Coconut Pound Cake

This Coconut Pound Cake is rich and buttery, and it includes a fun tropical twist thanks to the toasted coconut flakes. Grab a slice for dessert tonight!

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This Coconut Pound Cake might be the best pound cake I’ve ever made. That’s really saying something because I make a lot of pound cakes. It would be a heck of a battle between this coconut version and this Classic Pound Cake to see which one would win. But here’s the good news. We don’t need to pick just one! We can enjoy both…and I absolutely plan on enjoying this coconut version many times.

I admit that coconut is somewhat of a polarizing flavor. It seems to be a love it or hate it kinda thing. Whenever I mention coconut, I either get a blank stare or a “Where? I need it now!” type of reaction. If you like coconut flavor, then this cake absolutely deserves a spot on your baking calendar!

Coconut Pound Cake

This Coconut Pound Cake features shredded coconut mixed directly into the batter as well as toasted coconut sprinkled on top once the cake has baked. And I’m telling you right now, a slice of this cake is heavenly. And if you zap that slice in the microwave for a few seconds first? It becomes even better…if that’s even possible!

This cake is simple, yet still refined. It’s an example of home cooking at its best…but it’s still fancy enough to take to a friend’s house or serve at a dinner party. (Of course, if you choose to hide in a closet with this cake on a plate, then your secret is safe with me. Forks optional.)

If you love the buttery, rich taste of pound cake and you’re a fan of tropical flavors, then this Coconut Pound Cake is going to become a new favorite in your house! This cake has a firm, heavy texture like most pound cakes, but yet it manages to be lighter than you might expect.

Traditionally, pound cakes were made with 4 basic ingredients: flour, butter, eggs and sugar. (And according to legend, original pound cake recipes called for a pound of each of those four ingredients.) This tropical version calls for a few more ingredients, but it’s still a very easy cake to make.

I’ve experimented with lots of different pound cake recipes over the years, and I keep coming back to this version that calls for the addition of heavy whipping cream. The cream not only adds richness and moisture to the cake, but it helps create a lighter, softer crumb. Basically it creates the perfect pound cake!

Key Ingredients

• Unsalted Butter. I recommend using unsalted butter and then adding a bit of salt to the batter. This way you can control how much salt is added. Also, make sure to let the butter sit at room temperature for several hours before baking this pound cake. Cold butter will not blend as well with the sugar.
• Sugar. Granulated sugar adds sweetness and texture to the cake. When creaming the butter and sugar together, make sure the mixture is airy and light before moving to the next step. In my opinion, this is the most important step of baking a pound cake.
• Eggs. Like the butter, pull the eggs out of the refrigerator and let ’em sit at room temperature for several hours before baking this cake. Room temperature eggs create a smoother batter with a fluffier texture.
• Flour. This cake calls for all-purpose flour. When measuring flour, scoop the flour into a measuring cup and then level off the top of the cup. If you reach the measuring cup directly into the bag of flour, you’ll end up with too much flour.
• Heavy Whipping Cream. As mentioned above, heavy whipping cream adds moisture and flavor to pound cakes.
• Coconut Flakes. I used sweetened coconut flakes for this recipe, but you could use unsweetened coconut flakes as well.

How to Store Leftovers

Leftover pound cake should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Pound cakes also freeze well. Just wrap the cake (or the individual slices) in plastic wrap and then store them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let the cake thaw at room temperature before serving.

Whether you’re looking for a mid-afternoon treat or an evening dessert, a warm slice of this coconut cake is sure to satisfy. This is truly the best coconut pound cake I’ve ever eaten, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we do – it’s definitely a new favorite. Happy Baking!

Did you bake this Coconut Pound Cake recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!

Coconut Pound Cake

This Coconut Pound Cake is rich and buttery, and it includes a fun tropical twist thanks to the toasted coconut flakes. Grab a slice for dessert tonight!

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours

Total Time: 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 16 servings

Calories: 476kcal

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Ingredients

For the Coconut Pound Cake

• 1½ cups unsalted butter room temperature
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 6 large eggs
• ½ tsp salt
• 3¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1½ cups sweet coconut flakes
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Glaze

• ⅔ cup sweet coconut flakes
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
• 1½ cups confectioner’s sugar
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Coconut Pound Cake

• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes on medium speed).
• Add eggs two at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Add salt and half of the flour to the bowl; mix until well combined.
• Add heavy whipping cream; mix until well combined.
• Add remaining flour, coconut flakes and vanilla extract; mix until well combined.
• Scrape sides and bottom of bowl to ensure batter is well combined.
• Grease and flour a 10-12 cup Bundt pan (or generously spray with baking spray and then lightly dust with flour). Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake for 60 minutes. Tent top of cake with aluminum foil and continue baking for 55-60 more minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Let cool in pan for 15 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack; let cool completely.

For the Glaze

• Using a dry medium skillet, add coconut flakes and place over medium heat. Let cook, stirring often, for 3-5 minutes, or until flakes are light golden brown. Remove skillet from heat and set aside.
• Using a small mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract.
• Drizzle glaze over top of the cake and sprinkle toasted coconut flakes on top before the glaze sets.

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