My family loves my mom’s amazing coconut cake recipe! It’s a staple in our house, especially during the holiday season. This cake recipe is super easy to make as it uses store bought ingredients and is perfect for beginner bakers. Note that it’s important to let this cake sit in the fridge for 2 days before slicing. The coconut flavor really enhances over time.

THE STORY BEHIND THIS FAMOUS COCONUT CAKE

This homemade classic coconut cake is a very well known recipe in my family. My mom has been making this coconut cake for the holidays since the early 2000’s. She was first forwarded this recipe from a patient whom she was caring for at the hospital. When I got really into baking and started taking it seriously in 2016, I felt that the torch has been passed on.

So, I’ve made this store bought, beginner friendly coconut cake recipe quite a few times over the years and it’s always a HUGE hit. Yep, even people who claim not to like coconut agree that this cake is delicious.

Guess what: I even submitted this coconut cake recipe to Pinterest’s Golden Recipe contest in 2022, and won the top award! So, I’m sharing this recipe with you here because I hope that you and your family will make it and love it too.

HOW TO MAKE MY MOM’S FAMOUS COCONUT CAKE

1. First, beat the cake mix, butter, water, and eggs for 4 minutes, until batter is smooth.
2. Meanwhile, grease two 8” or 9” cake pans, and divide the batter between the pans.
3. Then, bake at 350 F for 25 minutes.
4. Finally, cool cakes completely, then slice in half.
5. In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, sour cream and shredded coconut. 
6. Reserve 1 cup of mixture for frosting.
7. Stack cake layers, brushing each layer liberally with coconut milk and 1/3 of the filling mixture.
8. Combine the reserved cup of filling mixture with the Cool Whip. 
9. Spread on top and sides of cake.
10. Optional: Sprinkle with additional shredded coconut.
11. Seal in an airtight container and refrigerate for 2-3 days before serving.

FAMOUS COCONUT CAKE KEY INGREDIENTS

• Duncan Hines Golden Butter cake mix
• Butter
• Water
• Eggs
• Granulated sugar
• Sour cream
• Shredded coconut, unsweetened
• Coconut milk
• Cool Whip

HOW LONG DOES THIS COCONUT CAKE TAKE TO MAKE?

Not long. Prepping and baking this cake takes very little time – about 45 minutes.

However, the key to this delicious cake is assembling it and letting it sit in the fridge for about 2 days. Yes, that’s right. 2 days. More on that below, but trust me the wait is worth it!

Trust me, something magic happens when the flavors are allowed to sit and mingle together for 48 hours. I’m not scientist, though, so I’ll just call it magic.

So just believe me when I say, you’ll want to let it sit.

MY MOM’S FAMOUS COCONUT CAKE FAQ

1. Do I really have to refrigerate the cake for two days?

Well, no, you don’t HAVE to refrigerate this cake for 2-3 days before you eat it. Yes, this cake will taste delicious the second you finish making it, but something magical does happen when you let it sit in the fridge for a bit. I’m not a scientist, but the flavors just come together in a crazy way that you just have to taste to believe.

So, I strongly urge you to have patience! Just trust the process and refrigerate this coconut cake for a few days before diving in 🙂

2. Is there a gluten free or vegan version of this coconut cake?

I haven’t tried a gluten free or vegan version of this recipe yet, but if I were, this is how I’d do it:

Gluten free: Use a gluten free baking mix, like this one from Whole Foods. Continue with the rest of the recipe as directed.

Vegan: Try a vegan baking mix, like this one from Miss Jones. Use a non-dairy sour cream and non-dairy whipped topping alternative to keep this coconut cake recipe vegan.

3. How do I store this coconut cake?

Store this coconut cake in the fridge. I recommend covering the cake with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out. Or, you could slice it up and store the slices in airtight containers.

Once cut and stored in the fridge, this cake will stay fresh and delicious for about 3-5 days.

4. Is there a way to make this cake ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the cake layers a day ahead of time. Just wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature overnight.

You can also mix together the frosting ingredients and store them in the fridge one day before you assemble the cake. Cover with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out in the fridge. Take the prepared frosting out of the fridge and place on the counter to wam a bit before you frost the cake (this will make the frosting easier to spread).

‍. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

If you love this recipe be sure to leave a review! And feel free to reach out to me with any questions or comments via my Contact page. You’ll hear back from me soon!

Find even more of my homemade recipes on Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and YouTube.

‍. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .