Laurie Osteen's Coconut Cake

A delicious layered yellow cake filled with coconut frosting. This classic recipe combines a moist yellow cake mix base with a sweet coconut, sugar, and sour cream frosting that's spread between the layers while warm.

12 servings
4 hr 35 min

Ingredients

  • 1 spray Nonstick vegetable oil spray
  • ¼ cup All-purpose flour
  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 4 large eggs
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1.0625 cup whole milk
  • 2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • 3 pans 8"-diameter cake pans

Cooking Instructions

  1. 1.

    Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat cake pans with nonstick spray. Dust with flour, tapping out excess.

    5 min

  2. 2.

    Whisk cake mix, eggs, oil, and 1 cup milk in a large bowl until no lumps remain. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans; smooth tops.

    10 min

  3. 3.

    Bake cakes until a tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, 10-15 minutes.

    15 min

  4. 4.

    Meanwhile, mix coconut, sugar, sour cream, salt, and remaining 1 tablespoon milk in a medium bowl to combine; set frosting aside.

    5 min

  5. 5.

    Transfer pans to wire racks; let cool 5 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks and spread frosting over tops of warm cakes, dividing evenly. Stack cakes. Let stand at room temperature, covered with a cake dome, or loosely tented with foil, at least 4 hours before serving.

    240 min

  6. 6.

    DO AHEAD: Cake can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.