Creamy Paradise: Heavenly Sour Cream Coconut Cake Recipe

Dessert enthusiasts adore this decadent sour cream coconut cake that promises pure bliss with every bite.

Creamy textures and tropical coconut notes dance together in a harmonious blend of sweet indulgence.

The rich, moist layers showcase a perfect balance of classic cake techniques and vibrant flavors.

Each slice tells a story of comfort and culinary creativity.

Soft, tender crumbs melt on your tongue, releasing waves of coconutty goodness.

Subtle hints of vanilla and the smooth sour cream create a delightful backdrop for this crowd-pleasing treat.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Calories: 311 kcal

Servings: 13

Sour Cream Coconut Cake: Ingredients You Need

• Cake Mix: Provides a quick and reliable foundation for the cake, ensuring consistent texture and flavor.
• Sour Cream: Adds incredible moisture and tangy richness, creating a tender crumb that melts in your mouth.
• Vegetable Oil: Ensures the cake stays incredibly soft and prevents dryness, helping to create a smooth batter.
• Eggs: Bind ingredients together and contribute to the cake's structure and rise.
• Coconut Milk: Enhances tropical flavor and adds extra moisture, creating a luxurious cake texture.
• Coconut Extract: Intensifies the coconut flavor, giving the cake a delightful and aromatic tropical essence.

• Parchment Paper: Prevents sticking and ensures easy cake removal with clean edges.
• Cake Pans: Standard 9-inch round pans create perfect layer cake shape for even baking.

• Flour: Used for dusting pans to prevent cake from sticking and ensure smooth release.
• Cooking Spray or Butter: Helps grease pans for effortless cake removal and prevents burning.

Tools for Sour Cream Coconut Cake

• Large mixing bowl: Essential for combining all cake ingredients thoroughly.
• Electric mixer: Perfect for beating batter to smooth consistency.
• 9-inch round cake pans (2): Required for baking the cake layers.
• Parchment paper: Optional but helpful for easy cake removal.
• Measuring cups and spoons: Precise measurements ensure baking success.
• Spatula: Useful for scraping down bowl sides and smooth batter transfer.
• Cooling rack: Helps cake cool evenly after baking.

How to Make Sour Cream Coconut Cake

• Warm Up The Oven

Crank your oven to a toasty 350°F and get those cake pans ready by giving them a light spray and dusting of flour.

• Mix

Toss all your delicious ingredients into a big mixing bowl – cake mix, creamy sour cream, slick vegetable oil, eggs, dreamy coconut milk, and that heavenly coconut extract.

• Blend Like A Pro

Grab your electric mixer and whirl those ingredients together on medium speed. Let everything dance and swirl for 2-3 minutes until you’ve got a silky smooth batter that looks absolutely perfect.

• Pour And Spread

Gently pour your luscious batter into the prepared pans, making sure it’s evenly distributed so each slice will be pure coconut heaven.

• Bake To Golden Perfection

Slide those pans into the preheated oven and let them bake for about 25-30 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when a toothpick comes out clean and the tops are a gorgeous golden brown.

• Cool And Celebrate

Pull your beautiful cakes out and let them cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Then carefully turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting or serving.

Pro Tips for Sour Cream Coconut Cake

• Add an extra dollop of sour cream to the batter for a more tender, rich cake texture that melts in your mouth.
• Replace the standard cake mix with a gluten-free cake mix to accommodate those with wheat sensitivities without losing flavor.
• Sprinkle toasted coconut flakes or add fresh pineapple chunks between layers for a vibrant, island-inspired flavor profile.
• Substitute sour cream with coconut yogurt and use dairy-free milk alternatives to make the cake friendly for lactose-intolerant bakers.
• Experiment with cream cheese frosting, coconut buttercream, or a light vanilla glaze to complement the cake's tropical essence.

Serving Sour Cream Coconut Cake Like a Pro

• Tropical Paradise Plating: Arrange cake slices on a white plate with fresh pineapple chunks and a sprinkle of toasted coconut flakes for a vibrant, island-inspired presentation.
• Creamy Coconut Frosting Finish: Whip up a quick cream cheese and coconut frosting by mixing softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, coconut extract, and shredded coconut to spread between layers and on top.
• Elegant Dessert Companion: Serve alongside a scoop of coconut sorbet or pair with a tropical fruit cocktail to elevate the cake's flavor profile and create a complete dessert experience.
• Coffeehouse Delight Pairing: Complement the cake with a warm cup of coconut-infused coffee or a chai latte to enhance the rich, sweet coconut notes and create a delightful afternoon treat.

Meal Planning & Storing Sour Cream Coconut Cake

• Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days to maintain its moisture and delicate coconut flavor.
• Keep the cake covered with a cake dome or plastic wrap at room temperature for 2-3 days if you plan to enjoy it soon after baking.
• Wrap individual cake slices or the entire cake tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months for a make-ahead dessert option that stays fresh and delicious.
• Place a slice of bread next to the cake in the storage container to help keep the cake soft and prevent it from drying out during storage.

FAQs

• What makes the sour cream important in this cake recipe?

Sour cream adds moisture, tenderness, and a rich, tangy flavor to the cake, helping to create a soft and velvety texture that keeps the cake from becoming dry.

• Can I substitute coconut milk with another liquid?

While coconut milk provides a distinct coconut flavor, you can use regular milk, but the cake will have a less pronounced coconut taste. For best results, stick to the original recipe.

• Do I need special equipment to make this cake?

No, just a standard electric mixer and two 9-inch round cake pans are sufficient. If you don’t have parchment paper, greasing and flouring the pans works perfectly fine.

• Is this cake suitable for beginners?

Absolutely! This recipe uses a cake mix as a base, which simplifies the process and makes it very easy for novice bakers to create a delicious homemade cake with minimal effort.

Heavenly Sour Cream Coconut Cake Recipe

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4.7 from 25 reviews

• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 13 1x

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Description

Irresistible sour cream coconut cake delivers tropical sweetness with classic Southern charm. Moist layers infused with coconut flavor promise delightful indulgence for dessert enthusiasts seeking comfort and pure pleasure.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 box white cake mix (15.25 oz / 432 g)
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup sour cream (240 ml / 8 fl oz)
• ½ cup vegetable oil (120 ml / 4 fl oz)
• ½ cup coconut milk (or regular milk) (120 ml / 4 fl oz)
• 1 tsp coconut extract
• 8 oz sour cream (227 g)
• 1 cup powdered sugar (120 g)
• ½ cup shredded sweetened coconut (40 g, plus extra for garnish)
• 8 oz whipped topping (such as Cool Whip), thawed (227 g)

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Instructions

1. Oven Preparation: Calibrate oven to 350F (175C) and strategically line cake pans with parchment paper or apply a thin grease and flour coating to prevent adhesion.
2. Batter Creation: Consolidate cake mix, sour cream, vegetable oil, eggs, coconut milk, and coconut extract into a generously sized mixing bowl, utilizing an electric mixer at medium velocity for 2-3 minutes until achieving a seamless, velvety consistency with zero lumpy interruptions.
3. Pan Distribution: Meticulously allocate batter across prepared pans, maintaining uniform volume and smooth surface tension to guarantee balanced cake layers.
4. Baking Process: Situate pans centrally within preheated oven, allowing consistent thermal circulation for 25-30 minutes, periodically verifying doneness through a strategic toothpick test – a clean extraction signals perfect cake completion.
5. Cooling Protocol: Extract cakes from oven and transfer to wire cooling rack, permitting complete temperature reduction before attempting removal or frosting to preserve structural integrity and prevent potential fragmentation.

Notes

• Manage Moisture Precisely: Use room temperature ingredients to create a smoother, more even cake texture and prevent potential separation in the batter.
• Control Coconut Intensity: Adjust coconut extract quantity based on personal preference, allowing flexibility in flavor strength without compromising cake structure.
• Prevent Potential Dryness: Watch baking time carefully, as over-baking can result in a dry cake; start checking doneness around 22-25 minutes to maintain optimal moisture.
• Enhance Flavor Complexity: Consider toasting unsweetened coconut flakes and sprinkle on top or between layers for added depth and textural contrast in the final presentation.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 13
• Calories: 311
• Sugar: 22 g
• Sodium: 276 mg
• Fat: 16 g
• Saturated Fat: 9 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 39 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 4 g
• Cholesterol: 63 mg