Coco Real Coconut Cake is a scratch coconut cake made cream of coconut. Normally I’d use Coco Lopez brand, but Coco Real comes in a 21 ounce squeeze bottle, and I appreciate the convenience of being able to use small amounts. So if you can’t find Coco Real, feel free to just use the same amount of Coco Lopez.
Inspired by The Shubox Cafe Coconut Cake
Coco Real Coconut Cake is an offshoot of a layer cake attributed to The Shubox Café in New Jersey. The Shubox Cafe cake is a giant layer cake. 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.
Coconut Layer Cake
A very dense, rich coconut cake made with Coco Real brand cream of coconut.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs (105 grams)
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened (114 grams)
- 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (160 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cream of coconut Coco Real
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (190 grams)
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk, room temperature
- 1/3 cup shredded or flaked sweetened coconut
Cream Cheese Icing
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 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.
- To make the icing, 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 confectioner’s sugar. Beat in the vanilla, then fold in the whipped cream. Spread over cake and sprinkle with toasted coconut.
Notes
To toast the coconut, lay it on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for about 5 minutes or until the edges of the coconut are brown (the coconut in the center should still be white). Toss it all together (toasted edges and less toasted center).
If you’d prefer using buttermilk, add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to the batter.
You can serve this cake straight out of the pan, but if you want to lift it from the pan and frost the sides, line the pan with foil and grease (or spray) the foil. That way you can just bake, cool, and lift!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Sue
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 8×3” round pans. I think it took only 3 extra minutes of baking time.
I will definitely make this again.
Anna
Yes, it’s definitely thicker than cream. I’d say it’s kind of like a thin gel.
T. Martin
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
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
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
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
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
I have been dreaming about coconut cake for a while…..
Katrina
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
I’ll bet there are a lot of amazing bakeries in New Jersey! Also, I think the Shubox is now closed.
Chewthefat
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).