I don’t use the word “best” very often, but this cake? It is truly the BEST Coconut Pound Cake I have ever tasted!
Oh my heavens. This cake. It is EVERYTHING I want in a coconut cake.
Coconut Pound Cake
Dense enough to not fall apart when you slice it, tender and fluffy enough for the perfect crumb, sweet but not overly sweet, with just the right amount of coconut flavor in every bite.
I could quite possibly talk your ears off about how much I LOVE this Coconut Pound Cake.
The crumb is spectacular, the crust has the perfect crunch, this beauty of a cake is drizzled with a sweet coconut icing, and topped with an extra sprinkling of coconut.
Coconut Pound Cake Ingredients
- butter
- sugar
- eggs
- coconut extract
- vanilla extract
- milk
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- kosher salt
- shredded sweetened coconut
This cake has pretty much destroyed my self-control. I sliced it after dinner a few nights ago and then I could not stop slicing slivers to taste for the rest of the night.
This is going to be in my dessert line-up for both Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. I am absolutely thrilled with this cake – can you tell?
Kitchen Tip: I use this (perfect every time!) bundt pan and this mixer to make this recipe.
I’m not typically an advocate for buying a slew of specialty ingredients, but the coconut extract is key to the lovely flavor in this cake.
And while I would not normally use an “imitation” vanilla extract, to my knowledge imitation coconut extract is the only available option and it works beautifully.
Favorite Coconut Desserts
If you have coconut lovers in your life, you’re going to want to save all of these recipes for future baking days.
Chewy coconut filling layered onto a buttery shortbread crust; Grandma’s Coconut Chews are so simple to make I have been making them since I was a child.
Is it a scone? Is it a cookie? Coconut Scone Cookies are the best of both worlds. This is a coconut cookie that comes together in an easy scone recipe. That makes this a bite-size scone “cookie” that no coconut lover will be able to resist.
Plenty of pecans fill these buttery brown sugar Coconut Blondies creating a hand-held dessert that makes a terrific snack or a company dessert when served warm and topped with cold ice cream.
Chewy Coconut Lover’s Oatmeal Cookies are the ultimate cookie for any coconut lover. These cookies are so chewy, so irresistible, I actually burned my mouth eating not one, but two cookies while they were still piping hot from the oven.
A crisp shortbread crust is topped with a chewy gooey layer of pineapple and coconut to make these Pineapple Coconut Bars.
The BEST Coconut Pound Cake
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons coconut extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
Glaze Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 2/3 cup shredded sweetened coconut, for topping toasted if desired
Instructions
Cake Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven. Thoroughly grease and lightly flour an 8 or 10-cup bundt pan. Beat the butter and sugars together, on medium speed, until fluffy crumbs form.
- Add the eggs, vanilla, and coconut extract, beat again until smooth. Add the milk, beat on low speed to combine. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat again, just until combined. Stir in the coconut.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 60-65 minutes, until golden on top and light brown on the edges. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, place the cooling rack on top of the cake, hold the sides firmly and invert the pan over the rack. The cake should drop smoothly out of the pan. Tap firmly on the pan with a wooden spoon, if necessary to free the cake from the pan. Let the cake cool completely before glazing.
Glaze Instructions
- To make the glaze, melt the butter in a small glass bowl. Add the powdered sugar, milk, and coconut extract. Whisk together until smooth. The glaze should pour off the spoon in a white stream. Add a teaspoon more milk to thin it, or 1-2 tablespoons more powdered sugar to thicken it, if necessary.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cake. Sprinkle generously with coconut. Store at room temperature, loosely covered, preferably not airtight. This cake will keep nicely and stay very moist for 3-4 days. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
{originally published 11/20/15 – recipe notes and photos updated 11/23/21}
Sharon Vance says
Thanks so much! Can’t wait to try this.
Mary Younkin says
I hope you love it as much as we do, Sharon!
Paulette Baggett says
Please tell me how to convert this Coconut Pound Cake recipe to Gluten-Free Coconut Pound Cake. I am desperate to make this cake!!!!! Many thanks
Mary Younkin says
Unfortunately, I don’t have those measurements, Paulette. I’ve tested it a few different times and haven’t come up with a version that I truly love. As soon as I have it perfect though, I will add them.
J. Price says
I followed this recipe exactly. About 40 minutes into baking, I smelled something burning. The cake was running out of the pan onto my oven rack and bottom of oven. Of course I removed the cake and racks. I transferred the cake to my bottom oven at the same temperature. FINAL RESULT; 1/2 of the cake was gone and the other half seems to be undercooked . The crust from the overflow tasted ok, but I don’t understand why the cake overflowed in the pan. I’ve cooked dozens and dozens of pound cakes in this oven fir many years and have never had a situation like this.
Mary Younkin says
I’ve never had or heard of a cake overflowing like that. I can only guess what happened. My initial thought is that the pan was smaller, but honestly, that sounds like a LOT of overflow for any cake recipe. How full was the pan when you placed it in the oven? I try never to fill more than half or 2/3 of a pan, but it sounds like you’ve been baking for years and wouldn’t have tried to bake it with too much batter in the pan.
Tanja says
Loved this when I followed the recipe and now trying a keto diet. Wondering if you would know how to change things if I used coconut flour rather than all-purpose.
Mary Younkin says
Tanja, I am not super familiar with all the requirements for keto and I would hate to steer you wrong! I would recommend google to help you find the best substitutions for keto as and you probably know you will have to just play with the recipe and tweak it from there to get it right for you. Good luck!
Paulette Baggett says
Hi Mary, I am still waiting for an update on a gluten-free Coconut Pound Cake. Can’t wait to hear from you!
Mary Younkin says
Hi Paulette! Sorry for the delay. We actually have a GF version of this recipe here already. (I completely missed it last time you commented. Glad you checked back.) https://barefeetinthekitchen.com/coconut-pound-cake-recipe
To use that conversion here, you’ll just swap 1½ cups brown rice flour, ⅔ cup tapioca starch, ⅓ cup potato starch, and 1½ teaspoons xanthan gum for the all-purpose flour listed in the recipe card. I hope that helps!
Beverly Conway says
I never leave comments on recipes, but I made this cake last week following your recipe to repeated rave reviews. Truly, it’s one of the most moist and delicious cakes that I’ve ever made. Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe.💖
Mary Younkin says
I am honored you chose this one to comment on, Beverly. And delighted you loved the cake!
Karen Williams says
I’m getting ready to try this recipe. Coconut pound cake.
Mary Younkin says
Can’t wait to hear how you like it, Karen.
Shanteese says
My father-in-law has been asking for coconut pound cake for days now and I was so excited to try this recipe for him. It is super easy and I basically had all the ingredients already so this was a no brainer. I wish I could post a picture. When I say the cake came out perfect it is PERFECT! I can’t wait to give it to him tomorrow. I know for sure he is going to love it. Plus, my home smells divine. Thank you so much for this recipe 😘
Mary Younkin says
That makes me so happy to hear Shanteese. He is going to love it!
Courtney Cook says
Mary — can you use GF Flour in this?
Thanks!
Mary Younkin says
Courtney, I have not tried it, but a good 1:1 flour should work fine.
Kathy says
I followed every instruction very carefully but my cake sank while in the oven the last five minutes. It had risen when I checked it 10 minutes before (45 minutes into baking). I am at a high altitude. Could that be a problem? Very disappointed.
Mary Younkin says
Hi, Kathy! I’m not sure what might have gone wrong. The high altitude may have had something to do with it. Sorry this cake didn’t turn out well for you.
Tonya Thomas says
Delicious! Followed the recipe with no alterations. I will definitely will be saving this a go to.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad you loved the cake, Tonya!