Blue Ribbon Group Tropical Coconut Cake Recipe
Minnesota State Fair, 1st Place, Great Cake Contest
This Tropical Coconut Cake recipe makes a tender, rich cake you are going to absolutely love. Coconut cream goes into both the cake batter and the frosting. This enhances the texture as well as the flavor.
Katie Knott won the King Arthur Great Cake Contest at the 2012 Minnesota State Fair with this recipe. She won first place and big-time bragging rights. Her cake was picked from dozens of competing cakes.
We think you will swoon over this cake’s scrumptiousness. Pro-tip here: a good coconut extract adds to the aroma and flavor, which contest judges closely evaluate. Crushed pineapple in the batter gives the cake a tropical theme and adds extra moisture too.
As always, we test the recipes before sharing them with you all. Our test runs turned out terrific! We love the look and taste of toasted coconut. It gives the cake a mouth-watering look, especially for coconut lovers, which we absolutely are.
This is such a tasty cake. One mouthful and you’ll know why it’s a blue ribbon winning recipe.
Make this Tropical Coconut Cake recipe soon, and then stay tuned! We’ll be sharing the winning coconut cake from the 2021 Blue Ribbon Baking Contest at the Minnesota State Fair soon.
-Cyndi
Tropical Coconut Cake Recipe
8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) unsalted butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
1 (15 ounce) can coconut cream
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple (drained)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsweetened coconut (flakes or shredded), toasted
Frosting:
8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) unsalted butter (softened)
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup coconut cream
1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottoms of two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and spray both with cooking spray. In large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and egg yolks; beat until combined. Mix in coconut cream, coconut extract, and pineapple. In separate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir until well combined. Pour batter into both cake pans, dividing evenly. Bake 25-30 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Turn cakes onto cooling rack and cool completely.
Frosting: using mixer, beat butter, sugar, coconut cream, and coconut extract until smooth and creamy. Place bottom layer of cake on serving platter, spread 1/3 of the frosting on top. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup toasted coconut. Add top cake layer. Frost top and sides with remaining frosting. Sprinkle with remaining toasted coconut.
