This chocolate coconut cake is made with two layers of chocolate cake filled with coconut filling and frosted with chocolate ganache.
This coconut chocolate cake is made with two soft, moist layers of chocolate cake that are full of deep cocoa flavor and are made in one bowl.
Between the layers, this cake is filled with a sweet and creamy coconut filling that adds the perfect contrast in texture and a burst of coconut flavor.
The cake is then frosted with a silky whipped chocolate ganache that’s made with dark chocolate and heavy cream that brings everything together with a smooth, glossy finish.
Each bite is a delicious balance of fudgy chocolate and sweet coconut, decadent, satisfying, and perfect for anyone who loves this classic flavor combo.
For more chocolate cake recipes, check out my chocolate cake with chocolate mousse, chocolate ganache cake, chocolate mayonnaise cake, and buttermilk chocolate cake.
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Why this recipe works
- Soft chocolate cake layers- the chocolate cake layers are soft, moist, and full of rich cocoa flavor from the Dutch cocoa powder. They hold together well but stay light and tender.
- Coconut filling- the coconut filling is sweet, creamy, and packed with shredded coconut for texture. It adds a delicious contrast to the soft cake.
- Whipped chocolate ganache frosting- the whipped ganache is smooth, airy, and easy to work with. It gives the cake a rich chocolate finish without being too heavy. It is also made with only two ingredients!
- Chocolate coconut flavor combo- chocolate and coconut are a perfect match, combining deep cocoa flavor with nutty sweetness.
- Ease- this cake is surprisingly easy to make with simple ingredients and clear steps. You don’t need special tools or baking experience to get great results.
How to make perfect even cake layers
My biggest tip for making even cake layers is to use a scale and cake strips. Weigh the chocolate cake batter and divide it evenly between two pans.
Then, use cake strips to ensure your cake layers bake evenly and don't develop a dome on top. Cake strips help you achieve an evenly baked cake with a flat top.
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
For the cake
Flour– I used all-purpose flour for this recipe; self-rising flour and cake flour will work great as well.
Dutch cocoa powder– I like to use Dutch-process cocoa powder for my chocolate cake because I like the deep and rich chocolate taste, but natural cocoa powder will work great as well!
Baking powder and baking soda – to allow the cake to rise. Make sure that your baking powder and baking soda aren’t expired.
Granulated sugar– I like to use granulated sugar, which is also the most common sugar used in baking. Caster sugar will work great as well.
Vegetable oil – I used vegetable oil for this recipe. Canola oil will work great for this recipe.
Sour cream- I used sour cream for this cake to make it extra moist and tender. You can also use full-fat Greek yogurt.
Eggs- to give the cake a good structure. Make sure you’re using room-temperature eggs.
Buttermilk- gives the cake extra moisture. You can make your own buttermilk if you don’t have one on hand. Simply mix a cup of milk with a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for at least 10 minutes.
Hot coffee- make a strong hot coffee, you can use espresso or instant coffee, both will work.
Vanilla extract- vanilla extract Is an essential ingredient for chocolate cake.
Salt- I used kosher salt for this recipe. Salt doesn’t give the cake a salty taste, it helps to enhance the chocolate flavor.
For the chocolate ganache
Dark chocolate– use good-quality chocolate (around 60-70% cocoa) for a rich, deep flavor. You can also use semi-sweet chocolate if you prefer it a little sweeter.
Heavy cream- use full-fat heavy cream for this recipe. This can't be substituted.
For the coconut filling
Shredded coconut- I used unsweetened shredded coconut for the filling. It adds texture, chewiness, and a rich coconut flavor.
Sweetened condensed milk- I use it to bind the coconut filling and add creaminess. It also gives the filling its classic sweetness and smooth texture.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and prep two 8-inch baking pans with cooking spray and parchment paper.
Into a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, buttermilk, oil, vanilla extract, kosher salt, granulated sugar, sour cream, and sift the cocoa powder, and mix with a whisk until well combined.
Add the shredded coconut and mix well.
Sift the flour, add the baking powder, and baking soda, and mix until almost combined.
Add the hot coffee and mix until the batter is smooth and there are no large lumps of flour visible.
Divide the mixture into two 8-inch baking pans. I suggest using cake strips for even baking. (Weigh the batter for better results.) and bake in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. (You can also use a 9-inch cake pan.)
Allow the cake layers to cool completely. Run a butter knife or a thin spatula around the edges of the cake to release it from the sides of the pan.
Invert and Tap: Place a wire rack or plate over the pan, hold them firmly, and flip to invert the pan. Lift Gently: Carefully lift one side of the pan, then remove it completely to slide your cake onto the surface.
Make the chocolate ganache
Chop the dark chocolate and place it into a large bowl. Heat the cream in a saucepan until it comes to a simmer. Pour the cream into the bowl with the chopped chocolate.
Let the chocolate and the cream sit for 10 minutes for the chocolate to melt, then mix until the chocolate ganache is smooth and silky.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming, and place it in the fridge until it reaches a spreadable consistency.
Whip the ganache with an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer with the balloon attachment until it's fluffy and lighter in color.
Make the coconut filling
In a bowl, add the shredded coconut, heavy cream, and sweetened condensed milk and mix until well combined.
Assembly
Pipe a circle around the edges of the cake using the whipped ganache. Then fill the circle with the coconut filling and smooth it out.
Top with the second cake layer and frost the cake with the ganache.
Top with shredded coconut if desired, and serve!
Expert Tips
- Don’t skip the coffee in the cake, you can’t taste the coffee, it simply enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Make sure that you are using fresh ingredients like baking soda and baking powder. If they are expired your cake will not rise up beautifully.
- Use cake strips! Cake strips give you even and perfectly baked cake layers.
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and butter. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have a moist cake and not a dense and dry cake.
- Serve at room temperature for optimal taste. Bring the chocolate cake to room temperature before serving to ensure that the frosting is creamy and not hard and will melt in your mouth.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper! This step helps the cake to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your cake will release easily from the pan.
- Be patient! I know it’s extremely tempting to frost this cake as it is pulled out of the oven, but let the cake cool for at least 1 hour so it will be firmer and won’t crumble up, and prevent the frosting from melting.
Faq's
Yes, chocolate and coconut go perfectly together. The rich chocolate and sweet, nutty coconut create a delicious flavor balance.
This chocolate coconut cake is made of two soft chocolate cake layers, a sweet coconut filling with shredded coconut and condensed milk, and a whipped chocolate ganache frosting.
Dark chocolate pairs best with coconut because its rich, slightly bitter flavor balances the sweetness of the coconut. Milk chocolate also works well for a sweeter, creamier combination.
Storing
This cake will last up to 4 days in the fridge. Cover the cake with plastic wrap or foil to prevent it from drying out.
Freezing
You can freeze the cake either whole or in slices:
Whole cake- Chill the cake in the fridge for 1 hour to set the ganache, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Store in a cake box or an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.
Slices- Freeze individual slices on a parchment-lined tray until firm, then wrap each slice in plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe bag or container.
To thaw- Place in the fridge overnight, then let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
Make it ahead of time
You can make this cake ahead by freezing the cake layers ahead of time. Wrap each cake layer with a few layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months.
Thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours or in the fridge overnight.
When you are ready to frost and assemble the cake, make the frosting and filling, and assemble the cake as instructed.
Substitutions
Dairy-free- to make this cake dairy-free, replace the buttermilk with almond milk. Also, replace the heavy cream with coconut cream. For the coconut filling, use dairy-free sweetened condensed milk.
Egg-free- to make this cake egg-free, replace the eggs with ⅔ cup of applesauce.
Gluten-free - if you want to make this recipe gluten-free, simply replace the flour with gluten-free flour.
Variations
Toasted coconut- before you make the filling, toast the coconut for a deeper flavor.
Add chopped nuts- mix in ⅓ cup of chopped pecans or walnuts to the coconut filling. It adds crunch and a nutty twist.
Coconut buttercream frosting- swap the ganache for coconut buttercream for a sweeter finish.
Serving Tips
Serve at room temperature- let the cake sit out for 30–60 minutes before serving. This softens the ganache and brings out the flavors.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl (set of 3)
- Whisk Set (pack of 3) to whisk the ingredients together
- 8-inch cake pans.
- Rubber spatula
- Pastry bag
- Cake strips
- Electric hand mixer
- Kitchen scale
More cake recipes
Vanilla Cake w/ Chocolate Frosting- This vanilla cake with chocolate frosting is made with soft and fluffy vanilla cake layers, frosted with silky and rich chocolate frosting.
Lemon Sheet Cake- This moist lemon sheet cake is made with a soft lemon cake topped with whipped lemon mascarpone frosting and swirled with lemon curd.
Lemon Meringue Cake- This lemon meringue cake is made with two layers of soft lemon cake filled with lemon curd and topped with toasted Swiss meringue.
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If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Coconut Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- 3 Eggs
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups Granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup Vegetable oil
- ½ cup Sour cream
- ¾ cup Buttermilk
- ⅔ cup Cocoa powder
- ½ cup Shredded coconut
- 2 cups Flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- ¾ cup Coffee hot
For the chocolate ganache
- 9 oz Dark chocolate
- 9 oz Heavy cream
For the coconut filling
- 1 cup Shredded coconut
- ½ cup Heavy cream
- ¼ cup Sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and prep two 8-inch baking pans with cooking spray and parchment paper.
- Into a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, buttermilk, oil, vanilla extract, kosher salt, granulated sugar, sour cream, and sift the cocoa powder, and mix with a whisk until well combined.
- Add the shredded coconut and mix well.
- Sift the flour, add the baking powder, and baking soda, and mix until almost combined.
- Add the hot coffee and mix until the batter is smooth and there are no large lumps of flour visible.
- Divide the mixture into two 8-inch baking pans. I suggest using cake strips for even baking. (Weigh the batter for better results.) and bake in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. (You can also use a 9-inch cake pan.)
- Allow the cake layers to cool completely. Run a butter knife or a thin spatula around the edges of the cake to release it from the sides of the pan.
- Invert and Tap: Place a wire rack or plate over the pan, hold them firmly, and flip to invert the pan. Lift Gently: Carefully lift one side of the pan, then remove it completely to slide your cake onto the surface.
Make the chocolate ganache
- Chop the dark chocolate and place it into a large bowl. Heat the cream in a saucepan until it comes to a simmer. Pour the cream into the bowl with the chopped chocolate.
- Let the chocolate and the cream sit for 10 minutes for the chocolate to melt, then mix until the chocolate ganache is smooth and silky.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming, and place it in the fridge until it reaches a spreadable consistency.
- Whip the ganache with an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer with the balloon attachment until it's fluffy and lighter in color.
Make the coconut filling
- In a bowl, add the shredded coconut, heavy cream, and sweetened condensed milk and mix until well combined.
Assembly
- Pipe a circle around the edges of the cake using the whipped ganache. Then fill the circle with the coconut filling and smooth it out.
- Top with the second cake layer and frost the cake with the ganache.
- Top with shredded coconut if desired, and serve!
Notes
- Don’t skip the coffee in the cake; you can’t taste the coffee, it simply enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Make sure that you are using fresh ingredients like baking soda and baking powder. If they are expired your cake will not rise up beautifully.
- Use cake strips! Cake strips give you even and perfectly baked cake layers.
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and butter. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have a moist cake and not a dense and dry cake.
- Serve at room temperature for optimal taste. Bring the chocolate cake to room temperature before serving to ensure that the frosting is creamy and not hard and will melt in your mouth.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper! This step helps the cake to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your cake will release easily from the pan.
- Be patient! I know it’s extremely tempting to frost this cake as it is pulled out of the oven, but let the cake cool for at least 1 hour so it will be firmer and won’t crumble up, and prevent the frosting from melting.
RB says
Reason for using sour cream..any alternative for it
RichandDelish says
Hi, you can use Greek yogurt as a substitute for sour cream.