Coconut Cake with Tub Frosting

Serves 12 in about 1 hour. An oven recipe built around eggs.

Ingredients

• 1 15.25-ounce white cake mix
• 1 14-ounce can unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1 ½ cups shredded coconut flakes, sweetened
• 1 12-ounce tub white frosting (or use homemade)
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1 ¼ cups shredded coconut flakes, sweetened

Method

1. Warm oven to 350°F. Grease 2 9-inch round cake pans. (For a 9×13-inch baking dish, grease as usual. For a 10-12 cup Bundt pan, grease more heavily.).
2. To a large mixing bowl, add the cake mix and the can of coconut milk. Use a hand mixer and mix on low speed until just combined to avoid splashing, then increase to medium speed.
3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat about 2 minutes.
4. Mix in the coconut extract and the coconut flakes.
5. Tip in the cake batter into the prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes. (9×13-inch dish: 30-35 minutes. Bundt pan: 45-55 minutes).
6. Check for doneness with a toothpick or skewer (it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs).
7. Leave it to the cake cool in the pans 10-15 minutes. Then run a thin knife around the edges and turn onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely (9×13: leave in the pan to cool.
8. You can use your own homemade white frosting, or buy a 12-ounce tub of it at the store.
9. If using a tub of frosting from the store, transfer it to a medium bowl, add the coconut extract, and beat it using a hand mixer to fluff it up.
10. When the cakes have cooled completely, place one cake layer on a serving plate, spread frosting evenly over the top, add a generous layer of coconut flakes, then stack the second cake layer on top.
11. Frost the layered cake on the top and all sides.
12. Use your hand to press handfuls of shredded coconut onto the sides, then on top of the cake. It should use about a cup of coconut, but you can use however much you like (If frosting a 9”x13”, you will just frost and add coconut to the top).
13. Slice and serve with ice cream, or with a nice cup of tea or coffee!

More dessert ideas are in the dessert collection.