Christmas Coconut Cake

by Sofi | Broma Bakery

This fluffy and moist Christmas Coconut Cake is everything a coconut cake should be. Packed with coconut flavor, this elegant Christmas dessert will wow everyone!

Christmas Coconut Cake

Gooooood morning, Baltimore. Everyday’s like an open doooooor…this is pretty much where my head goes to every single time I say good morning to you guys. Hairspray just immediately starts playing in my mind. I just thought I’d let you in on that fun fact, before we get to this Christmas Coconut Cake that I’m currently eating for breakfast.

hehehe.

Every good holiday dessert table needs a show stopping centerpiece to really knock everyone’s socks off. And this festive coconut cake topped with mini rosemary Christmas trees and a snowy dusting of powdered sugar is pretty much textbook Christmas cheer.

Plus, it looks pretty chic and fun for taking literally two seconds to decorate.

Tips for Making Christmas Coconut Cake

This coconut layer cake has the dreamiest texture.  Like if I  could make a home out of this coconut cake, I would live in it happily for the rest of my days. And you can enjoy this buttery, coconut-ty goodness too:

1. Prep your cakes in advance: This cake has a really tender crumb, so we like to make it a day (or up to a month!) in advance and freeze it to make assembly easier.
2. Beat the egg whites first: I always hate making cakes with separated eggs. You know the kind where you fold in beaten egg whites. Why? Because I personally do not have two stand mixers, and you can’t beat eggs whites in a dirty mixer. You can however beat the butter and sugar and all that other stuff in a dirty mixer. So do the egg whites first, transfer them to a different bowl and then do the rest of the recipe! YOU. ARE. WELCOME.
3. Don’t be a perfectionist: When it comes to decorating coconut cakes, don’t sweat the small stuff. You’ll coat the entire cake in coconut flakes, so no need to fret over any imperfect frosting!

So bookmark this Christmas Coconut Cake for all your upcoming holiday parties or just as a fun Sunday project.

Who needs an excuse to eat coconut cake anyways?

Christmas Coconut Cake

• Author Sofi | Broma Bakery
• Prep Time 1 hour
• Cook Time 30 minutes
• Total Time 1 hours and 30 minutes
• Yield 12 servings
• Category dessert
• Method baked
• Cuisine holiday

Christmas Coconut Cake

This christmas coconut cake is the festive yet chic centerpiece your holiday dessert table is craving. Or just whip up this buttery cake for any occasion 🙂

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 5 reviews

• Author Sofi | Broma Bakery
• Prep Time 1 hour
• Cook Time 30 minutes
• Total Time 1 hours and 30 minutes
• Yield 12 servings
• Category dessert
• Method baked
• Cuisine holiday

• Author Sofi | Broma Bakery
• Prep Time 1 hour
• Cook Time 30 minutes
• Total Time 1 hours and 30 minutes
• Yield 12 servings
• Category dessert
• Method baked
• Cuisine holiday

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Ingredients

Units USM

for the coconut cake

• 4 large eggs, separated
• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sweetened cream of coconut (see note!)*
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract, optional
• 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk

for the coconut cream cheese frosting

• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 pounds powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup sweetened cream of coconut
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups shredded coconut, unsweetened
• 4 large sprigs of rosemary, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch cake pans or three 6-inch cake pans and set aside.
2. In a stand mixer beat the egg whites with the whisk attachment until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes, but check periodically. You don’t want the egg whites to dry out, so make sure not to over beat them. Transfer the egg whites to a bowl and set aside so that you can use the mixer for the rest of the batter!
3. Beat the softened butter and sugar in stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the coconut cream, egg yolks, coconut extract and vanilla extract and beat for another 2 minutes.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl to blend. On low speed, alternate beating in the dry ingredients and buttermilk into the butter mixture until just blended.  Carefully fold the beaten egg whites into batter.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool.
6. While the cakes are cooling, make the frosting. Beat the butter and cream cheese together with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the coconut cream, vanilla, salt, and powdered sugar, beating until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
7. When you are ready to assemble the cake, place one layer on a cake stand. Spread a thick layer of frosting over the top of the first layer. Top with the second layer (and third, if doing a 3 tier cake), and spread the rest of the frosting over the top and sides. It’s okay if it’s messy–you’re going to cover it with coconut. Sprinkle coconut all over the cake, pressing it into the sides gently to get it to stick.
8. If decorating, top the cake with a few large sprigs of rosemary to form a little “forest.” Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar for a snowy finish. Enjoy!

Notes

*Sweetened coconut cream can be hard to find sometimes. We love this one from Goya!

• Author Sofi | Broma Bakery
• Prep Time 1 hour
• Cook Time 30 minutes
• Total Time 1 hours and 30 minutes
• Yield 12 servings
• Category dessert
• Method baked
• Cuisine holiday