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This coconut raspberry cake is a moist coconut cake filled with a cream cheese frosting and a homemade raspberry jam, and then covered in toasted coconut. The perfect balance of sweet and tart.

Coconut Raspberry Cake

Brooke Homec
This coconut raspberry cake is a moist coconut cake filled with a cream cheese frosting and a homemade raspberry jam, and then covered in toasted coconut. The perfect balance of sweet and tart.
5 from 18 votes
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
cooling 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16
Calories 678 kcal

Ingredients
 

Raspberry Jam Filling:

  • 2 cups (240 g) frozen or fresh raspberries
  • ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1½ tablespoons (1.5 tablespoons) cornstarch
  • 1½ tablespoons (1.5 tablespoons) water
  • ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) vanilla

Cake:

  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 1 small box vanilla instant pudding mix not Sugar Free
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 cup (236.59 ml) unsweetened coconut milk canned, like Taste of Thai
  • ½ cup (118.29 ml) canola oil
  • 1½ cup (135 g) sweetened shredded coconut

Frosting:

  • 12 oz (340.2 g) cream cheese softened
  • ¾ cup (170.25 g) butter room temperature
  • 6 cups (720 g) powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1-2 tablespoons (1 tablespoons) unsweetened coconut milk
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup (85 g) shredded or flaked coconut toasted

Instructions
 

To make the raspberry jam filling:

  • Using a medium saucepan, add raspberries, sugar and lemon juice and cook over low-medium heat until everything comes together and the raspberries can become all mashed. Continually cook for about 8-10 minutes allowing the mixture to thicken.
  • In a small bowl mix together the cornstarch and water. Quickly mix this into the raspberry jam and allow to cook and thicken for 2-3 more minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla.
  • Pour into a bowl and allow to cool completely. You can put it in the fridge to rush the process if needed.

To make the cake:

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line the bottom of 3 eight inch round cake pans with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, mix cake mix, instant pudding, eggs, coconut milk (stir before adding), and oil for about 2 minutes on medium speed. Fold coconut in.
  • Divide and evenly pour between 3 cake pans and smooth the top with a spatula. This becomes about 390g or 13.75 ounces in each pan.
  • Bake for about 22-25 minutes,or until the cake no longer jiggles and the middle bounces back when very lightly pressed. It should be a light golden brown along the top and sides. Cool for about 15-30 minutes in the pans before putting on a cooling rack, and then allow to cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting:

  • Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth.
  • Add powdered sugar, vanilla, coconut milk and a pinch of salt. Beat just until combined and fluffy. Make sure not to over mix.
  • Add a little bit more powdered sugar or coconut milk as needed to get your desired consistency.

To toast coconut:

  • Melt a teaspoon of butter in a large frying pan. Once melted add coconut and stir over low-medium heat until starting to turn light brown. Be careful not to burn. When finished toasting pour onto a piece of wax paper or paper towel to cool.

To assemble cake:

  • Place one of the cake layers, top side up, on a cake plate or serving stand. Spread a small amount of frosting over the first layer. Pipe a small amount of buttercream around the rim of the cake ( I usually use a ziplock bag to pipe and cut a corner of the bag), and fill inside the rim with raspberry jam filling.
  • Place the second cake layer, top side up, on top of the frosting. Repeat spreading a small amount of frosting again over the second layer, piping the rim and adding raspberry jam filling again.
  • Place final cake layer, top side down.
  • Frost the entire cake, top and sides, with a thin crumb coat layer of the cream cheese frosting. Place in the fridge or freezer for about 10-15 minutes to chill.
  • Pull the chilled cake out, and frost the cake with the remaining frosting. I did all buttercream, but if you have extra and wanted to, you could do the top of the cake with more raspberry jam.
  • Cover the whole cake with the toasted coconut.

Notes

You can use store bought jam if you prefer. Bonne Maman is my favorite store bough jam.
Cakes will have the best results if made with room temperature ingredients. I like to pull my eggs, cream cheese, and butter out of the fridge an hour or two before I start baking. 
Make Ahead Instructions: The frosting can easily be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge in a sealed container. Remove frosting from the fridge an hour before you’re ready to frost the cake, to give it time to come to room temperature.
Freezing Instructions: After baking the cake layers, allow them to cool completely, then wrap them well in plastic wrap and stick each layer in a ziplock freezer bag. They can be frozen for a few months. I usually just pull them out of the freezer once I am starting to make my frosting, or an hour or two before I want to assemble.
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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 678kcalCarbohydrates: 92gProtein: 5gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 467mgPotassium: 178mgFiber: 2gSugar: 74gVitamin A: 624IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 108mgIron: 2mg
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