This is a single-layer coconut lime cake with a butter-and-coconut-cream frosting and toasted shredded coconut on top. It takes about 1 hour 20 minutes start to finish and serves 8. The honest reason to make it: full-fat coconut milk keeps the crumb genuinely moist, and the lime cuts through the richness in a way that makes the whole thing taste lighter than it is.
Before you start
Two things actually matter here. First, your butter needs to be properly softened — not melted, not cold from the fridge. Press a finger in; it should indent easily without sliding through. Under-softened butter won’t cream properly, and you’ll end up with a dense, greasy crumb no matter how long you mix. Second, alternate the dry ingredients with the coconut milk and lime juice in stages, and stop mixing the moment the last of the flour disappears. Overworking a batter with this much liquid develops gluten fast, which turns a tender cake tough.
Ingredient notes
- Full-fat coconut milk: Shake the can well before measuring — the fat and liquid separate as it sits. Light coconut milk will work in a pinch but the crumb will be noticeably less rich. If your can has solidified completely, warm it briefly in a bowl of hot water.
- Coconut cream (frosting): This is thicker and fattier than coconut milk. In a pinch, refrigerate a can of full-fat coconut milk overnight, scoop the solid layer off the top, and use that instead. Regular heavy cream also works if coconut flavor in the frosting matters less to you.
- Unsweetened shredded coconut: Sweetened shredded coconut is fine as a swap — just know the garnish will brown faster when toasting, so watch it closely. Skip the garnish if you’re short on time; it adds texture but not much flavor once the frosting is on.
- Lime: One whole lime gives you both the zest and juice the recipe needs. Bottled lime juice works for the liquid, but you’ll lose the fragrance the zest provides — use the zest if you have a fresh lime at all, even if you supplement with bottled juice.
- Dairy-free swap: Replace the butter in both the batter and frosting with a firm plant-based butter (not a soft spread). Coconut oil works in the batter but can make the frosting greasy; stick to plant-based butter there.
What can go wrong
- Cake sinks in the center: Usually means it came out of the oven too early. A toothpick test at 45 minutes can look clean while the center is still underbaked — press the top gently too. It should spring back. If it leaves a dent, give it 5 more minutes.
- Frosting is too loose to spread: Coconut cream varies a lot by brand. If the frosting won’t hold its shape, add powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time, or refrigerate the bowl for 10 minutes before trying again.
- Frosting is grainy: Powdered sugar that wasn’t sifted is almost always the cause. If it’s already mixed, keep beating — the graininess often smooths out after another 2 minutes on medium-high speed.
- Cake sticks to the pan: Parchment on the bottom is in the recipe, but greasing the sides matters too. If you skipped it, run a thin offset spatula or butter knife around the entire edge before attempting to turn it out.
- Flat, pale top with no rise: Check your baking powder and baking soda. Both lose potency over time. Drop a pinch of baking soda into vinegar — if it doesn’t bubble immediately, replace it before baking.
Storage and make-ahead
The frosted cake keeps well covered at room temperature for up to 2 days — the coconut milk in the crumb actually helps it stay moist longer than a standard butter cake. After that, refrigerate it for up to 4 more days; bring individual slices to room temperature for 20 minutes before serving, because cold frosting mutes the lime flavor noticeably. To get ahead, bake the cake layer up to 2 days in advance, wrap it tightly in plastic once fully cooled, and store at room temperature. Make the frosting the day you plan to serve. The unfrosted cake also freezes well for up to 2 months — wrap in plastic, then foil, and thaw overnight at room temperature still wrapped so condensation forms on the outside rather than on the cake.
Coconut Lime Cake
Equipment
- Oven
- Mixing Bowls
- Electric Mixer
- 9-inch round cake pan
- Cooling Rack
- Citrus zester
Ingredients
For the Cake Batter:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour ensure it is fresh for better texture
- 1 teaspoon baking powder check expiration date for effectiveness
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs preferably organic
- 1 whole lime, zested and juiced fresh limes for optimal flavor
- 1 cup coconut milk full-fat for richness
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar sifted
- ¼ cup coconut cream chilled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut toasted for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper for easy removal.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the lime zest and vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the coconut milk and lime juice. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack and let it cool completely.
- While the cake cools, prepare the frosting. Beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, then the coconut cream and vanilla extract, beating until fluffy and spreadable.
- Once cooled, frost the cake with the prepared frosting, and sprinkle the toasted coconut on top as a garnish.
Notes
Lori’s Tips:Â
- For an added touch, consider adding a hint of mint in the frosting for a refreshing surprise.
- For dairy-free adaptation, substitute butter with plant-based margarine and use coconut oil in the cake batter.
Nutrition
Your questions, answered
Can I make this as a two-layer cake instead of a single layer?
Yes, but you’ll need to double the full recipe to get two layers worth of batter and enough frosting to fill and cover both. Halving the bake time won’t work cleanly — two thinner layers in separate pans will bake faster, so start checking at 25 minutes.
Can I use a different pan size if I don’t have a 9-inch round?
An 8-inch round pan works, but the batter will be deeper and will need closer to 55 minutes. A 9×9 square pan is also a reasonable swap with a similar bake time to the original. Avoid a loaf pan — the center will struggle to set before the edges overbake.
My coconut milk is in the pantry and has been there a while — is it still okay to use?
Check the can for dents, swelling, or rust, and smell it when you open it — it should smell clean and coconutty, not sour or metallic. An unopened can well within its best-by date is fine; coconut milk doesn’t go off quickly in a sealed can, but quality does drop past that date.
Can I reduce the sugar in the frosting?
You can cut the powdered sugar by up to half a cup without the frosting falling apart, though it will be slightly less stiff and a little less sweet. Going further than that makes it hard to get a spreadable consistency without adding more coconut cream, which then makes it too loose.
More sweet things to bake
- Tropical Lime Bars with Toasted Coconut Crunch
- Tropical Bliss: Toasted Coconut Custard Pie
- Zesty Key Lime Pie
- Tropical Coconut Tres Leches Cake