This Coconut and Strawberry Cake is a moist, one-layer cake topped with dreamy strawberry sour cream frosting, making it an irresistible choice for your next gathering!
Best of all? It’s ridiculously easy to make. One bowl for the cake, one for the frosting, and you’re done. Sprinkle some shredded coconut on top, and you’ve got yourself a dessert that looks as good as it tastes. Check out my white chocolate mousse cake and strawberry cheesecake as well!
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Taste: Bursting with coconut and fresh strawberry flavors—the ultimate springtime treat. Check out my apricot tart recipe too!
- Texture: Moist and tender, but not too airy. This strawberry and coconut cake, is substantial and can hold up to the frosting. My chocolate lemon cake has the same texture!
- Ease: A simple, one-layer cake made with minimal tools and effort.
- Versatility: This coconut strawberry dessert is perfect for casual gatherings, celebrations, or simply as an everyday dessert.
Equipment
Using a kitchen scale is a total game-changer for baking. It makes measuring ingredients super precise, so your easy coconut and strawberry cake recipe comes out perfect every single time. Plus, fewer measuring cups means less cleanup — and who doesn’t love that? Invest in one, and you’ll wonder how you ever baked without it!
Ingredients
What you'll need for this coconut and strawberry cake from scratch!
- Coconut Milk (Full-Fat): Adds richness and amplifies the coconut flavor.
- Sour Cream (Full-Fat): Makes the frosting tangy and balances the sweetness. It also contributes to the cakes texture.
- Vegetable Oil: Ensures the cake stays moist for days.
- Cornstarch: Acts as a cake flour substitute, creating a tender crumb.
- Coconut Extract: Essential for infusing the cake with deep coconut flavor.
- Freeze dried Strawberries: Packs intense strawberry flavor into the frosting and adds specks of strawberries throughout. Check out my chocolate strawberry cookies and strawberry brownies if you love freeze dried strawberries!
- Strawberry Paste: For the frosting, I used strawberry paste from IFI Provisions. It’s a game-changer, packing intense strawberry flavor without the hassle of cooking down fresh strawberries. It’s perfect for baking, giving the frosting a vibrant color and a fresh, fruity taste without any extra steps.
See recipe card for quantities.
Variations
Twists on coconut and strawberry cake!
- Berry Topping: Decorate with fresh strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries for extra flair.
- Layer Cake: Double the recipe to create a stunning two-layer cake!
- Citrus Twist: Add a teaspoon of lime or lemon zest to the batter for a tropical zing. Orange chocolate cake is amazing too!
- Cake Mix: If you are short on time you can make the coconut and strawberry cake with cake mix! I would add coconut milk and coconut extract to the mix.
This coconut and strawberry cake recipe has not been tested with other substitutions. These are just suggestions.
Instructions
Let's make strawberry coconut cake!
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F
Line the bottom of an 8 inch round cake pan with an 8 inch round piece of parchment paper and grease the sides and bottom to ensure easy release.
Step 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, granulated sugar, baking powder, and kosher salt until well combined.
Step 3. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the egg, vanilla extract, coconut extract, coconut milk, sour cream, and vegetable oil until smooth and homogeneous.
Step 4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Whisk gently until just combined. Be careful not to over mix, as this could make the cake dense.
Step 5. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is lightly golden. Cool down before frosting.
Step 6. Make the strawberry frosting, mix until fluffy and combined, about 2 minutes. Top the cake with frosting and shredded coconut.
Hint: Top the cake with shredded coconut, it needs more coconut on top for flavor and texture. It reminds me those amazing coconut donuts with the coconut on top!
Pro tips
- Use a Whisk: Mixing the coconut and strawberry cake batter by hand helps prevent over mixing, which can lead to a dense cake.
- Weigh Your Ingredients: Especially the flour; too much can make the cake dry.
- Pulverize Freeze-Dried Strawberries: Turn them into a fine powder so they seamlessly mix into the frosting.
- Top with Coconut: A generous sprinkle of shredded coconut enhances the flavor and gives a great texture.
FAQ
Can I make this cake ahead of time?
Visit the search results to see which questions come up under the People also ask section for your primary keyword, and answer them here
How do I store leftover coconut strawberry cake?
The cake should be stored in the refrigerator, wrapped and placed in an airtight container. Take the cake out 30 minutes before enjoying so the crumb has time to soften.
Do coconut and strawberry go together?
Absolutely! Coconut and strawberry are a delicious combo—the fresh berry flavor pairs perfectly with the creamy, tropical flavor of coconut.
Storage
Same-Day Enjoyment: This cake is best enjoyed the day it’s made.
Refrigeration: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Allow it to come to room temperature before serving.
Freezing: Wrap the cake tightly and store in an airtight container. Freeze for up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bring to room temperature before serving.
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📖 Recipe
Coconut and Strawberry Cake
Equipment
- 8 inch round cake pan metal is best!
- Parchment Paper
- Whisk
- Measuring cups or kitchen scale
- Measuring Spoons
- Mixing bowls
Ingredients
Coconut Cake
- 1 and ⅓ cups (168 grams) all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons (24 grams) cornstarch
- ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon coconut extract
- ½ cup (115 grams) coconut milk full fat
- ½ cup (107 grams) sour cream full fat
- ¼ cup (40 grams) vegetable oil
Strawberry frosting using all freeze dried strawberries (you can double this recipe if you prefer a lot of frosting, I like a thin layer because the strawberry flavor is strong)
- 5 tablespoons (70 grams) salted butter room temperature (add a pinch of salt if you do not have salted butter)
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon (69 grams) sour cream full fat
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon (141 grams) powdered sugar
- heaping ¼ cup (28 grams) freeze dried strawberry powder blend or crush freeze dried strawberries until a fine powder forms
- shredded coconut for topping the cake
Strawberry frosting using strawberry paste
- 8 tablespoons (113 grams) salted butter room temperature
- ¼ cup (55 grams) sour cream full fat
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons freeze dried strawberry powder blend or crush freeze dried strawberries until a fine powder forms
- 3 tablespoons Strawberry Flavor Paste ifiGOURMET Provisions (linked in notes below)
- 2 and ¼ cups (294 grams) powdered sugar
- shredded coconut for topping the cake
Instructions
Coconut Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- Line the bottom of an 8 inch round cake pan with an 8 inch round piece of parchment paper and grease the sides and bottom to ensure easy release.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, granulated sugar, baking powder, and kosher salt until well combined.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the egg, vanilla extract, coconut extract, coconut milk, sour cream, and vegetable oil until smooth and homogeneous.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Whisk gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this could make the cake dense.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is lightly golden. Cool down before frosting.
Strawberry frosting using all freeze dried strawberries
- Crush or blend freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder.
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat the salted butter with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed until it is light and fluffy.
- Add the sour cream and vanilla extract to the butter. Beat until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, about ¼ cup at a time, mixing on low speed to prevent a mess. Once all the sugar is added, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until smooth and creamy.
- Add the freeze-dried strawberry powder to the frosting. Mix on low speed until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat on medium-high speed until the frosting is light, fluffy, and evenly colored.
- If the frosting is too thick, add a teaspoon of milk or cream at a time until the desired consistency is achieved. If it’s too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.
- Top the cake with the frosting and sprinkle the coconut evenly over the top. Garnish with fresh strawberries.
- See storage in notes below.
Strawberry frosting using strawberry paste
- Crush or blend freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the salted butter with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed until it is light and fluffy.
- Add the sour cream and vanilla extract to the butter. Beat until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the freeze-dried strawberry powder and Strawberry Flavor Paste to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed until evenly distributed.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, about ¼ cup at a time, mixing on low speed to prevent powdered sugar from spilling. Once all the sugar is added, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until smooth and fluffy.
- If the frosting is too thick, add a teaspoon of milk or cream at a time until the desired consistency is reached. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time.
- Top the cake with the frosting and sprinkle the sweetened shredded coconut evenly over the top. Garnish with fresh strawberries.
Kendall says
Absolutely delicious!
Amanda Valsamis says
Yay! thank you! 🙂
Martha says
I made this with my daughter, the cake recipe was incredibly easy. We devoured it!
Amanda Valsamis says
That makes me happy!! So happy you made it together!!