Our dear friend, Thea Greer, is taking her daughter and several family members on a mission trip to Zambia, Africa this summer in order to build a preschool. She and her family are hosting a barbecue dinner at our church for a fundraising event to underwrite the trip. We’re blessed to support this worthwhile mission. Plus, we’re certainly looking forward to some sho’ ‘nuf good barbecue from her pit boss husband, Danny. I offered to help out by furnishing a dessert. So, I made an easy Coconut Sheet Cake. It’s close to Easter so coconut desserts appeal to me. Who am I kidding? Coconut desserts appeal to me all year long but I think about them more at Easter-time. I made a sheet cake instead of a layer cake for ease of serving.
May God’s blessings and grace travel with Thea and her family this summer on their mission journey. May the children of Zambia benefit from the efforts of Thea and her family. May the Possibilities Preschool serve as a beacon of hope and love to the village.
Y’all come see us!
Coconut Sheet Cake
preheat oven to 375 degrees
yield: a 9×11 sheet cake
Use two tips to make coconut cake easier: start with a cake mix and make a sheet cake instead of a layer cake. The dense, moist texture of this cake will remind you of pound cake. Coconut milk goes in the batter and coconut flakes are sprinkled on top of cream cheese icing.
3 eggs
1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk
8 ounces sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 (18.25 0unce) classic white cake mix
Beat eggs until light and frothy.
Add coconut milk, sour cream and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
Gradually add in cake mix and beat for two minutes.
Pour into a greased and floured 9×11 sheet pan.
Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool on a cooling rack. After cake is completely cooled, spread Coconut Cream Cheese Icing over top. Store in refrigerator
Coconut Cream Cheese Icing
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3 tablespoons buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
16 ounces powdered sugar
7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
With an electric mixer, cream together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Slowly beat in buttermilk. Add vanilla and mix in well.
Gradually add powdered sugar until smooth. If necessary, add a little more buttermilk until icing is smooth and spreadable.
Sprinkle coconut on top.
Store in refrigerator.
Coconut Sheet Cake
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 1 13.5 ounce can coconut milk
- 8 ounces sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 18.25 0unce classic white cake mix
- Coconut Cream Cheese Icing
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 tablespoons buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 16 ounces powdered sugar
- 7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
Instructions
- Beat eggs until light and frothy.
- Add coconut milk, sour cream and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
- Gradually add in cake mix and beat for two minutes.
- Cake:
- Pour into a greased and floured 9x11 sheet pan.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let cool on a cooling rack. After cake is completely cooled, spread Coconut Cream Cheese Icing over top. Store in refrigerator.
- Icing:
- With an electric mixer, cream together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Slowly beat in buttermilk. Add vanilla and mix in well.
- Gradually add powdered sugar until smooth. If necessary, add a little more buttermilk until icing is smooth an spreadable.
- Sprinkle coconut on top.
- Store in refrigerator.
Mary says
Love this cake…..perfect for a fundraiser. May the Lord bless this trip according to his greatness. Thoughts and prayers for this family. Thanks for sharing.
Jackie Garvin says
Thank you, Mary. Amen.
Frances Carlisle says
I have used both frozen coconut and the dry kind in the bag. Neither makes it taste like coconut cake. How do I make this taste like coconut? Do you get a real coconut ?
Jackie Garvin says
Frances,
Everyone’s taste is unique. I used bagged coconut and loved the flavor of this cake. Are you looking for more coconut flavor in the cake itself and not the icing?
Carole says
Try toasting the bagged coconut. It brings out the flavor
Jean says
You had me at cream cheese icing! Godspeed to your friends. A very worthwhile cause. A bit scary and yet exciting at the same time.
Jackie Garvin says
Thank you, Jean. I will send along your best wishes.
Shari says
I had some of that cake the night of the event……but didnt know it originated in your kitchen. It was the BEST!!!!
Jackie Garvin says
Shari,
So glad you enjoyed the coconut cake!
pumpkin061 says
What a delicious loking cake! Perfect to bring to someones house at Easter don’t you think? (Jill Van Vlack)
Jackie Garvin says
Jill,
It’s gotten rave reviews and it’s easy to make. For coconut lovers, it’s a sure bet. Happy Easter v
nancy mccullough says
Why can’t we PIN this recipe?
Jackie Garvin says
Hi Nancy. I’m not sure why you’re having problems. I just pinned it using the share buttons on the left. Try pinning directly from this pin: http://pin.it/CqC-208
Cassie says
I love southern cooking, thanks for sharing your recipe for the coconut cake. Please send more recipes ,all kind.
Jackie Garvin says
Thank you, Cassie! Have you signed up for our newsletter? We send it out once or twice a week with the latest recipes plus popular recipes from the archives. To sign up, go to the look at the top of the page and you’ll see the block to enter your email address.
Heather Johnson says
I only have 16.5 oz cake mix at my grocery store. Will all the other ingredients work as written, or do I need to change anything?
Jackie Garvin says
Heather,
I think it will work just fine. You’ll need to increase your cook time, most probably, because the ratio of wet to dry ingredients will differ from the original recipe. Test for doneness with a toothpick or straw but expect it to take a few minutes longer.
Joan Foust says
My cake csme out perfect and then fell to only an inch and a half high.
Carol says
I just have a question…… I have made this recipe twice…step by step. Both times this cake falls when it’s done. What’s up with that? Has anyone else had this happen? That is why I made it twice…..and I haven’t started baking yesterday! lol You know what I mean?
Jackie Garvin says
Carol,
The cake has a dense texture, more like pound cake. Maybe you expected a lighter cake?
Elizabeth says
Very Good!! Thank You for Sharing.