Coconut Lemon Bundt Cake
A recipe for coconut lemon Bundt Cake that you’ll be proud to serve for a special occasion: a moist lemon cake topped with easy-to-make icing and sweet coconut flakes.
Even though this cake is beautiful, you don’t have to do any fussy decorating. That’s the best thing about Bundt cakes; they are beautiful right out of the pan!
Coconut Lemon Bundt Cake
Equipment
- 10 or 12 cup Bundt pan
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 cup butter, unsalted, softened 2 sticks
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
For the icing
- 1¾ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ cup sweetened flaked coconut
Instructions
Make the Cake
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the center Prepare a 10 or 12 cup Bundt pan by generously spraying with cooking spray or coating with shortening and dusting with flour.
- Beat butter and sugar. Beat butter and sugar using an electric mixer for 3 to 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. The color of the butter will change when it has been beaten enough. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat each in until well combined. Add the coconut extract.
- Finish batter. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate large mixing bowl. Add to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk, one third at a time, mixing on low until just combined. Do not overbeat. Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest by hand. Pour the cake batter into the pan and smooth the top.
- Bake. Bake for 45-55 minutes until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then carefully flip onto a wire cooling rack. Once the cake has coole, make the frosting.
To finish
- Frost and garnish. Combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl and mix until it is smooth. The icing should be thick and barely pourable. Pour onto the very top of the cake and allow the icing to settle down the sides of the cake. Sprinkle the flaked coconut on top before the icing sets. Cake will keep tightly covered at room temperature for at least 2 days.
Notes
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the cake
- 1 cup softened unsalted butter
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs (room temperature is best)
- 1 teaspoon coconut flavor or extract. (substitute vanilla extract if you don’t have any coconut)
- 1 cup milk (whole milk is always best for baking, but its okay if you don’t have it. You can also substitute coconut milk)
- 3 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- A non-stick cooking spray or shortening dusted with flour, to coat the pan
To make the icing
- 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 cup or more of sweetened flaked coconut.
(Three or four lemons in total should do it.)
A note about your pan and sticking
Bundt cakes are notorious for sticking, so make sure you take a moment to prevent that from happening. If you have a cooking spray with added flour, such as Pam for baking, that is great choice for this recipe. Otherwise, try brushing the pan with melted shortening, using a pastry brush to get into the crevices. Then dust flour on top.
Whatever method you choose, don’t forget the inside circle of the Bundt Cake pan. When working with a Bundt pan, it’s best to spray it right before you put the batter in. If you spray it, then set it aside, the cooking spray will often settle at the bottom and leave the sides uncoated.
More Bundt cakes and lemon cakes:
- If you love these ingredients the way I do and you’re looking for even more lemon, try coconut cupcakes filled with lemon curd
- Sourdough lemon cake uses a lemon syrup/ glaze technique
- Blackberry Bundt Cake is perfect for using fresh produce in your baking
- This list of Christmas Bundt Cake recipes surely has something perfect for your winter kitchen.
By Katie Shaw
Katie lives in Virginia with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens. She loves creating simple tutorials for sourdough, bread, and soap. Her recipes, articles, and YouTube videos reach millions of people per year.