oconut cake is an old-fashioned, beloved dessert. It is a rich, moist, fresh and decadent cake. Used for a special occasion, this cake makes for a great centerpiece for your dessert table.

Looking back some years growing up, we would get those freezer department coconut cakes at the grocery store. They were full of vanilla and coconut flavor and had a nice layer of icing and sometimes more shredded coconut on top.

Those coconut cakes were an anytime cake. Those cakes bring back great family memories for me.

Taking memories and flavors into mind, I am proud to present my take on those delicious store-bought coconut cakes. This recipe works well with freshly grated coconut. However, if you do not have time to use fresh, pre-sweetened coconut also works out very well and also adds a bit of extra sweetness to each bite.

Coconut cake is a classic event, holiday or anniversary cake. Today, actually, I am celebrating my mom’s birthday with my coconut cake.

I hope you all will try out this easy retro recipe for a timeless, fresh and delicious dessert for Mother’s Day weekend or your next special day.

Celebration Coconut Cake

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

2 cups cake flour

2½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoons salt

4 large eggs

2 cups sugar

1¼ cups coconut milk

1½ cups sweetened coconut

2 sticks unsalted butter

1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon coconut extract

Extra sweetened coconut for garnish

Raspberry jam, for layers

Fresh raspberries, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and set out all of your cold ingredients to get to room temperature.

In the bowl of your mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light. Next, add your eggs one at a time until well combined after each addition.

Mix your dry ingredients together in a bowl and your wet ingredients in another bowl. Add dry and wet ingredients into your stand-up mixing bowl alternately while mixing on low. Beat for a few more minutes, turning up the mixer to medium high. Scrape the mixing bowl a bit to make sure no ingredients have stuck to the bottom of your mixing bowl or to the sides.

Pour your batter evenly into 3 greased parchment-lined 8-inch cake rounds. Bake the cake layers for 25-30 minutes until tested done with a few crumbs on the tester. Allow the cakes to cool a few minutes in the pans on top of cooling racks. Remove the cake layers from the pans and place them on the cooling racks to cool completely. Cover until ready to assemble your cake.

Coconut Buttercream

Approximately 3 cups powdered sugar

3 sticks of unsalted butter

1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon coconut extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

In your stand-up mixer bowl, cream your butter and sugar together until light. Spoon in your salt and mix a minute. Pour in the extracts. Whip, until light, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl to combine all ingredients.

Spread some raspberry jam on each layer of cake. (You can switch out the raspberry and use strawberry and fresh strawberries on top. Use your favorite and seasonal fruits throughout the year.)

Stack and decorate your cake. Decorate your cake to your liking with more shredded coconut and fresh pristine berries such as raspberries.

Sarah Schweitzer is dual-certified in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry from the Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. She is a former line cook for Chef Robert Irvine at “Fresh Kitchen by Robert Irvine” which was located at the Downtown Allentown Market. Sarah is currently working as a Sous-Chef at Ateira’s on First and has her own blog simplysarah.online. She can be reached at sarah.schweitzer18@gmail.com.