There’s something wonderfully comforting about a homemade layer cake, and this Coconut & Lemon Cake is the kind that feels like sunshine on a plate. Made with rich coconut milk, a touch of coconut oil, and the bright juice of a fresh lemon, it bakes up beautifully moist with a tender crumb and plenty of natural coconut flavor .
The layers are filled and frosted with a creamy lemon‑coconut buttercream, and you can even add a spoonful of lemon curd for extra brightness if you like. Finished with a snowy scattering of raw coconut flakes, it’s simple, elegant, and irresistibly delicious — the kind of cake that makes any day feel a little bit more special
I often like to bake a cake at the weekend. I enjoy a nice slice of cake with a hot drink from time to time. Oh I know, I could bake a cake any day of the week, but reserving it for the weekend makes it all the more enjoyable.
This is a lovely cake, with a beautiful fresh coconut flavor. I have used both coconut milk and some coconut butter to give it a double whammy of coconut. The lemon in the cake batter comes from the use of the juice of one lemon. When you use something like lemon juice in a cake, you need to add bicarbonate of soda to counteract the acidity and help get a rise. Its a chemical reaction of sorts.
It has a dense crumb, which I really enjoy. You could use half butter and half shortening and get a lighter cake, but I don't mind cakes which are a bit dense and so I like to use all butter.
There are even more coconut and lemon flavors in the frosting/filling. A bit of coconut oil and the zest and juice of one lemon goes into the butter cream. I went for broke and added a thin layer of good lemon curd to fill the cake as well. This is completely optional. Large, natural unsweetened coconut flakes are drifted across the top to give this cake a pretty finish. You could toast them if you wished, but I thought it was lovely just as is.
All in all this is one very delicious cake. I really hope you will be inspired to bake one for your family. Its lovely for dessert or teatime!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE
COCONUT LEMON CAKE
For the cake layers:
- 300g plain flour (scant 2 1/2 cups)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 285g caster sugar (1 1/2 cups)
- 240g butter, melted (1 cup)
- 240ml coconut milk (1 cup)
- 2 large free range eggs
- the juice of one lemon
- 1 TBS coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the frosting:
- 120g butter softened (1/2 cup)
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- the finely grated zest and juice of one lemon
- 250g icing sugar, sifted (scant 2 cups)
- 100g raw coconut flakes to decorate (1 cup)
- Lemon Curd to fill (Optional)
NOTES ON INGREDIENTS
- For a scant cup, measure out the flour into the bowl and remove 1 TBS.
- I use double acting baking powder, aluminum free as I have a sensitivity to aluminum.
- Baking soda is also known as bicarbonate of soda in the U.K.
- You can use regular granulated sugar if it is not too coarse. You can also blitz regular granulated sugar in a food processor to make it finer. Caster sugar is used for it's ability to melt into batters without leaving any granules. Every see a cake with little brown freckles on top? That's granules of sugar that didn't melt into the batter properly.
- I use salted butter.
- I use full fat coconut milk. Give the can a good shake before using.
- I buy my coconut flakes on Amazon. Not able to get coconut flakes? Use some shredded coconut in it's place. You can toast the coconut if you wish.
HOW TO MAKE A COCONUT & LEMON CAKE
This is a really quick and simple cake to make. I love that the frosting is used only as a filling and topping. Fresh and delicious without being overly sweet and cloying.
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter 2 8-inch round layer cake tins and line the bottoms with baking paper. (I trace around the cake tin on the paper with a pencil and then cut out the shape. Make sure you butter the tins well so that the cake doesn't stick.)
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and soda. Stir in the sugar. (I do this into a large bowl.)
- Whisk together the melted butter, coconut milk, eggs, lemon juice, coconut oil and vanilla. Add all at once to the dry ingredients. (Just make a well in the middle and pour it all in.)
- Using an electric whisk beat together until smooth and well combined, stopping to scrape the sides occasionally. (Optionally you could do this in a stand mixer.)
- Divide between the two cake tins, leveling each off.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, until risen and golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. (The top should also spring back when lightly touched.)
- Let cool in the tins for 10 to 15 minutes before tipping out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the icing, place all of the ingredients into a bowl and beat well with an electric mixer until smooth, light and fluffy. (If everything is at room temperature this should happen fairly quickly.)
- Place one cake layer, top side down, onto a cake plate. Cover with a portion of the icing and lemon curd, if using. Top with the other cake layer, top side up. (Don't over-do the lemon curd, if using. You just want a nice thinnish layer of it.)
- Spread the remainder of the icing over top of the cake, and then sprinkle the coconut over all to decorate. Cut into wedges to serve. (You can press the coconut lightly to help it adhere. You can also toast the coconut if you wish.)
- Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
HINTS AND TIPS FOR CAKE BAKING SUCCESS
- Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature
- Follow measurements and instructions with precision. Baking is an exact science.
- When using chemical leaven, such as baking powder, make sure it is evenly distributed amongst the dry ingredients before they are added to the creamed mixture. Otherwise you cake may develop tunnels as it bakes.
- Unless otherwise specified, add dry and liquid ingredients in increments, beginning and ending with dry.
- Don't overmix. Overmixing toughens cakes.
- When folding in ingredients, such as egg whites, do not over blend.
- Bake cakes as soon as mixed as the leavening will start to work once it is moistened. A delay in baking will result in poor volume.
- Grease and line your pans to prevent cakes from sticking, unless you are using a cake tin which prevents this such as a shaped tin such as a Bundt tin. In that case grease and dust with flour lightly.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. Can I make this cake without the lemon?
You will need to keep the lemon juice in the batter, it provides flavor and reacts with the bicarbonate of soda for lift, but you can omit the lemon curd filling if you prefer a milder lemon taste.
2. Why do I need bicarbonate of soda in this recipe?
Because the lemon juice adds acidity, the bicarbonate of soda helps neutralize it and ensures the cake rises properly.
3. Can I use regular milk instead of coconut milk?
You can, but the coconut milk is what gives the cake its rich coconut flavour and moist texture. Replacing it will reduce the coconut profile.
4. My cake turned out a bit dense — is that normal?
Yes. This recipe uses all butter, which naturally creates a slightly denser crumb. You could use half butter and half shortening for a lighter texture, but I prefer the all‑butter version.
5. Do I have to use coconut oil in the batter and frosting?
The coconut oil boosts the coconut flavour and adds moisture, but you can omit it if needed. The cake will still bake successfully.
6. Where can I find the large raw coconut flakes used for decorating?
They’re unsweetened raw coconut flakes. In the UK they can be purchased on Amazon, and in North America you can search for “coconut chips” or “raw coconut flakes.”
7. Can I toast the coconut flakes?
Yes, you can toast them for extra flavor, but I like to use them raw for a pretty, snowy finish.
8. Can I make the cake layers ahead of time?
Yes. Once baked and cooled, the layers can be wrapped and refrigerated or frozen. Leftovers store well in the refrigerator.
9. Is the lemon curd filling required?
No — it’s completely optional. It adds a bright lemony layer, but the cake is delicious without it.
A FEW MORE CAKE RECIPES TO ENJOY
We are huge fans of cake in this house. I like to bake one every weekend! Here are a few that we really enjoy and that I can highly recommend!
RASPBERRY YOGURT CAKE - This cake is everything a simple home‑baked cake should be — soft, moist, and beautifully studded with pockets of sweet‑tart raspberries. The use of Greek yogurt gives it a tender, delicate crumb that holds the fruit perfectly without letting it sink, creating lovely little dimples across the top as it bakes . It’s not overly sweet, making it just right for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon cup of tea. It’s equally lovely served warm with vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of clotted cream for dessert. A dusting of icing sugar is all it needs to look effortlessly pretty. Simple, versatile, and quietly irresistible — the kind of cake you’ll want to bake again and again.
ETON MESS CAKE - Everything we love about the classic British summer dessert — but in the form of a tender, buttery cake. Fresh strawberries are folded into an almond‑kissed batter, then topped with more berries and plenty of crumbled crisp meringues before baking, creating a gorgeous golden top with pockets of juicy fruit and sweet crunch . Once cooled, it’s finished with a snowy dusting of icing sugar and served in generous slices with softly whipped cream — simple, nostalgic, and utterly irresistible, It’s the kind of cake that tastes like sunshine, Wimbledon, and long June afternoons all in one bite.
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Yield: Makes one 8 inch layer cake
Coconut & Lemon Cake
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 25 MinInactive time: 15 MinTotal time: 55 Min
A rich and moist layer cake with beautiful coconut and lemon flavours. Frost and fill with a lemon frosting and dust with coconut flakes to finish. You can also add a layer of lemon curd to the filling if you wish. (completely optional)
Ingredients
For the cake layers:
- 300g plain flour (scant 2 1/2 cups)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 285g caster sugar (1 1/2 cups)
- 240g butter, melted (1 cup)
- 240ml coconut milk (1 cup)
- 2 large free range eggs
- the juice of one lemon
- 1 TBS coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the frosting:
- 120g butter softened (1/2 cup)
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- the finely grated zest and juice of one lemon
- 250g icing sugar, sifted (scant 2 cups)
- 100g raw coconut flakes to decorate (1 cup)
- Lemon Curd to fill (Optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter 2 8-inch round layer cake tins and line the bottoms with baking paper.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and soda. Stir in the sugar.
- Whisk together the melted butter, coconut milk, eggs, lemon juice, coconut oil and vanilla. Add all at once to the dry ingredients.
- Using an electric whisk beat together until smooth and well combined, stopping to scrape the sides occasionally.
- Divide between the two cake tins, leveling each off.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, until risen and golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
- Let cool in the tins for 10 to 15 minutes before tipping out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the icing, place all of the ingredients into a bowl and beat well with an electric mixer until smooth, light and fluffy.
- Place one cake layer, top side down, onto a cake plate. Cover with a portion of the icing and lemon curd, if using. Top with the other cake layer, top side up.
- Spread the remainder of the icing over top of the cake, and then sprinkle the coconut over all to decorate. Cut into wedges to serve.
- Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
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