This ultra moist coconut cake is layered with raspberry filling and creamy coconut cream cheese frosting, and then coated in a thick layer of shredded coconut! Make it a showstopper by decorating with edible flowers or fresh raspberries. A must try for raspberry coconut lovers!
Raspberry Coconut Cake
It’s no secret I absolutely love layers cakes! And with Summer in the air, I wanted to share something light, pretty, and perfect for celebrating the new season. Enter this stunning coconut snowball cake! It’s INSANELY MOIST. And so tender. And has just enough coconut flavor! You can 100% taste the coconut flavor… but the cake doesn’t taste like tan lotion!
I had some fresh flowers from my garden, so I topped the cake with a few massive blooms. But if flowers on dessert isn’t your thing, leave it plain! Or top with a mountain of fresh raspberries! There’s really no right or wrong way here. Just do what makes you happy!
Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees before you begin baking! This way your oven has plenty of time to come to temperature.
- Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature! This means the egg whites, butter, and sour cream.
- Properly prepare your cake pans! You’ll want to generously spray the tops and sides with nonstick baking spray, and line the bottom with a parchment paper round. This ensures you won’t have to battle to get your cakes out of the pans.
- You’ll need a stand mixer or electric hand mixer for this recipe!
- Beat the butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy! This takes about 3 minutes, so be patient. And use a rubber spatula to scrape the butter mixture off the sides and bottom of the bowl every 30 seconds or so.
- Don’t over mix once you add in the flour mixture! This is what causes dry cake! Instead, beat on low, and mix until the ingredients are just combined!
- Scrape your batter in the prepared pans and bake for about 20 minutes! If you’re only making two layers, then your cakes could take anywhere between 28 and 30 minutes. It’s ready when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes in the pans, on a cooling rack, for 20 minutes, then remove and cool completely before frosting!
- If your frosting seems too thin, add a little more powdered sugar, 1/4 cup at a time. But ONLY do this is necessary, because it will make your frosting very sweet.
This cake is perfect for a bridal shower, birthday party, or even a small backyard wedding! Just be sure you keep it out of direct sunlight and heat, because the cream cheese frosting WILL melt after a while. I speak from experience lol! Thankfully this cake will keep well, stored in the fridge, for up to 24 hours!
More Raspberry Cakes:
- White Chocolate Almond Raspberry Cake
- Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake
- Chocolate Raspberry Cake
- White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
- Lemon Raspberry Cake
- Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
Raspberry Swirl Coconut Snowball Cake
Ingredients
For the Coconut Cake:
- 2 and 1/2 cups (310 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon (13 grams) baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon (4 grams) salt
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 cups (298 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 6 large egg whites, lightly beaten until foamy on top
- 1 cup (227 grams) canned coconut milk
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) sour cream, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup (67 grams) unrefined coconut oil, liquified
- 1 cup (54 grams) unsweetened shredded coconut
For the Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
- 3 Tablespoons canned coconut milk
- 4 and 1/2 cups (510 grams) confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 cup raspberry preserves
- 2 cups (108 grams) shredded coconut, for decorating
Instructions
For the Coconut Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Generously grease the bottom and sides of three 9-inch round cake pans; line with parchment paper rounds and set aside until needed.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
- Gradually add in the sugar. Once all of the sugar has been added, beat on high speed for 2 minutes. or until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the vanilla extract, coconut extract, and almond extract.
- Reduce the speed to low and add in the beaten egg whites, in three additions, beating well after each addition, and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl frequently.
- In a spouted measuring cup, combine the coconut milk and sour cream. Mix until evenly combined.
- On low speed, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating it with the coconut milk/sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with the flour, and mixing until just combined.
- Add in the oil and beat until just combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the coconut, mixing just until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. It should be around 510 grams of batter per pan.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly brown around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes in the pans places on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Then invert the cake layers onto cooling racks and cool completely.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using an electric handheld mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed until completely smooth; about 2 minutes.
- Beat in the vanilla, salt, coconut extract, and coconut milk.
- Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the sifted confectioners' sugar, adding 1/4 cup at a time, and beating well before adding the next addition.
- Once all of the ingredients have been incorporated, increase the speed to high and beat for 2 minutes, or until super fluffy.
Assembly:
- Using a long, serrated knife, trim any domed part off the top of each cake layer. If there's no dome, simply skip this step.
- Place one cake layer on a large plate or cake stand. Spread 1 cup of the frosting on top of the cake, covering it completely. Then spread a 1/4 cup of raspberry preserves on top of the frosting.
- Top with another cake layer, and repeat the layering process, ending with the last cake layer on top. Spread all remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
- Using your hands, gently press shredded coconut around the sides of the cake. Then generously sprinkle any remaining coconut on top of the cake.
- Allow the cake to set for 30 minutes before slicing. Then slice and serve.
Mary Rainey says
I followed your instructions to the letter. Baked perfectly. Turned out on my hand and fell completely apart. In my opinion, there needed to be water added. I had to press the batter into the pans. I am so disappointed.
Mary Rainey says
Where do you find unrefined coconut oil? I live in a very small one red-light town.
Lisa says
This looks delicious! Wondering if I can bake this in 3 8″ pans instead? If so, any idea how to adjust baking time?
Scarlett says
Has anyone tried making this cake gluten free? If so how did it turn out?
David Cisneros says
I making the raspberry swirl coconut snowball cake the day before I serve it. How should I store the day overnight?
Carissa says
I’m baking this cake Thursday night and frosting it on Friday after work to take out of town on Saturday — did yours keep well sitting out? Or how did you end up storing it? I’m worried about it going bad or getting too hard sitting in the fridge.
gab says
can the frosting be made ahead of time and put on later?
Debbie says
No eggs just egg whites correct
michelle says
What do you think about replacing the flour with almond flour? texture? have you tried?
Meagan says
I made this for my neice’s 16th birthday. It was AMAZING!! The coconut flavor was very subtle in the cake and the really brought out the coconut flakes on the outside. It was a huge hit and so beautiful!
Svetlana Vukolić says
The cake must be delicious. I am definitely a big fan of coconut, raspberries and cream cheese. But the amount of sugar is unbeliebably high. I’ll refuce it at least for a half of it if not less.