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A close-up view of a square slice of Coconut Sheet Cake Easy topped with thick white frosting and toasted coconut flakes.

Easy Coconut Sheet Cake

This recipe makes a simple, moist coconut sheet cake with a creamy coconut frosting.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 12 people
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cake
  • 1 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, divided
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 3/4 cups cake flour Use all-purpose flour for a denser cake.
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon coconut extract
For the frosting
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons milk or coconut milk Use refrigerated carton milk or liquid from canned coconut milk.
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon coconut extract
  • 2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Equipment

  • 9 x 13-inch baking pan
  • Electric mixer

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour, or coat well with baking spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
  2. Toast coconut flakes until slightly golden.
  3. Stir 1/4 cup toasted coconut flakes into buttermilk; set aside.
  4. Whisk together cake flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  5. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the softened butter and sugar for 2 minutes on medium speed, scraping down the bowl at least once. Add eggs and beat for another 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl at least once. Beat in vanilla and coconut extract until smooth.
  6. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the buttermilk/coconut flake mixture into the butter/sugar mixture, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed; mix until just combined.
  7. Spread batter evenly into the prepared 9x13-inch baking pan. Bake until a wood toothpick or cake tester comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Allow the cake to cool.
  8. For the frosting: Beat all frosting ingredients until smooth. Add more milk/coconut milk or confectioners’ sugar as needed to achieve the desired consistency.
  9. Frost the cake and top with the remaining toasted coconut flakes.

Notes

If you use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour, the cake will not be as light and fluffy.

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