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Ina Garten Coconut Cake

Ina Garten’s Coconut Cake Recipe

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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 618
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 1 cup full-fat sour cream
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract
  • 5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 3 to 4 cups flaked coconut, sweetened

Method
 

  1. Heat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
  2. Beat butter and sugar 3 minutes until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then extracts. Alternate adding dry ingredients with sour cream and milk, starting and ending with dry. Fold in shredded coconut.
  3. Divide batter between pans and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick has moist crumbs. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
  4. Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth, then beat in extracts. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar and beat until thick and spreadable.
  5. Place one layer on a plate, spread with a cup of frosting, and top with second layer. Apply a thin crumb coat, chill 20 minutes, then frost top and sides completely.
  6. While frosting is tacky, press flaked coconut onto sides and top until fully covered.

Notes

The total time includes a 20-minute chill for the crumb coat, so plan accordingly. If the cake layers dome too much, trim them flat with a serrated knife before assembling.