I created a raspberry-layered The Best Coconut Cake with an impossibly moist crumb and a hidden ribbon of berries that makes it a showstopper for Easter brunch.

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I never set out to make the world’s most dramatic coconut cake but this Raspberry Surprise Coconut Snowball Cake just happened. I layered tender cake soaked with buttermilk and rolled the outside in sweet shredded coconut so it looks like a snowy mound hiding a secret.

It’s a little messy, kinda showy, and somehow totally worth it. You’ll wanna bring it to brunch or any spring get together, it practically screams Easter Flavor Cakes.

Slice it slow, cause that snowy center likes to surprise you, and yeah, be ready to get a little obsessed.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour provides structure mostly carbs some gluten protein little fiber neutral flavor
Unsalted butter Rich in fat and calories gives moistness and flavor use sparingly sat fat
Eggs High quality protein yolks add vitamins and richness they bind stuff
Raspberries Sweet tart berries great fiber and vitamin C antioxidants brightens flavors
Coconut Tropical flavor and texture mostly fat some fiber gives sweet coconut aroma
Powdered sugar Pure carbs adds sweetness and structure to frostings zero micronutrients
Buttermilk Tangy liquid provides acidity and tenderness some protein and calcium low fat
Heavy cream Adds richness and smoothness to frosting source of fat and calories
Vanilla extract Concentrated flavor no nutrients enhances sweetness and overall aroma

Ingredient Quantities

For the cake:

3 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs, room temp

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon coconut extract

1 1/4 cups buttermilk, room temp

For the raspberry filling:

2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam, optional but great for extra tang

For the coconut buttercream:

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter softened

5 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1/3 cup heavy cream or milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon coconut extract

Pinch of salt

For assembly and decoration:

3 cups sweetened shredded coconut, toasted or untoasted

Fresh raspberries for garnish, optional

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350 F and grease and flour two 9 inch pans or three 8 inch pans, line bottoms with parchment if you’ve got it; whisk together 3 cups flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt and set aside. Measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling it, don’t pack it down.

2. In a large bowl beat 1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter with 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes; scrape the bowl. Add 4 room temperature eggs one at a time beating after each, then stir in 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon coconut extract.

3. With mixer on low add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with 1 1/4 cups room temp buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry mix, mix just until combined; overmixing makes a dense cake so stop when you see no streaks.

4. Divide batter evenly between your prepared pans, smooth tops, tap pans on the counter to release big air bubbles, and bake at 350 F until a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (roughly 22 to 30 minutes depending on pan size). Let cakes cool in pans 10 minutes, then invert onto racks to cool completely.

5. While cake cools make the raspberry filling: in a small saucepan combine 2 cups raspberries (fresh or frozen), 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1 tablespoon lemon juice; cook over medium heat stirring often until it thickens and the berries break down, about 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam if you want extra tang, let cool completely so it wont melt your frosting.

6. Make the coconut buttercream: beat 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) softened butter until smooth and pale, then gradually add 5 cups sifted powdered sugar on low. Add 1/3 cup heavy cream (or milk), 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon coconut extract and a pinch of salt; beat on medium high until fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Adjust texture with more powdered sugar if too thin or a splash more cream if too stiff.

7. Toast the coconut if you like it toasty: spread 3 cups sweetened shredded coconut on a baking sheet and bake at 350 F for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring once, watch carefully it browns fast. Cool.

8. Level cake layers with a serrated knife if needed. Place first layer on your serving plate, spread a thin layer of buttercream as a glue coat, then spoon or pipe a ring of buttercream near the edge to hold filling, fill the center with a layer of the cooled raspberry filling. If filling is very loose chill it first or mix a spoon of buttercream in to stabilize.

9. Repeat with remaining layers, apply a thin crumb coat of buttercream over the whole cake and chill 15 to 30 minutes to set. Then frost with a final thicker coat of buttercream, smooth as best you can, and press toasted or untoasted shredded coconut onto the sides and top, do it in sections so it sticks evenly.

10. Garnish with fresh raspberries if desired, chill the cake to set the filling and frosting for at least an hour before slicing. Store in the fridge up to 4 days, bring to room temp 30 to 60 minutes before serving for best flavor.

Equipment Needed

1. Two 9-inch or three 8-inch round cake pans, plus parchment circles if you got em
2. Stand mixer or hand mixer
3. Mixing bowls, at least one large and one medium
4. Measuring cups and spoons, and a 1-cup liquid measure
5. Whisk (for dry mix and the raspberry filling)
6. Rubber spatula and a sturdy spoon or wooden spoon
7. Small saucepan for the raspberry filling
8. Offset spatula or bench scraper for frosting and smoothing
9. Serrated knife or cake leveler
10. Cooling racks and a baking sheet for toasting the coconut

FAQ

Q: Can I make this cake ahead of time? A: Yes. The cake layers keep well wrapped in the fridge 2 days or frozen up to 3 months. The raspberry filling can be made 4 to 5 days ahead in the fridge or frozen for 1 to 2 months. Buttercream stores in the fridge up to a week, let it come to room temp and rewhip a bit before using.

Q: Can I use frozen raspberries for the filling? A: Absolutely. Thaw and drain them first if you want less liquid, or cook them from frozen but add a tad more cornstarch because frozen berries release extra juice. Stir in the optional jam for extra body and flavor.

Q: How do I stop the raspberry filling from making the cake soggy or leaking out? A: Cook the filling until it's thick and fully cooled before assembling. Spread a thin layer of raspberry jam or a crumb coat of buttercream on the cake layer as a sealant, then add the filling. Chill the cake between steps so layers set and dont slide.

Q: Whats the best way to toast the shredded coconut without burning it? A: Spread coconut in a thin, even layer on a baking sheet and bake at 325 F for 4 to 8 minutes, stirring every 1 to 2 minutes and watching closely. It goes from perfect to burnt real quick so dont walk away. You can also toast in a dry skillet over medium-low while stirring.

Q: Any quick substitutions for buttermilk or coconut extract? A: For buttermilk use 1 1/4 cups milk plus 1 1/4 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar, let sit 5 minutes. If you dont have coconut extract, add a little coconut milk or increase vanilla and fold in a tablespoon of desiccated coconut to boost coconut flavor.

Q: My filling turned out runny, how can I fix it? A: Return it to the pan, mix a little extra cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry and stir it in, bring to a simmer until thick and glossy, then cool completely before using. If its only slightly runny, fold in a spoonful of jam to help stabilize it.

Raspberry Surprise Coconut Snowball Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour -> Cake flour or a 1-to-1 gluten free flour blend. For cake flour: for every cup of AP remove 2 tbsp and add 2 tbsp cornstarch, then sift once. For the 3 cups in this recipe remove 6 tbsp and add 6 tbsp cornstarch. Gives a lighter crumb, but don’t overmix.

Buttermilk -> Milk plus acid or thinned plain yogurt. To make 1 1/4 cups, stir 1 1/4 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar into 1 1/4 cups milk, wait 5-10 minutes. Or use 1 1/4 cups plain yogurt loosened with 3-4 tbsp milk.

Unsalted butter (sticks) -> Vegan stick butter 1:1 or a neutral oil. Vegan/baking margarine works cup-for-cup for similar texture. If you use oil, use about 3/4 cup oil for every 1 cup butter and expect a slightly denser, moister cake; add a pinch of salt if needed.

Sweetened shredded coconut -> Unsweetened shredded, coconut flakes or desiccated coconut. Unsweetened will cut sweetness so you might want a tad more powdered sugar in the frosting or a sprinkle of sugar on the outside. Toasted flakes add great flavor and texture.

Pro Tips

– Weigh the flour if you can, trust the scale more than cups. 3 cups all purpose flour is about 360 grams, and using grams will keep your cake from turning out dense or dry when you bake it at different altitudes or with different measuring habits, dont pack the flour into the cup though, that still ruins things.

– Get everything truly at room temp. if youre short on time warm eggs in a bowl of warm tap water for 10 minutes and set the buttermilk in a warm water bath too, cold eggs or milk cause the batter to seize and your cake wont rise as well.

– For the raspberry layer: cook it till it really thickens and then chill it completely, a looser filling will sink and leak. if it still seems runny fold in a little extra jam or stir in a teaspoon more cornstarch mixed with a splash of water and reheat briefly, and always pipe a buttercream dam near the edge before adding the filling so it cant ooze out.

– Toasted coconut browns fast so dont walk away, stir every minute or two. press the coconut on in small sections after chilling the crumb coat, use a flat plate or a bench scraper to press it on evenly, and for clean slices warm your knife under hot water, wipe dry and slice.

Raspberry Surprise Coconut Snowball Cake Recipe

Recipe by Samantha Dalling

0.0 from 0 votes

I created a raspberry-layered The Best Coconut Cake with an impossibly moist crumb and a hidden ribbon of berries that makes it a showstopper for Easter brunch.

Servings

servings

Calories

1003

kcal

Equipment: 1. Two 9-inch or three 8-inch round cake pans, plus parchment circles if you got em
2. Stand mixer or hand mixer
3. Mixing bowls, at least one large and one medium
4. Measuring cups and spoons, and a 1-cup liquid measure
5. Whisk (for dry mix and the raspberry filling)
6. Rubber spatula and a sturdy spoon or wooden spoon
7. Small saucepan for the raspberry filling
8. Offset spatula or bench scraper for frosting and smoothing
9. Serrated knife or cake leveler
10. Cooling racks and a baking sheet for toasting the coconut

Ingredients

For the cake:
3 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temp
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 1/4 cups buttermilk, room temp
For the raspberry filling:
2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam, optional but great for extra tang
For the coconut buttercream:
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter softened
5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/3 cup heavy cream or milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
Pinch of salt
For assembly and decoration:
3 cups sweetened shredded coconut, toasted or untoasted
Fresh raspberries for garnish, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F and grease and flour two 9 inch pans or three 8 inch pans, line bottoms with parchment if you've got it; whisk together 3 cups flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt and set aside. Measure flour by spooning into the cup and leveling it, don't pack it down.
In a large bowl beat 1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter with 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes; scrape the bowl. Add 4 room temperature eggs one at a time beating after each, then stir in 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon coconut extract.
With mixer on low add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with 1 1/4 cups room temp buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry mix, mix just until combined; overmixing makes a dense cake so stop when you see no streaks.
Divide batter evenly between your prepared pans, smooth tops, tap pans on the counter to release big air bubbles, and bake at 350 F until a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (roughly 22 to 30 minutes depending on pan size). Let cakes cool in pans 10 minutes, then invert onto racks to cool completely.
While cake cools make the raspberry filling: in a small saucepan combine 2 cups raspberries (fresh or frozen), 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1 tablespoon lemon juice; cook over medium heat stirring often until it thickens and the berries break down, about 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam if you want extra tang, let cool completely so it wont melt your frosting.
Make the coconut buttercream: beat 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) softened butter until smooth and pale, then gradually add 5 cups sifted powdered sugar on low. Add 1/3 cup heavy cream (or milk), 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon coconut extract and a pinch of salt; beat on medium high until fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Adjust texture with more powdered sugar if too thin or a splash more cream if too stiff.
Toast the coconut if you like it toasty: spread 3 cups sweetened shredded coconut on a baking sheet and bake at 350 F for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring once, watch carefully it browns fast. Cool.
Level cake layers with a serrated knife if needed. Place first layer on your serving plate, spread a thin layer of buttercream as a glue coat, then spoon or pipe a ring of buttercream near the edge to hold filling, fill the center with a layer of the cooled raspberry filling. If filling is very loose chill it first or mix a spoon of buttercream in to stabilize.
Repeat with remaining layers, apply a thin crumb coat of buttercream over the whole cake and chill 15 to 30 minutes to set. Then frost with a final thicker coat of buttercream, smooth as best you can, and press toasted or untoasted shredded coconut onto the sides and top, do it in sections so it sticks evenly.
Garnish with fresh raspberries if desired, chill the cake to set the filling and frosting for at least an hour before slicing. Store in the fridge up to 4 days, bring to room temp 30 to 60 minutes before serving for best flavor.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.