A good drenching of cream of coconut infuses this cake with flavor and moistness.
Have you ever remembered you were supposed to bake something for the office party, a church meeting or a school function at 10:00 the night before just as you were ready to crawl into bed?
I hope I’m not the only one. But most of the time I’m too proud (unfortunately) to run by the store and grab something in a hard plastic container so I keep a few tricks in my pantry. I got this one from Amie, one of my favorite co-workers. The coconut freaks at my job, including me, go crazy when she brings this cake.
Stocking up on a few staples is helpful to produce this kind of last minute magic. For Amie’s cake, I make sure to keep the following in my cabinet: a white cake mix, coconut milk, cream of coconut, and shaved coconut. (Now you see why I put “triple coconut” in the title.) I would rather do a hundred push-ups than make a midnight run to the grocery store.
I hate dislike push-ups.
I tweaked Amie’s recipe in the following ways to intensify the coconut experience:
- Substituted coconut milk for water in the cake mix.
- Heated the cream of coconut before pouring over the warm cake for more uniform absorption.
- Sprinkled shaved coconut on top instead of shredded.
Coconut milk (often found in the Hispanic section of a grocery store) goes into the cake batter. Pour cream of coconut (found in mixed drinks area) over baked cake. Don't confuse one for the other.
Shaved coconut is larger than grated or shredded coconut.
I don’t use a cake mix very often but my attempts to make this cake from scratch were unsatisfactory. The light and airy texture of a cake mix soaks up the cream of coconut better than any of my own recipes. I used a k-bob stick to make the holes. Aimee uses the handle of a wooden spoon for maximum absorption.
Poke warm cake full of holes after baking. Pour cream of coconut over top. Chill. Frost with topping or sweetened whipped cream if you prefer.
| Amie’s Triple Coconut Cake |
|
- 1 Betty Crocker white cake mix
- 1-1/4 cup coconut milk
- 1 can cream of coconut
- 8-ounce container of whipped topping
- 1 cup flaked coconut
- Prepare cake mix according to directions on the box, substituting coconut milk for water in the mix. Bake in a 9 x 13 pan. Amie and I both thought the cake was done at least 5 minutes before the box directions predicted. Over bake and the crust will be too dry to absorb the cream of coconut.
- While the cake is still warm, poke holes all over the cake with a skewer.
- Warm cream of coconut for 1-1/2 minutes on HIGH in the microwave and pour over the cake. Chill for several hours or overnight.
- Frost with 1 container of thawed, whipped topping (i.e. Cool Whip). Sprinkle flaked coconut on top. Keep refrigerated.
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{ 47 comments… read them below or add one }
How simple yet delicious looking! I love baking from scratch as well, but you’re right, the white cake never seems to come out right. I think the coconut substitutions will make was a delightful treat. This looks so easy, and the fact that pantry items are used makes it a great treat for last minute needs.
Thank you again! You rock the coconut bomb… now just one ?… can I please use shredded coconut or does it have to be the larger pieces? I know I always have shredded on hand so that’s why I ask, but of course you’re the expert here so if I need to go get the bigger pieces I shall. Thanks so much in advance for your response.
Kristen, Of course you can use the shredded coconut. The shaved just looks a little fancier but nothing at all wrong the with shredded or flaked. Thanks for asking.
Oh, dear Paula,
Sitting here at 8:30 pm trying very hard to loose 6 more pounds and ignore the gnawing in my stomach and I happen upon your post and this enticing and delicious looking cake. Good thing I don’t have the ingredients and that I also would rather do push-ups than run out to the grocery story late in the evening because I I just might have shuffled into the kitchen and whipped up this recipe.
The three coconut ingredients are on my next food shopping list and I will be trying this in the near future. Until then… it’s salad in a jar for me : )
Lorraine recently posted..Simple Pleasures
I do love coconut, and this cake is beautiful! It sounds easy too, but I don’t have all of the ingredients on hand. I’m almost tempted to run out to our new 24hr. Walmart that just opened last week. It’s a novelty to be able to shop after nine o’clock! The shaved coconut is really a nice touch!
Betty @ scrambled hen fruit recently posted..Peach Confetti Salsa, and a Shake, Rattle and Roll!
Simple and delicious. Perfect for a non-baker like me.
I have never used Cream of Coconut, but you can be sure it will be added to my next grocery list.
*Just Fran* recently posted..Captain 11
That’s a beauty, for sure!
Gary recently posted..Baked Chicken Wings
Wow, Paula, this looks and sounds fantastic. I love that you can use a mix, because like you, sometimes I’m scrambling for something quick to make and hate buying something when I can bake!
Vicki V recently posted..We Interrupt This Program for a Brief Message…
I adore coconut! And I hate baking, so the fact that this recipe uses a mix is a double-yes! I am so making this.
TheKitchenWitch recently posted..23 Slips of Paper
A very tempting cake……..I love baking cakes but not very much into coconut…But your creation caught my eye….awesome..!!!
Priyanka recently posted..CHEESY CAKE
Another fantastic recipe!!!
This makes me think about my grandmother. She used to make a delicious cocunut cake every Thanksgiving. This one goes in my recipes to try file.
My sister-in-law introduced me to this cake just a little different but so similar. I love it and so does all who eats it. I made your honey wheat bread recipe, it was good but didn’t rise much due to my home ground wheat I think. I think I try it with half the wheat and see how it works out for me. BTW your photos of this cake look wonderful.
I have been wanting to make this cake, only a full layer cake. My grandmother used to make a coconut cake that used a real coconut. I watched her make it once and she used the coconut milk in the cake and she used the coconut, shredding it. It was really rich and moist.
*faint*
Yum, Paula! You crack me up about the midnight run to the store, only because I am the same way! This looks amazingly delicious!
The Café Sucré Farine recently posted..Poppy Seed Pound Cake with Caramel Cascades Icing
What a wonderful cake. It looks so moist, and since coconut is one of my favorite flavors of all time, I’m bookmarking this to make soon. I featured this post over at my blog today. Thank you so much for the recipe
Ali recently posted..Ali’s Notepad – August 26th, 2011
Paula!! The cake looks wonderful, I am honored you put it on your website. I can’t wait to try it using the coconut milk (since you didn’t bring us a sample at work). I really NEED that scoop you have the shaved cocnut in…I love it!!! Where did you find that thing?
A wonderful treat! I bet this cake made a lot of people happy!
tasteofbeirut recently posted..Squash hummus
Amie, I’ve had it for awhile but I got the scoop at Ashers in Arlington.
Thanks so much for the link Ali. paula
I absolutely love coconut so I can not wait to try this recipe! How did the texture come out? Did the milk and cream give the cake the same texture as a tres leche cake?
Nyssa recently posted..Cactus Pear Smoothie
Oh, Paula! This is one of my favs! Bring this into work alot (by request). Your shaved coconut is an especially elegant touch! Love that you heated the cream of coconut before pouring it on. Great tip. Two things I do for cake mix’s to remove that cloyingly sweet taste is to add a few teaspoons of real sea salt and real, fresh squeezed lemon juice to batter. The acid really off-sets and neutralizes that “chemical” taste of the batter. Also, I love coconut milk so much, I add a few tablespoons to my chocolate smoothies (which are non-dairy).
Nina recently posted..Chameleon Cold-Brew Mocha
Oh good grief, I am one of those coconut lovers and this is going to be very much in my dreams until I get to make it a reality! Sadly ive never seen cream of coconut here in the UK, only coconut cream which i understand is different. One day hopefully
and when that day arises…THIS is going to be devoured! Beautiful recipe indeedy
Nyssa, I’ve never made a tres leche cake so I’m not sure how it compares. It is extremely moist, even damp where it soaked up a lot of the cream. Reminds me of a trifle in a pan actually.
I have no problem using a cake mix, just depends on what I’m making. I learned a box mix can produce a much sturdier cake.. Now I must find some coconut lovers because I would love to make this cake!!! 5 stars from me and a Stumble.
Oh yea, and I love that scoop!
Megan’s Cookin’ recently posted..100_2355_edited-1
My friend gave me a recipe like this to try, but she combines sweetened condensed milk and cream of coconut together to pour over the cake. I might just have to try your version and her version. I love the idea of using coconut milk in the cake instead of water.
Jenn@eatcakefordinner recently posted..Super Easy Guiltless Alfredo Sauce
Brilliant idea. A coconut milk for a cake. Sounds great.
Jenn, Sweetened condensed milk AND cream of coconut?? Wow, that would be some sweetness for sure. Kinda makes my sweet tooth ache to think about it. Let me know which you like best if you try them both.
It looks extra coconut-ty… !
Jun recently posted..Coconut Sweet Bun
I just got my BFF’s Mothers recipe for this cake,( after asking at least 20 times!) She uses a YELLOW cake mix and adds 1 teaspoon vanilla & 1 teaspoon coconut flavoring to the mix. Also her’s calls for adding1/2 cup of coconut to the batter. Then, to her poked holes(with a meat fork),she mixes 1/3cup Evaporated milk,3/4 cup water & 1/2 cup powdered sugar and pours over top of cake, cool & frost & sprinkle. I think it taste like a giant “Macaroon!” so wonderful! I have never used, but will try the Goya milk and cocoL`opez cream of coconut on my first try!!!! Thanks for the easy tip!
J.S. I love your description of the cake as tasting like a giant macaroon. Can’t think of anything much better.
I made it yesterday and blogged about it tonight. Oh my word! DELISH! Thanks for the recipe.
Hugs,
Kat
Kat recently posted..SWEET
Oh.
My.
God.
and YUM!
O
M
Gosh ……
I made this for a monday night activity we have with some friends and all i (and they) can say is OMGOSH …. this is awesome, delish, more delish and more awesome …..
thank you sooooo much ….. on the other hand, i hate you for this cake …. LOL ….. darlene
Darlene, Glad to share the misery of having such deliciousness to tempt me in the house.
Can’t wait to make this cake for a party tomorrow night. Do you suggest leaving it in the pan to serve out of or can I put the whole cake on a platter before putting on the topping?
Thank you.
I am going to make this for my dad’s birthday. I wanted to use mason jars and make individual servings. I am going to make a lemon cake in a jar also. His two favorite desserts. I will have to experiment with baking times.
I found your site via Annie’s Eats… so happy!
This looks amazing! I love coconut!
My dad has been bugging me to make a coconut cake for a few weeks now, and I really want to try this out!
But as far as I know, we don’t have white cake mix in supermarkets here in Australia. The closest things we have are vanilla mixes or butter cake mixes. Is there a way I could adapt one of those, or would I have to make one from scratch? (in which case, do you know of any good recipes?)
thanks
Made this and blogged about it at http://www.blestnest.blogspot.com/2012/01/viva-las-vegas.html . Great! Thanks for the recipe!
Vicki V recently posted..Comfort Food Classic
Vicki, Great job with the coconut cake!
Our house is still under construction but as soon as it is finished, I’ll send a picture.
I believe I’ve found a new favorite. YUM!!! Because I found this recipe on Pinterest, I’ve reviewed it here: http://pineatreview.com/2012/04/01/amies-triple-coconut-cake-salad-in-a-jar/. (Naturally, all credit and links are given to you.)
Denise recently posted..Amie’s Triple Coconut Cake {Salad in a Jar}
Did u see on pinterest the easy breezy way to make coconut whipped cream?? I’m sure it world be fab on here as well! Great cake!!
Kris,
Actually, I pinned the coconut whipped cream but haven’t tried it yet. Have you? pr
This recipe sounds fantastic!
Will the coconut cream make the cake any sweeter? I believe the coconut milk is unsweetened (right?) but – I’ve never used cream of coconut & don’t know it it’s sweetened but I’m asking because I prefer cakes that aren’t too sweet.
(Hope you can let me know because this would be for my sister’s birthday coming up in about a week.)
Hi Paula,
For some reason I wasn’t able to reply to your email but – It’s not the calories that bother me about the cream of coconut ingredient – it’s just that my family and I don’t like cakes too sweet and so I was hoping it was only like cream (unsweetened) but its source being the coconut. Because the recipe calls for using a cake mix, there’s no way to subtract some sugar from the cake to make up for the sweetness in the cream of coconut. I also agree that the cream of coconut sounds like it would make the cake extra special.
From what you tell me the cream of coconut is very sweet so I’ll probably opt for coconut extract (I’ve had good results with that before).
- Thanks for getting back to me so quickly.
Regards,
Sonia