Coconut Cake with Sour Cream Filling
This is the most moist coconut cake you will ever put in your mouth. It needs to sit in the refrigerator for a couple of days before you cut it. I’m making it on Good Friday and it will be perfect for Easter Dinner. This cake has a filling only and no icing.
I used to make this cake for my father-in-law and he would hide it in the refrigerator so one but he could find it. He loved to take it in his lunch.
For cake:
You need three layers of a yellow cake. I don’t have any problems using a boxed cake mix and I made a Betty Crocker Super Moist Butter Yellow for this recipe. Substitute buttermilk for the liquid to give the cake mix a homemade flavor. I wouldn’t suggest Angel Food Cakes or any white cake. You need a more dense cake because this filling makes a good bit of syrup that will soak into the cake. White cakes or Angel Food would get too soggy. I prefer frozen coconut to bagged or can because it tastes fresher. If you can’t find frozen coconut, or if prefer bagged or canned, you might want to adjust the sugar. The frozen coconut I use is unsweetened.
For filling:
3 (6 oz.) packages frozen grated coconut
2 cups granulated sugar
8 ounce container sour cream
See the syrup dripping down over the edges of the cake? That makes it super-duper moist.
Mix up the filling before baking the cake to give the filling a chance to macerate and start making the syrup. Combine all ingredients and stir well. Break up all the chunks of coconut.
Cool the layers of cake completely.
Put one-third of the filling on each layer.
Some of the syrup will puddle in the cake dish. I spoon it back on the top of the cake. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap securely and store in the refrigerator until ready for use.
Terri says
I have made this cake for year – and it always surprises my friends when I tell them how I made it. I’m not one for cool whip, but if you take the left over filling and mix with a container of cool whip and use it for icing then top with coconut you will take this cake right over the top!
Jackie Garvin says
Terri,
I’ve even had folks love this cake who tell me they don’t ordinarily like coconut cake. Thanks for reading and commenting!
Michele says
Thanks so much Jackie! I’m really looking forward to this. I know I’ve missed a lot of your posts lately, and that’s no fun!!! Finally decided to start at the most recent and concentrate on moving foward since the playing-catch-up thing doesn’t seem to be working out so well. (((hugs)))
Jackie Garvin says
Michele,
Glad to have you back. You’ve been greatly missed.
Debbie Henrichs says
Hey Jackie, I have been off the computer alott due to sinus and allergies, but i am back!! Love the Coconut Cake, looks great. I have a Coconut poke cake in the freezer, guess now that hubby is working again i will take alot of things out and have a good dinner and great desserts.
Love all the recipes, makes me soooo hungry. Now where is that cold chicken and the Comback sauce in this refrig! lol
Jackie Garvin says
Debbie,
I’ve been missing you! So glad you’re back! 🙂
Christy says
Can this be frozen? Or far in advance from a Saturday party would you do it and keep in frig? Thanks!!
Jackie Garvin says
Christy,
It needs to stay in the refrigerator for at least three days before eating. It would keep about two weeks mine frig……if it lasts that long. 🙂
Mandy @ South Your Mouth says
My grandmother made a cake like this! I’d forgotten all about it until now. Can’t wait to make this!! I LOVED IT!!! Thanks, Jackie!!
Jackie Garvin says
You’re most welcome, Mandy! I plan on making this for Christmas this year. I seriously need to redo the whole post. Sometimes, it’s encouraging to look back at old articles just to see the progress you’ve made! 😉
sandra pinckert says
I just tried to print the coconut cake receicpe and the whole page was blacked out and the top was printed “I WAS PUBLISHED IN A GOOSEBERRY PATCH COOKBOOK…ink is very expensive and i’m mad as hell that a lot my black ink was used up for nothing…
Jackie Garvin says
Sandra,
The “Print Friendly” feature is working. I just tried it and several others have used it today on this post. Were you trying it print using Print Friendly?
Nancy Johnson says
WOW… some people are just rude.This cake looks awesome,gonna have to try it 🙂
Jackie Garvin says
Thanks, Nancy. 😉
Ann says
How do u make the syrup???
Jackie Garvin says
Ann,
That’s the best part. It makes it own! The sugar in the sour cream, coconut and sugar mixture will liquefy.
Jamie White Wyatt says
When I made this, I always split the layers, and put the filling on the cut part of the layers!
Jackie Garvin says
Jamie,
I split the layers sometimes, too. Love those thin layers. 🙂
Martha says
I can not print the coconut cake.
Jackie Garvin says
Martha,
Are you using the Print Friendly feature? Look for a big green Print Friendly button at the bottom of the post.
Darlene says
I bought frozen cocoanut at an Asian market and the package says to cook before using. What is the reason for cooking. Do I really need to cook? I have never used it before
Jackie Garvin says
Darlene,
I have never seen coconut that says you should cook before consuming. I can’t imagine why on earth it would have those directions. You can eat coconut raw. The only thing I can imagine is that it’s a food safety issue.