The BEST Coconut Pound Cake

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

4.68 from 50 votes

I don't use the word "best" very often, but this cake? It is truly the BEST Coconut Pound Cake I have ever tasted! 

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Servings: 12 servings

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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

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.

Nutrition

Calories: 542kcal · Carbohydrates: 77g · Protein: 5g · Fat: 24g · Saturated Fat: 16g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g · Monounsaturated Fat: 5g · Trans Fat: 1g · Cholesterol: 102mg · Sodium: 279mg · Potassium: 146mg · Fiber: 2g · Sugar: 58g · Vitamin A: 631IU · Vitamin C: 1mg · Calcium: 48mg · Iron: 2mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @barefeetkitchen or tag #barefeetkitchen!

{originally published 11/20/15 – recipe notes and photos updated 11/23/21}