Coconut Pound Cake is like a tropical daydream in dessert form—moist, buttery, and kissed with a hint of almond. Topped with a sweet coconut drizzle and a sprinkle of toasted coconut confetti, it’s the kind of cake that turns any day into a celebration!
A delightful fusion of rich, creamy ingredients that come together to create the perfect cake. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or simply satisfying your pound cake cravings, this recipe is sure to impress.
Making a Pound Cake is pretty simple, but I have a few tips that will help you get a perfect pound cake every time, whether this is your first time or thousanth!
Coconut Pound Cake can be served any time of year, and you can customize it with add-ins or different toppings to make it your own.
This recipe will make two loaf cakes or one bundt cake, you decide!
For more good pound cake recipes, try my Chocolate Chip Pound Cake, Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake, Strawberry Shortcake Pound Cake, or this Key Lime Pound Cake recipe.
Ingredients Needed for Coconut Cream Cheese Pound Cake
This moist cake is so easy to make and uses simple ingredients you may already have in your pantry. See the recipe card below for quantities.
- Butter. Use salted butter to add moisture and enhance the flavors of the cake and the coconut glaze.
- Cream Cheese. Use full-fat, high-quality Cream Cheese for the best flavor and texture.
- Sugar. I have loved using Dixie Crystal White Granulated Sugar in this cake, but you can use your favorite brand of sugar.
- Eggs. The binding agent for this delicious cake.
- Flour. All Purpose Flour for this recipe works best.
- Salt. A little salt goes a long way toward enhancing the flavors of the cake.
- Coconut Extract. To add bonus flavors of Coconut to the cake and the glaze.
- Almond Extract. Adds a delicious flavor and balance to the coconut flavor.
- Sweetened Shredded Coconut. Adds the perfect amount of coconut flavor (along with the extract). Give it a quick chop to get smaller pieces before adding it to the batter.
- Powdered Sugar. Use confectioner's sugar for the simple glaze on top of the cake.
- Milk. Any kind of milk, even dairy-free milk, will work well here to thin the glaze on top to get it to the right consistency.
Equipment Needed
- Stand Mixer OR Hand Mixer. An electric mixer will make creaming ingredients together a lot easier. It's no secret how much I love my Bosch Mixer, so needless to say, it's my preference when it comes to mixing, but you can make this recipe with a good hand mixer and a large mixing bowl.
- Mixing Bowl. I use this Large Mixing Bowl for mixing ingredients and the small and medium mixing bowls for other ingredients.
- Loaf Pans or a Bundt Pan. Depending on your occasion, you may prefer one bundt pan to two loaf pans. Loaf cakes can be easier to store due to their smaller, cuboid shape, but special occasions may call for a moist coconut bundt cake!
- Measurers. Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons are great for measuring ingredients, but if you want exact accuracy, use an electric Kitchen Scale.
- Silicone Spatula. For scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure all ingredients are being used. I'd always recommend having one on hand.
How to Make Coconut Pound Cake
Firstly, gather your ingredients, making sure the Cream Cheese, Eggs, and Butter are all at room temperature before you start. Preheat the oven to 325 Degrees F and prepare your baking pans.
Take the extra time to 'butter and flour' your pans before baking, you'll appreciate the effort at the end. It's the best way I've found to prevent your goodies from getting stuck in the pan after baking!
- Use a paper towel or napkin to spread Butter on the pan and into the edges coating all inside surfaces.
- Then add 2-3 tablespoons of Flour and shake the flour around the pan, coating the butter. Once it's coated with flour you can discard the extra flour and the pan is ready for baking.
- Place the Butter and Cream Cheese into the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl, and beat together until light and fluffy. This should take about 2 minutes. Slowly add the Sugar and allow the mixture to mix for another 2-3 minutes.
- Alternate between adding Eggs and Flour until fully combined.
- Add Coconut Extract, Almond Extract, and Salt, then mix to combine. Add the chopped Coconut and mix just until combined. No need to overmix.
- Pour batter evenly between each loaf pan. Bake in your preheated oven for 75-80 minutes or until a toothpick pushed into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the Pound Cake to cool for 5 minutes before removing it from the pan. Do not let sit too long or it can be difficult to remove from pans cleanly.
- In a separate bowl, mix softened Butter with Powdered Sugar. Use a pastry cutter or fork to combine them. Add Coconut Extract and enough milk to make a glaze consistency. Once the cake has cooled completely, drizzle the glaze on top of the cake and garnish with toasted coconut.
- Let the glaze set slightly, then slice and serve.
FAQs
Using Cream Cheese, Sour Cream, or Buttermilk gives more moisture and flavor to cakes. Sour Cream and Cream Cheese will ensure you get a delicious cake with moist crumbs every time.
Pound cake will be dry if too much flour is used, even if you have used moistening ingredients like cream cheese, sour cream, or buttermilk. Be sure to measure your ingredients properly or weigh them on an electric kitchen scale for the best results.
How To Serve Coconut Pound Cake
Rather than a simple Powdered Sugar Glaze, you could try one of these alternative topping and serving ideas instead.
Coconut Lime Drizzle
Mix 1½ cups Powdered Sugar with 2 tbs of softened Butter. Cut the Butter into the Powdered Sugar. Add ½ teaspoon Coconut Extract and fresh Lime Juice from 1 lime (1-2 tbs) and stir. Add more Milk as needed to reach the desired consistency. Drizzle over cooled cake and sprinkle with coconut or toasted coconut
Whipping Cream Garnish
In a mixing bowl whip 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream with 2-3 tablespoons Powdered Sugar and ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract until stiff peaks form. Add a dollop of whipped cream to each slice as you serve it.
Almond Buttercream Frosting
My homemade Almond Buttercream Frosting is a great way to elevate your Coconut Loaves or to add decadence to a Coconut Bundt Cake for a special occasion.
Powdered Sugar Dusting
Dust your cooled cake with powdered sugar and serve. It’s simple but this cake does not need much.
Toasted Coconut
Place ½ cup of Sweetened Coconut on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and toast it under the broiler for 1-2 minutes until the flakes are golden brown. Allow the coconut to cool, then sprinkle it on top of the cake with Coconut Drizzle or frosting to hold it in place. I like to use the 2nd notch down in the oven. The coconut will burn easily if not watched, so keep an eye on it.
Fresh Berries
Wash and slice fresh berries and add to the cake with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream. It's not only delicious but looks spectacular too!
Storage & Freezing
Storage: Store your Coconut Pound Cake at room temperature, covered with a cake tin. You can also store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container however, the texture tends to become denser when you do this. A Pound Cake will stay fresh for 4-5 days when properly stored.
Freezing: Place your cooled pound cake in an airtight container, or double wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow the cake to thaw by placing on the counter for an hour or two until ready to serve.
Substitutions & Variations
- Use different toppings. Top your pound cake with various toppings, depending on your preference. See below for more details!
- Unsweetened Shredded Coconut. Use unsweetened shredded coconut if you prefer a less sweet cake overall.
- Coconut Oil. You can substitute butter for coconut oil if you prefer, but it may change the texture and flavor of the cake slightly.
- Try some add-ins. Add some chopped macadamia nuts or almonds for a delightful crunch. For a decadent twist, fold in Chocolate Chips into the batter. Lemon Zest for a citrusy touch to complement the coconut.
Pro Tips
To find out what the secret is to make a good pound cake, read on:
- Ingredients are best when they are at room temperature. Pull out Butter, Cream Cheese, and Eggs and place on the counter. An hour is a good amount of time to allow them to come to room temperature. Butter should be soft but not a melted mush.
- Measure ingredients properly. Believe it or not, those 1 cup measuring cups you have are typically slightly bigger than a cup, and using more of an ingredient than needed will yield different results. Take the time to weigh your ingredients for the best results. If you do not have a kitchen scale, then make sure to lift the flour and place a spoonful at a time into the measuring cup to measure it out, being careful to not pack it down.
- Do not overbake. Be sure not to overbake your cake, or it will dry out and become dense. Bake it at 325 Degrees F for 75-80 Minutes. Check the cake about 10 minutes before the end of the baking time, as every oven cooks a little differently.
- Cool cake in pan. It's best to let a freshly baked cake cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make it a day ahead. This delicious pound cake is always best the day after baking it, as all the flavors meld together.
| Ingredient | Volume | Weight | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Purpose Flour | 1 Cup | 120g | 4.5 oz |
| Granulated White Sugar | 1 Cup | 198g | 7 oz |
| Brown Sugar | 1 Cup Packed | 213g | 7.5 oz |
| Powdered Sugar | 1 Cup | 113g | 4 oz |
| Baking Powder | 1 teaspoon | 6g | .25 oz |
| Baking Soda | 1 teaspoon | 6g | .25 oz |
| Salt | 1 teaspoon | 6g | .25 oz |
| Butter | 1 Cup (2 Sticks) | 227g | 8 oz |
Have you tried this Coconut Pound Cake recipe?
Please leave a comment below if you have tried making this recipe. I love to hear from you and enjoy reading about what you think. Be sure to tag @devourdinner when posting to social media. I can't wait to see your photos!
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Coconut Pound Cake
Ingredients
Coconut Pound Cake
- 1¼ cups Salted Butter - Softened
- 8 Ounces Cream Cheese - Softened
- 3 cups White Granulated Sugar
- 6 Eggs - Room Temperature
- 2⅔ cups All Purpose Flour
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Coconut Extract
- 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
- 1 cup Coconut - Shredded and Sweetened
Coconut Glaze Drizzle
- 1½ cups Powdered Sugar
- 2 tablespoon Salted Butter - Softened
- 1 tablespoon Coconut Extract
- 1-2 tablespoons Milk - *as needed
Instructions
- Allow the Butter, Cream Cheese and Eggs to sit out for an hour to reach room temperature before you begin mixing ingredients for the best results.
- Preheat Oven to 325 degrees F.
- Grease and lightly flour 2 loaf pans, then set them aside.
- In a large bowl or Stand Mixing Bowl add Butter and Cream Cheese into a bowl and beat together until light and fluffy. About 2 minutes. Slowly add sugar and allow the mixture to mix for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add Coconut Extract, Almond Extract, and Salt and mix to combine.
- Alternate adding Eggs and Flour until fully combined.
- Rough chop the Shredded Coconut into smaller pieces. Add ⅔ cup of Coconut to the mix and stir until combined.
- Divide the cake batter evenly between each loaf pan, then bake at 325 degrees F for 75-80 Minutes. As every oven cooks a little differently, make sure to check at 70-minute mark.
- Allow your Coconut Pound Cake to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning it out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- In a separate bowl, mix softened Butter with Powdered Sugar. Use a pastry cutter or fork to combine them.
- Add Coconut Extract and enough milk to make a glaze consistency.
- Once the cake has cooled completely, drizzle the glaze on top of the cake and garnish with toasted coconut. Slice and serve.
Notes
Measurements
| Ingredient | Volume | Weight | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Purpose Flour | 1 Cup | 120g | 4.5 oz |
| Granulated White Sugar | 1 Cup | 198g | 7 oz |
| Brown Sugar | 1 Cup Packed | 213g | 7.5 oz |
| Powdered Sugar | 1 Cup | 113g | 4 oz |
| Baking Powder | 1 teaspoon | 6g | .25 oz |
| Baking Soda | 1 teaspoon | 6g | .25 oz |
| Salt | 1 teaspoon | 6g | .25 oz |
| Butter | 1 Cup (2 Sticks) | 227g | 8 oz |
Storage
- Storage: Store your Coconut pound Cake at room temperature, covered with a cake tin. You can also store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container; however, the texture tends to become denser when you do this. A Pound Cake will stay fresh for 4-5 days when properly stored.
- Freezing: Place your cooled pound cake in an airtight container, or double wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow the cake to thaw by placing it on the counter for an hour or two until ready to serve.
Nutrition Disclaimer
All nutrition values are approximate and calculated by a plugin and are provided as a courtesy. Adding or subtracting ingredients will change the nutritional value.
Nutrition
Recipe first seen on Savory Experiments where I contribute content and photos.
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