Name: Coconut cake
Yield: 1 three-layer cake, about 12 slices
Cuisine: United States
Ingredients: 295 g Cake flour Not self-raising; 10 mL Baking powder; 2.5 mL Baking soda; 5 mL Fine salt; 170 g Unsalted butter Soft; 330 g Caster sugar; 5 Large egg whites; 120 g Sour cream; 10 mL Alcohol-free vanilla flavouring; 240 mL Canned coconut milk Unsweetened, full-fat; stir smooth; 80 g Sweetened shredded coconut

Method

01 · Prepare
5 min
Use: Equipment
Heat the oven. Grease and line three 20 cm round tins.
Ready when: Pan ready before mixing.
01 PrepareGrease and line the three round tins.
02 · Mix dry
1 min
Use: Dry
Whisk the dry ingredients.
Ready when: Even colour.
02 Mix dryWhisk the dry ingredients until evenly mixed.
03 · Cream
4 min
Use: Cream
Beat butter and sugar until fluffy.
Ready when: Creamy mixture.
03 CreamBeat the butter and sugar until fluffy.
04 · Combine
2 min
Use: Mix dry, Cream, Wet, Milk, Coconut
Beat in the wet group, then mix in dry mixture and coconut milk on low. Fold in coconut.
Ready when: Thick, even batter.
04 CombineMix the batter, then fold in the shredded coconut.
05 · Bake
21–24 min
Use: Combine
Transfer to the prepared pan and bake.
Ready when: Centre springs back; skewer has crumbs, not wet batter.
05 BakeBake the batter divided between the three tins until the centres are set.
06 · Cool
Until cool
Use: Bake
Cool in tins for 1 hour, then unmould onto racks.
Ready when: Ready for icing.
06 CoolAfter resting in the tins, unmould the layers onto racks.

What to look for

Stage	Look / feel for	Needs attention
Combine	Thick, even batter.	Stop at this cue rather than relying only on elapsed time.
Bake	Centre springs back; skewer has crumbs, not wet batter.	Stop at this cue rather than relying only on elapsed time.
Cool	Ready for icing.	Stop at this cue rather than relying only on elapsed time.

Troubleshooting

If you see this	Likely cause	What to do now	Next time
Sunken centre	The batter was underbaked or lost too much air.	If still in the oven, continue until the centre is set.	Use the stated pan and avoid opening the oven early.
Dry crumb	Excess flour or baking time.	Serve with an appropriate cream or filling.	Weigh flour and check doneness at the low end of the range.

Finish with cream-cheese icing from the library.

Ingredient choices & substitutions

Ingredient	Specified type	Brand	Status
Cake flour	Not self-raising	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Unsalted butter	Soft	No required brand	Match the ingredient type
Canned coconut milk	Unsweetened, full-fat; stir smooth	No required brand	Match the ingredient type

Ingredient	Alternative / ratio	Adjust handling	Likely outcome
Cake flour	Plain flour plus cornstarch255 g flour + 40 g cornstarch	Sift thoroughly.	Slightly firmer crumb.
Coconut milk	Another full-fat canned coconut milk240 mL	Avoid thin drinking coconut milk.	Similar moisture and fat.

Match the ingredient’s function and weight. See the flour, gluten, yeast and salt guide.

Other approaches to this recipe

Cook / recipe	Use	What differs

The working ingredients and method form one recipe. Different formulas are compared without averaging their quantities or rise schedules.

Recommended Tools Regular Baker	Casual Baker Workarounds Hacks
Digital kitchen scale	Borrow a suitable scale for the gram amounts. Use measuring cups only where a volume is provided; fluff flour, spoon it in and level without packing.
Measuring spoons and a marked jug	Use standard measuring spoons for small volumes and a kitchen measuring jug for liquids; eating spoons vary in size.
Three 20 cm round cake tins	Use an existing pan of the same dimensions, depth and material where possible. A different size changes thickness and cooking time; do not fill a smaller pan with the full batch.
Bowls	Use a clean food-safe bowl with enough headroom for mixing or rising. For whipped whites, keep it free of grease.
Spatula	Use a flexible food-safe scraper or a flat spoon suited to the task; choose heat-resistant tools for hot pans.
Cooling rack	Set a clean, cool wire trivet over a tray. Let air reach underneath; a flat plate can trap steam.

Recommended Tools Regular Baker	Casual Baker Workarounds Hacks
Digital kitchen scale	Borrow a suitable scale for the gram amounts. Use measuring cups only where a volume is provided; fluff flour, spoon it in and level without packing.
Measuring spoons and a marked jug	Use standard measuring spoons for small volumes and a kitchen measuring jug for liquids; eating spoons vary in size.
Three 20 cm round cake tins	Use an existing pan of the same dimensions, depth and material where possible. A different size changes thickness and cooking time; do not fill a smaller pan with the full batch.
Bowls	Use a clean food-safe bowl with enough headroom for mixing or rising. For whipped whites, keep it free of grease.
Spatula	Use a flexible food-safe scraper or a flat spoon suited to the task; choose heat-resistant tools for hot pans.
Cooling rack	Set a clean, cool wire trivet over a tray. Let air reach underneath; a flat plate can trap steam.

Coconut cake

Coconut cake

Coconut cake

Method

01 · Prepare

02 · Mix dry

03 · Cream

04 · Combine

05 · Bake

06 · Cool

What to look for

Troubleshooting

Coconut cake

How do I make it?

Prepare

Mix dry

Cream

Combine

Bake

Cool

What can go wrong, and how can I fix it?

Coconut cake at a glance

Formula component	Grams	Flour = 100%
Cake flour	295 g	100%
Unsalted butter	170 g	57.6%
Caster sugar	330 g	111.9%
Sour cream	120 g	40.7%
Sweetened shredded coconut	80 g	27.1%