Coconut Lemon Cake is an easy recipe for a from-scratch layer cake. A homemade coconut buttercream dusted with flaked coconut surrounds the moist cake layers. Our coconut layer cake recipe is the perfect ending to any meal!

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Makes one 8-inch cake, serves 12

Ingredients

Coconut Cake:

• 2 1/3 cups (303 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups (298 grams) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs (150 grams)
• One 14-ounce can (397 grams) coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons coconut extract

Coconut Buttercream & Filling:

• 24 tablespoons (338 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 cups (345 grams) confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1/4 cup (80 grams) lemon curd
• 2 cups (200 grams) shredded coconut

Instructions

Make the Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment paper.

2. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a bowl and reserve

3. With a mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs and beat until blended.

4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and alternately add flour mixture and coconut milk until blended.

5. Add the vanilla extract and coconut extract and beat at medium-high speed until batter is fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.

6. Transfer the batter to prepared pans and bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers of cakes come out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes then remove and cool completely on wire racks, removing parchment paper.

Make the Frosting and Filling:

7. With the mixer on medium-high, beat the butter until smooth, 1 minute.

8. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar on low, beating until blended.

9. Add the milk, vanilla extract and coconut extract and beat until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.

10. Combine 1/2 cup of the frosting and lemon curd in a small bowl, stirring until blended.

Assemble the Cake:

11. Place one cake layer on a serving dish. Top with the lemon filling. Top with the remaining cake layer and frost the top and sides of cake with frosting. Sprinkle with shredded coconut.