This coconut strawberry cake is a single layer coconut cake topped with fresh strawberries and a sweet coconut streusel. It's moist, light and perfect for a simple spring or summer dessert.
Coconut strawberry cake is the perfect mix of soft cake, juicy strawberries and sweet crunchy coconut topping. I love a cake where no frosting is needed- just simple fresh ingredients, no fuss and bursting with flavor.
For more strawberry recipes try my vanilla strawberry cake, apple strawberry crumble, or my strawberry cinnamon rolls.
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Why You Will Love This Cake
- Easy: This cake is easy to make with no layers, frosting or complicated steps.
- Flavors: The combination of fresh strawberries and coconut is light, sweet and summery.
- Strawberries: The perfect way to use up strawberries when they're starting to pass the point of being fresh.
Ingredient Notes
Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Butter: I always use salted butter in my recipes, but unsalted works great too.
- Sugars: You will use both granulated and brown sugar in this cake.
- Coconut Milk: Try and use a full fat milk to help keep the cake extra moist.
- Coconut Extract: This will add extra coconut flavor to the cake, but feel free to sub in vanilla extract if needed.
- Strawberries: I used fresh, but frozen can be used also.
- Coconut: I suggest using sweetened shredded coconut for this cake and streusel.
Step by Step Instructions
- Step 1: In a large mixing bowl cream together butter and sugars until mixed. Add in the egg, coconut extract, vanilla extract and coconut milk and mix until completely mixed and lighter in color.
- Step 2: Whisk in salt, baking powder and flour until combined. Fold in coconut.
- Step 3: Pour batter into greased pan and top with sliced strawberries.
- Step 4: In a small bowl mix together all the streusel ingredients until all incorporated. You can use a pastry cutter, fork, or even your fingers.
- Step 5: Spread the coconut streusel over the top of the cake batter.
- Step 6: Bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Let cool for a bit before serving.
Expert Baking Tips
- I have also skipped the coconut streusel topping and added a good sprinkle of turbinado sugar to the top before baking like in my strawberry buttermilk cake.
- Serve with fresh whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a light spring and summer dessert.
- I have given both cups and grams as measurements. Grams will be more precise, especially when measuring flour. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, no problem! Just lightly spoon flour into your measuring cup to insure its not packed in there. Light and fluffy is the key.
FAQ
If your cake sank in the middle it's because it wasn't quite done baking. Make sure it doesn't jiggle at all when pulling out of the oven.
Yes, let them defrost so you can slice them and try and dry them a bit so they don't dye your cake batter.
Yes, the coconut flavor might not be quite as strong, but it will work great.
Storing & Freezing
Coconut strawberry cake needs to be stored at room temperature in an airtight container. You can wrap it in tinfoil, as this will help the coconut streusel from getting too sticky and moist.
This cake freezes well for up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw and allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Other Popular Recipes to Try
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Coconut Strawberry Cake
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoon (6 tablespoon) salted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (55 g) brown sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ½ cup (118.29 ml) coconut milk canned, like taste of thai
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) coconut extract can sub with vanilla
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (67.5 g) sweetened shredded coconut
- 1½ cups (144 g) strawberries sliced
Coconut Streusel
- ¼ cup (31.25 g) flour
- ¼ cup (55 g) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (22.5 g) sweetened shredded coconut
- 3 tablespoon cold salted butter sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9 inch spring form pan, or pie pan with non-stick spray.
- In a large mixing bowl cream together butter and sugars until mixed. Add in the egg, coconut extract, vanilla extract and coconut milk and mix until completely mixed and lighter in color.
- Whisk in salt, baking powder and flour until combined. Fold in coconut.
- Pour batter into greased pan and top with sliced strawberries.
- In a small bowl mix together all the streusel ingredients until all incorporated. You can use a pastry cutter, fork, or even your fingers.
- Spread the coconut streusel over the top of the cake batter.
- Bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Let cool for a bit before serving.
Sandy
Perfect light and easy dessert! Great flavor combination and the streusel topping is perfect.
Love it with some whipped cream too.
Bailey
The perfect light, summery cake!
Susan Lau
Absolutely delicious! Cake has a nice texture and the flavors of coconut and strawberry really work well together. Will make this often.
Sarah
This is one of the best cakes I’ve ever had in my life. The flavors were perfect and the texture was perfect. Thought it would get soggy with the strawberries but it didn’t. Will make again and again. Absolutely love it!