Coconut Raspberry Cake
This cake offers a soft yet substantial cake crumb, flaky coconut, sweet and tart raspberry jam and lots of silky cream cheese icing. It’s a 10/10.
This Coconut Raspberry Cake has both vanilla and coconut flavors, boasting pure vanilla extract and sweetened coconut throughout the batter. In recipe testing, I started with my base vanilla cake recipe, but reduced the sugar by ½ cup, knowing the coconut and raspberry jam are sweetened; this tweak made for a perfectly flavored cake, that wasn’t overly sweet. I opted out of using coconut extract in the cake, because while I like coconut, I do so in moderation. Shredded coconut inside the cake and decorated on the outside is the perfect balance.
The cake itself comes together quickly and with ease, as it’s only two layers, and calls for my standard cream cheese icing. The cake can be prepared with a stand or hand-held mixer, and for the most part, uses ingredients that can be found at home. It’s incredibly delicious, worthy of an Easter table.
Ingredients Needed
Most ingredients are pantry staples including butter, sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, leavening and flour, but there are a few items that may require a trip to the grocery store—plan accordingly. Uncommon items include, cake flour, full fat kefir or buttermilk, shredded sweetened coconut and raspberry jam. I don’t recommend substituting for these three ingredients, as the cake flour combined with all-purpose flour is what sets this recipe away from others, and the coconut raspberry flavors are what make the cake unique to itself.
As far as equipment, you’ll need two 9” cake pans, a stand mixer or handheld mixer, a spatula, and a few additional bowls and measuring cups.
Tips For Making Coconut Raspberry Cake
1.) Be sure to grease and flour the cake pans properly. Lining the bottom with a parchment round will ensure the cakes won’t stick.
2.) Follow the instructed mixing times, as they are listed for a reason, aiding in texture and flavor.
3.) The coconut should be shredded and sweetened.
4.) Use FULL FAT kefir or buttermilk. Using low-fat ingredients will directly affect the flavor and texture of the cake. Please don’t substitute with milk.
5.) The butter, eggs and kefir should be brought to room temp before using. Ideally, allow the butter to sit at room temperature for 2-3 hour before starting. For the eggs and kefir, bring out one hour prior to starting. If these steps are forgotten (I often forget), the butter can be softened in the microwave in 10-15 second increments, rotating the butter until softened. For the eggs, place them in a bowl and run hot water over them, for a few minutes. For the buttermilk, in a glass measuring cup, microwave for 15 to 30 seconds and then whisk to distribute the heat.
Substitutions
The raspberry jam can be substituted for other flavors such as strawberry or blackberry. Both would be delicious. Further, crushed fresh raspberries would be a fun alternative. If using fresh fruit, I would recommend creating a well when filling and stacking the cake. This will prevent the filling from oozing out the sides of the cake when the layers are stacked.
Final Tip
This recipe doesn’t call for coconut or almond extract, but feel free to add if desired. Be aware that a small amount of extract goes a long way, so I recommend adding a small amount to start. Flavor can be built, but not removed.
Coconut Raspberry Cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cup Lifeway Plain Whole Milk Kefir *
- 3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 8 ounce block cream cheese, softened
- 1 stick butter, softened
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
- Raspberry jam
- Shredded coconut for decorating (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Generously butter and flour two 9" cake pans. To guarantee the cake won't stick, line the bottom of the greased cake pans with parchment paper rounds. Set aside.
- In a mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes. Drizzle the oil into the bowl on medium-low speed. Once incorporated, turn the mixer back to medium speed for another 2 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, briefly mixing batter on medium speed until smooth, scraping the bowl after each egg addition. Add vanilla and mix until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Spoon and level the flours for an accurate measurement.
- Add kefir into a glass measuring cup. Alternating between the dry ingredients and the kefir, add 1/3 of flour into the mixing bowl on low speed. Immediately follow with 1/2 of the kefir, followed by another 1/3 of the flour and the second 1/2 of the kefir. Finish with the remaining flour mixture. The mixer should be kept on low speed, so the flour and liquid don't splash out of the bowl. Add the shredded coconut, folding into the batter until just incorporated.
- Pour batter evenly into prepared pans. Place pans into oven. Start assessing your cakes at 20 minutes, but they could take up to 25 minutes or longer to bake, depending on the oven temperature. When a toothpick inserted comes out clean, the cake is done. Cool pans for 10 minutes, before running a knife around the edge of the pan, and turning out the cake. Place cake on wire rack to finish cooling. Once cake is cooled, cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This step is optional, but makes icing the cake easier.
- With an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until there are no lumps, and the consistency is smooth.
- Add sifted powdered sugar to the bowl, 1 cup at a time, mixing first on low speed to prevent splashing, then turning the mixer to medium-low until it's incorporated. Repeat process with remaining 2 cups of powdered sugar. Add vanilla. Briefly mix one more time to complete the icing. For a fluffier icing, the whisk attachment can be used.
- If desired, the raspberry jam can be mixed directly into the cream cheese icing, but I prefer to keep it aside, using it as a cake filling. Instructions on cake assembly to follow.
- Place one layer of cake on a clean turn table or cake board with a small dollop of icing underneath. This works as a glue, helping prevent the cake layers from sliding around while decorating. Place a large dollop of icing on top of the first cake layer, and spread evenly with a small offset spatula or knife. Add the desired amount of raspberry jam, and spread in an even layer on top of the icing. Place the second and final layer of cake, adding another large dollop of icing. Smooth the icing evenly, letting any excess drop to the side of the cake.
- With the rest of the icing, using an offset spatula, put a even layer of icing around the entire cake, with a back and forth motion.
- Using a bench scraper (also known as cake smoother) with your dominant hand, hold it steady against the cake, but slightly angled toward the cake, to aid in smoothing, and slowly move the turn table with the other hand, while not moving the scraper, and keeping it as straight and steady as possible. As excess icing builds on the scraper, place it back into the mixing bowl, and continue smoothing the cake with a clean scraper. Fill any shallow spots on the cake with icing, and continue to scrape until the cake is smooth and fully covered with icing.
- While smoothing the sides, a lip of icing will form around the top of the cake. Using an offset spatula, gently sweep away the lip with a motion toward the center of the cake. Rotate the cake, and sweep until the lip has been removed, and top of the cake is smooth. Additional coconut can be used to decorate the cake.
Notes
Full fat buttermilk is a fine substitution for Kefir.
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