This chocolate coconut cake has moist chocolate cake layers filled with a sweet coconut filling and frosted with a silky whipped chocolate ganache.
If you love the combination of rich chocolate and sweet coconut, this cake is for you.
The chocolate layers come together in just one bowl with no stand mixer needed, and they stay super moist for days thanks to the sour cream and oil.
The center tastes just like a Bounty or Almond Joy bar, while the whipped ganache wraps everything together without making the cake feel too heavy.
For more chocolate cake recipes, check out my chocolate cake with chocolate mousse and chocolate ganache cake.
Jump to:
Why this recipe works
- One-Bowl Chocolate Batter: You don't need a stand mixer or butter-creaming steps. Just whisk the wet and dry ingredients together in one bowl.
- Chewy Coconut Center: Made with shredded coconut and sweetened condensed milk, the filling holds its shape well and adds a great texture against the soft cake.
- Two-Ingredient Whipped Ganache: Whipping chilled ganache lightens the dark chocolate into a soft, spreadable frosting that isn't overly sweet.
- Stays Moist for Days: Using vegetable oil and sour cream keeps the sponge tender, even after sitting in the fridge.
Ingredients
Measure out your ingredients before starting so the baking process goes smoothly. Full gram measurements are on the recipe card at the bottom.
For the cake
All-Purpose Flour: Standard flour gives the cake the right structure. Cake flour works well too if you want a lighter crumb.
Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder: Gives a deeper, darker chocolate flavor and color. Unsweetened natural cocoa powder works as an equal swap.
Baking Powder & Baking Soda: Using both gives the cake a good rise without making it dry.
Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cake and locks in moisture. Caster sugar works great too.
Vegetable Oil: Keeps the sponge soft after chilling. Canola oil works as an equal replacement.
Sour Cream: Adds moisture and a little tang to balance the cocoa. Full-fat Greek yogurt works fine here.
Eggs: Use large, room-temperature eggs so they mix smoothly into the liquid.
Buttermilk: Makes the crumb extra tender. If you don't have any, mix 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar and let it sit for 10 minutes.
Hot Coffee: Strongly brewed espresso or instant coffee blooms the cocoa powder and deepens the chocolate flavor. You won't taste coffee in the finished cake.
Vanilla Extract & Kosher Salt: Brings out the chocolate flavor.
For the coconut filling
Unsweetened Shredded Coconut: Gives the filling its chewy, coconutty texture.
Sweetened Condensed Milk: Binds the coconut together and adds sweetness.
Heavy Cream: Helps loosen the filling slightly so it spreads smoothly without tearing the cake.
For the whipped chocolate ganache
Heavy Cream: Use full-fat heavy whipping cream (at least 36% fat content) so the ganache whips up properly.
Dark Chocolate (60% to 70%): Use good quality chopped chocolate bars or high-quality chips so the ganache melts smoothly.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Bake the Cake Layers
Prep: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Spray two 8-inch cake pans with nonstick spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, salt, sugar, sour cream, and sifted cocoa powder together until smooth.
Add Dry Ingredients: Sift in the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk gently until almost combined.
Pour in Coffee: Add the hot coffee and whisk just until the batter is smooth with no flour lumps left.
Bake: Divide the batter evenly between the two pans (use a scale for accuracy). Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the layers cool completely in the pans on a wire rack.
Make the Whipped Ganache
Melt: Chop the dark chocolate and place it in a bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it simmers, then pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit untouched for 10 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
Chill: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the ganache surface to prevent a skin from forming. Place in the fridge for about 1 to 2 hours, until cold and thickened.
Whip: Beat the chilled ganache with an electric mixer for 1 to 2 minutes until it lightens in color and holds soft peaks. Don't overmix, or it can turn grainy.
Make the Coconut Filling
Stir the shredded coconut, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream together in a bowl until fully combined.
Assemble the Cake
Set Layer & Pipe Dam: Place the first cooled cake layer on your plate. Fit a piping bag with whipped ganache and pipe a tall ring around the outer top edge of the cake. This holds the coconut filling in place.
Fill: Spread the coconut filling inside the ring and smooth it down evenly.
Frost: Top with the second cake layer. Use an offset spatula to frost the top and sides of the cake with the rest of the whipped ganache. Sprinkle extra coconut on top if you like.
Expert Tips
- Use Room Temperature Dairy & Eggs: Cold eggs or sour cream can cause the oil and liquids to separate during mixing.
- Don't Overwhip the Ganache: Stop mixing as soon as the ganache turns fluffy and holds soft peaks. Overwhipping breaks the fat emulsion and makes it grainy.
- Always Pipe a Ganache Ring: The coconut filling is soft, so piping a thick border of ganache around the bottom layer keeps the center from squeezing out the sides when you stack the cake.
- Cool the Layers Completely: If the cake layers are even slightly warm, the ganache will melt instantly and slide off.
Troubleshooting
Why is my whipped ganache grainy or split?
This happens if the ganache was whipped for too long or was too cold when you started mixing. To fix it, gently warm 2 tablespoons of heavy cream, pour it in, and stir slowly by hand with a rubber spatula until it smooths back out.
Why did my cake sink in the middle?
This usually means the baking soda or baking powder was expired, or the oven door was opened too early during baking, causing the heat to drop.
Why is the cake layer crumbling while I frost it?
Soft, moist cakes can crumble easily if you try to spread firm frosting over them. Pop your cooled cake layers in the fridge for 30 minutes before assembling to firm them up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Toasting the shredded coconut in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 3 to 5 minutes gives it a deeper, nuttier flavor and a nice golden color.
No. You can leave the ganache at room temperature to set into a thick glaze instead, but whipping it makes it lighter and easier to spread over the cake.
Unsweetened works best because the condensed milk already adds plenty of sugar. If you use sweetened coconut, the filling will turn out noticeably sweeter.
Storing
Keep the cake covered in an airtight container or cake box in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you've already cut into it, press a piece of plastic wrap against the exposed slices so they don't dry out.
Freezing
Individual Slices: Place slices on a parchment-lined tray in the freezer for 1 hour until firm, then wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
Unfrosted Layers: Wrap individual cooled cake layers in two layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before assembling.
Make it ahead of time
Cake Layers: Bake the layers up to 2 days ahead, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and keep at room temperature (or freeze for longer).
Ganache: You can make the unwhipped ganache up to 3 days in advance and keep it covered in the fridge. Let it sit on the counter for 20 minutes to soften slightly before whipping.
Substitutions
Dairy Free: Swap buttermilk for almond milk plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Replace heavy cream with canned full-fat coconut cream, and use dairy-free condensed milk for the filling.
Egg Free: Replace the 2 eggs with ⅔ cup of unsweetened applesauce.
Gluten Free: Swap the flour 1:1 with a measure-for-measure gluten-free baking blend that includes xanthan gum.
Variations
Almond Joy Style: Stir ⅓ cup of chopped roasted almonds into the coconut filling for extra crunch.
Double Coconut: Replace half of the heavy cream in the ganache with full-fat canned coconut milk for extra coconut flavor in the frosting.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- 8-inch cake pans
- Rubber spatula
- Pastry bag
- Cake strips
- Electric hand mixer
- Kitchen scale
More cake recipes
Vanilla Cake w/ Chocolate Frosting- Soft vanilla cake layers topped with rich chocolate frosting.
Lemon Sheet Cake- Simple lemon sheet cake topped with whipped mascarpone frosting and lemon curd.
Lemon Meringue Cake- Lemon cake layers filled with lemon curd and topped with toasted Swiss meringue.
Connect With Us
Review: Leave a rating and comment below if you enjoyed this recipe. Socials: Follow on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Save: Pin this recipe to Pinterest for later.
📖 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 AP, plain 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
Bake the Cake Layers
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Spray two 8-inch cake pans with nonstick spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, salt, sugar, sour cream, and sifted cocoa powder together until smooth.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Sift in the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk gently until almost combined.
- Pour in Coffee: Add the hot coffee and whisk just until the batter is smooth with no flour lumps left.
- Bake: Divide the batter evenly between the two pans (use a scale for accuracy). Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the layers cool completely in the pans on a wire rack.
Make the Whipped Ganache
- Melt: Chop the dark chocolate and place it in a bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it simmers, then pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit untouched for 10 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
- Chill: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the ganache surface to prevent a skin from forming. Place in the fridge for about 1 to 2 hours, until cold and thickened.
- Whip: Beat the chilled ganache with an electric mixer for 1 to 2 minutes until it lightens in color and holds soft peaks. Don't overmix, or it can turn grainy.
Make the Coconut Filling
- Stir the shredded coconut, sweetened condensed milk, and heavy cream together in a bowl until fully combined.
Assemble the Cake
- Set Layer & Pipe Dam: Place the first cooled cake layer on your plate. Fit a piping bag with whipped ganache and pipe a tall ring around the outer top edge of the cake. This holds the coconut filling in place.
- Fill: Spread the coconut filling inside the ring and smooth it down evenly.
- Frost: Top with the second cake layer. Use an offset spatula to frost the top and sides of the cake with the rest of the whipped ganache. Sprinkle extra coconut on top if you like.
Notes
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Use room temperature eggs, sour cream, and buttermilk so the liquid ingredients blend smoothly without separating.
- Weighing Dry Ingredients: Always weigh flour and cocoa powder with a digital kitchen scale for accurate results. If using measuring cups, fluff the flour, spoon it in, and level it off.
- Hot Coffee Purpose: Hot coffee blooms the cocoa powder to deepen the chocolate flavor without adding a coffee taste. Swap with equal parts hot water or hot milk if preferred.
- Ganache Handling: Do not overwhip the ganache. Stop beating as soon as it turns fluffy and holds soft peaks to avoid a grainy texture.
- Piping a Ganache Border: Always pipe a thick ring of whipped ganache around the outer edge of the bottom cake layer to lock the coconut filling inside.
- Storage and Serving: Store the cake in the fridge. Take it out 20 to 30 minutes before serving so the ganache softens and the sponge returns to a tender consistency.
- Make Ahead Freezing: Wrap cooled unfrosted cake layers in two layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before assembling.
Nina says
The best combination and the chocolate cake layers were super soft.
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.