Sunshine Lemon Coconut Cake ☀️🍋🥥
A moist, tropical-lemon cake with creamy frosting and toasted coconut—perfect for spring or summer!
🍋 Lemon Coconut Cake *(8-10 servings)*
Prep: 20 mins | Bake: 30-35 mins | Cool: 1 hour
Ingredients
For the Cake:
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1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
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1 ½ tsp baking powder
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½ tsp salt
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½ cup coconut milk (canned, full-fat)
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¼ cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
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1 tbsp lemon zest
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½ cup unsalted butter, softened
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1 cup sugar
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2 large eggs, room temp
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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½ cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
For the Frosting:
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8 oz cream cheese, softened
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½ cup butter, softened
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3 cups powdered sugar
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1 tbsp lemon juice
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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Toasted coconut flakes (for garnish)
Instructions
1️⃣ Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 6-inch round pans (or one 9-inch pan).
2️⃣ Dry Mix: Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
3️⃣ Wet Mix: In another bowl, beat butter + sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla, lemon zest, and juice.
4️⃣ Combine: Alternate adding dry mix and coconut milk to wet mix. Fold in shredded coconut.
5️⃣ Bake: Pour into pans. Bake 30-35 mins until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
6️⃣ Frosting: Beat cream cheese + butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla. Frost cooled cake, then press toasted coconut on the sides.
🍰 Pro Tips
✅ Extra moist? Brush cake layers with lemon simple syrup (equal parts sugar + water, boiled with lemon zest).
✅ No coconut milk? Use whole milk + 1 tsp coconut extract.
✅ Gluten-free? Swap flour for 1:1 GF flour blend.
💡 Flavor Twists
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Tropical: Add 1/2 cup crushed pineapple (drained) to the batter.
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Lemon Curd Filling: Spread between layers for extra tang.
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Toasted Coconut: Bake unsweetened flakes at 325°F (160°C) for 5-7 mins until golden.
Serve with: Iced tea, fresh berries, or a scoop of coconut sorbet!
“This cake tastes like a vacation in every bite!” 🌴✨
Want it simpler? Bake as cupcakes (reduce time to 18-20 mins).