Coco Real Coconut Cake is a scratch coconut cake made with cream of coconut, the key ingredient in Pina Coladas. It's a different product than coconut cream, so if you are looking for a coconut cake made with coconut cream, this isn't the one. But this is a good cake, and you can use the leftover cream of coconut for drinks.
Inspired by The Shubox Cafe Coconut Cake
The recipe is an offshoot of a layer cake attributed to The Shubox Café in New Jersey. The Shubox Cafe cake is a standard size 9-inch round layer cake like the one pictured above. We didn't need so much cake, so I halved the recipe, made some other changes and baked it as an 8 inch square. It is a very dense, moist cake that stays fresh for a couple of days. The picture below is an older one which I need to update, but it shows a piece cut from a square cake pan.
Coco Real vs. Coco Lopez vs. Coconut Cream
The key to this cake is of course the cream of coconut, which is not nearly as common an ingredient as coconut cream. However, it's a fun product to bake with! As far as brands go, normally I'd use Coco Lopez, but Coco Real comes in a 21 ounce squeeze bottle, so it's the best choice for this smaller size cake. But feel free to use any brand.
Coconut Cake Frosting
If you have a different coconut cake recipe but are on the hunt for a good frosting, this one is unique. It's a cream cheese frosting with whipped cream folded in to lighten.
Recipe
Coco Real Coconut Layer Cake
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs (105 grams)
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened (114 grams)
- ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (160 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons cream of coconut Coco Real
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (190 grams)
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup milk, room temperature
- ⅓ cup shredded or flaked sweetened coconut
Cream Cheese Icing
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream (120 grams)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (120 grams)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (28 grams)
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar (110 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup shredded or flaked sweetened coconut lightly toasted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Thoroughly grease and flour an 8 inch square metal pan.
- Crack the eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. Put the whites in metal mixing bowl and beat with a hand held electric mixer until soft peaks form. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in the egg yolks and the vanilla, then beat in the cream of coconut.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add the flour mixture and the milk to the batter alternately, stirring by hand just until flour is incorporated. Stir in the coconut.
- Fold in the beaten egg whites.
- Pour the batter into the pan and bake on center rack for about 40 minutes or until it appears set and springs back when touched. Let cool completely on a rack and frost with Cream Cheese Icing.
Coconut Frosting
- Beat the cream until stiff peaks form and set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sugar. Beat in the vanilla, then fold in the whipped cream. Spread over cake and sprinkle with toasted coconut.
Sue says
I made this for my husband’s birthday and it was a big hit with everyone. It’s not too sweet and the frosting is just right with the cake.
I doubled the recipe and baked it in two 8x3” round pans. I think it took only 3 extra minutes of baking time.
I will definitely make this again.
Anna says
Yes, it's definitely thicker than cream. I'd say it's kind of like a thin gel.
T. Martin says
Anna,
Is Coco Real a pulp like consistency? You mentioned squeezing it out of a tube thus there has to be some substance to it vs. a liquid/cream.
Julie says
I get it now. I thought you were calling for unsweetened in the cake, but not the frosting. I'd rather use sweetened because at least it's tasty!
Anna says
Julia, I usually use store brand flaked, sweetened coconut or Baker's. If I'm making something where the coconut has to be unsweetened, then I buy the type they sell in the produce section that comes in a clear bag. I'll have to check the name of the brand, because I couldn't even tell you! But lately I've been using sweetened because it's so easy to find.
Julie says
Hi Anna, what type/brand of flaked coconut do you use? I've used the "Let's Do Organic" brand shredded unsweetened, and I always feel the coconut flavor is really weak. So many recipes call for unsweetened now, but I don't know if it is adding anything. Thoughts?
Sue says
Another recipe to try! I like that the recipe is small.
I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for the Coco Real.
Holiday Baker Man says
I have been dreaming about coconut cake for a while.....
Katrina says
I have a bottle of that cream of coconut in the fridge. Used it for pina coladas (virgin, of course). 😉 Mmm, CAKE! Can you tell I want something sweet? 😉
Anna says
I'll bet there are a lot of amazing bakeries in New Jersey! Also, I think the Shubox is now closed.
Chewthefat says
Despite living in NJ, I've never heard of that restaurant! The most famous bakery in NJ I know of is the B&W crumb cake (which is more crumb than cake).