream filling since it would only be poured over two layers?
I haven’t tested this recipe as a layer cake. If you try it, let us know how it goes.
I’ve made this a couple of times, and everyone absolutely loves it. There are never any leftovers. I’m wondering if this could be made as a layer cake.
Thanks so much! Checkout my recipe for Coconut Layer Cake here.
I have not made this cake yet but I know it’s going to be delicious
Hi Melissa,
This looks like a wonderful recipe. How do you think this would come out if I used mini muffin tins instead of a sheet cake? I want to make small individual cupcakes.
Hi Kathy, it’s a great question but I haven’t tested it. My thought is it might work better in a regular size muffin pan and of course, would take less time to bake. If you try it, let us know how it goes!
Hi Melissa,
Thank you for your advice, I’ve bought all the ingredients and I am going to make these in a regular size muffin pan. Do you think it would be okay to bake them, poke holes and add filling and then freeze? I’d like to freeze for 2 weeks and then add the frosting the day before serving.
Hi Kathy, while I like your idea about individual servings, I haven’t tested that specifically and freezing them, too. My best guess is yes, I would thaw them in the fridge overnight and wait and frost them before serving. If you try it do let us know how it goes.
Hi Melissa,
I made this with a 17+ ounce gluten free yellow cake mix, so I did not add the additional flour. I baked them in regular size muffin tins. My gluten free guests all loved them. Thanks for a great recipe.
Hi Kathy, thank you for sharing your gluten free adaptation. I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe, thanks!
Omg we all loved this cake so much we argued over who got last of it LOL. I now make it 2 times a month an it goes so fast do u hav this in low calories lol I’ve gained few lbs eating it but I’d rather did fat an happy then not eat ur coconut cream cake. Only thing I do different is I toast last flaked coconut for top and I like to add food coloring depending on the gathering like Easter are Christmas and birthdays I do there favorite color. It has to be best cake I’ve ever had. I used to be a cake decorator/ baker at lg grocery store food chain so I’ve tried lots of cakes.
Hi Kim, from one cake baker to another, thank you! I love your idea about making this lower calorie. I haven’t specifically developed one that way but, you could use low fat dairy, light or sugar free whipped cream and fat free condensed milk to lower the fat content.
I am going to be making your from scratch buttermilk cake recipe for the coconut cake. I have a question regarding the coconut that is put in the cake batter. Do I put this in the cake batter if I am making the from scratch recipe? It says above if I am making the buttermilk cake recipe to follow the recipe from the step of poking holes so was not sure if I should add the coconut to the buttermilk cake recipe.
Thanks for your time.
Hi Mickey, yes add the coconut to the cake batter just as if you were making it with a cake mix.
Thank you so much Melissa. I appreciate your time in getting back to me. I am excited to make the coconut cake using your buttermilk cake recipe.
Thanks again.
It’s my pleasure, happy baking!
I’m asking this now and when I pour the coconut cream milk on top it kind of goes down the side instead is it going to get soggy??
Make sure you poke enough holes for it to go into. The cake is supposed to soak it up.
Melissa, I am making this for my boss’ husbands’s birthday (NO PRESSURE AT ALL FOR IT TO BE GOOD)! I also was not able to find the cream of coconut at my local store, so I got the coconut milk. How do I vary in the recipe? Also is this cake designed to stay in the pan?
Hi Nikie, coconut milk and cream of coconut aren’t interchangeable in this recipe. Did you look in the drink mixers section? It’s also found in the Asian foods section. The easy answer is yes, you can serve it straight from the pan.
Hello Melissa,
I have searched every grocery store including Walmart and I can not find the frozen coconut. I even emailed Birds Eye to see if it is anywhere in Colorado Springs.
Can I use anything else that would be as good. I thought maybe getting a fresh coconut but I have no clue how to grate it. I am so dissappointed I can not find it.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. I really wanted to make this for my company when they come the end of the month.
Hi Michele, you get an “A” for effort! I’m so sorry that’s not available where you live. Go ahead and use sweetened flaked coconut as grating fresh coconut is not for the faint of heart. It will still be delicious!
Hello Melissa,
I’m so sorry to keep bothering you but wanted to let you knowI found the FROZEN grated coconut at a Asian Market.
If I didn’t find it there I was going to check a Indian Market.
You may want to tell your readers that can’t find the frozen coconut to check these markets. I’m so happy I found it. I will let you know what my company thought of the cake.
Thanks for all your time,
Michele
Hi Michele, you are NO bother at all! I’m so happy you found it. Fresh coconut gives another dimension to this cake, it was worth the effort.
can I add a extra egg and use milk instead of water butter instead of oil in the cake to make it more dense?
I like a dense cake
Thanks
Yes, no problem at all. I often replace the water with buttermilk.
Hello,
I want to make this cake for company I have coming the end of next month. I can’t seem to find the frozen coconut. What can I use instead and will it affect the cake not using the frozen coconut?
Thanks for your time.
Michele
Hi Michele, frozen coconut is typically readily available with the other frozen fruits at most all supermarkets, including places like Walmart. I highly recommend finding it if possible. In a pinch, you could use additional sweetened flaked coconut in the same amount. Fresh coconut isn’t sweetened making it the best choice.
Thank you Melissa, since I have a month I will make sure I try all the stores around me to try to find it.
I love coconut and I can not wait to try this cake it sound delicious.
It’s my pleasure, I sure hope you can find it! If not, you can use flaked coconut.
My family and i love coconut but we love this cake even more! It is my all time favorite cake. Delicious! And so easy to make.
Thanks so much!
Cream of coconut (Like Coco Lopez that is used in Pina coladas) is NOT the same as coconut cream! The former is sweetened and almost the consistency of sweetened condensed milk; while the latter is not sweetened more thick and creamy. Which one do you use? I cannot imagine you use the sweet one as you also use sweetened condensed milk.
From the recipe: 1 15 oz can cream of coconut
This was very good, it wasn’t too sweet. It was a perfect combination. The cream cheese icing probably counters the “too sweet thought” maybe? It was a great recipe .
Thanks so much!
Made this for Easter last year and it was dubbed “crack cake,” so making it again this year. Thank you for this decadent recipe and our new Easter tradition!
Hi Katy, thank you so much. Happy Easter to you and your family!
Hi can you just use regular flour instead of self rising?
Not without adding leavening. You’d need to add 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/8 tsp salt, if you choose to use all purpose flour.