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Lemon Coconut Naked Cake with Whipped Vanilla Buttercream. The pretty “garden” cake that tastes amazing too. Three soft, perfectly sweet, very moist, extra coconutty, lemon scented cake layers. Each drizzled lightly with a sweet honey lemon syrup, and then generously frosted with the most delicious whipped vanilla buttercream. Decorate with coconut, and dainty chamomile flowers and you’ll have a beautiful spring coconut cake that’s just a touch more special…and delicious…than any other coconut cake.
I feel like I say this every time I make a new layer cake, but I really think this is my favorite yet. I take that back, I really love all the layer cakes I’ve created. Especially the spring cakes, because they tend to be the prettiest. But this one…this cute little layer cake…it was a true labor of love. Even when I thought I’d given up on it, I somehow talked myself into trying one last time. Finally I had success.
I could not be more excited to share this cake today, it’s everything I wanted it to be, but actually better. When a recipe turns out better than I had envisioned, all is good in my world. It’s the simple things, right?
You guys may remember, but the other week I hinted that I was really struggling to create a coconut cake that was both delicious and beautiful. At this point, I can’t even remember how many versions of this cake I attempted. I just know it was a lot. I also know that I am currently well loved at both the rec center and my little sister’s school. As they’ve been the recipients of multiple cakes over the last couple of weeks.
Guess it’s cool they like me! And yes, we don’t throw the “testing” food out…unless it’s incredibly gross. In which case I will not hand it off to anyone because, well, that’s just mean.
Anyway…
I wanted so badly to create a cake that would be perfect for both Easter and Mother’s Day. I’ve never shared a true coconut cake before, so I knew right away that the flavor needed to be more classic coconut. In the past, I’ve shared a coconut banana cake, and a coconut carrot cake, but never just coconut. So coconut was my favor. With the additional flavors of lemon and vanilla hinted throughout, and a vanilla buttercream frosting. Sort of simple, but not too simple, and SO GOOD.
I had the flavors down, now I just needed to get the cake as perfect as can be. This was the (very) hard part. First round was dry, second round was way too moist, third round was just ugly, and I can’t even remember the round after that. I started out with normal standard (8 inch) cake layers. Then moved onto a pink buttercream. After that I attempted to add in brown butter. I tried just about everything, and then I just needed to give up. I could not make this cake one more time. So I told myself I was done…
Until three days later when a slightly different version of this exact cake formed in my head. I hesitated to even try one last time, but for some reason, I was feeling good about this cake. I had the fresh chamomile flowers and pretty thyme blossoms to decorate with. So I went for it, and IT WORKED!
Yes. Yes. YESSSS. It worked, and then I made it again to be sure, and then again to film the process. So much cake, but I’m so happy.
This cake is everything. It’s springy, coconutty, so delicious, and pretty too! All the things a cake needs to be.
The best part is that even though this cake is layered with deliciousness and might look fancy, it’s pretty simple. I mean, simple for a layer cake.
First, I used 3 (6 inch) cake pans, but 2 (8 inch) standard cake pans can also be used. The cake layers are true coconut with just the slightest hint of lemon swirled throughout. It’s not even that you notice the lemon so much as it really just helps to highlight the coconut flavors and make them that much better. These cake layers are MOIST, and SOFT, and SO FLUFFY.
You’ll love it.
Now, I wanted this cake to be sweet, but not like a sugar bomb. I also wanted to ensure that the layers of cake would hold up and stay moist if you plan to leave the cake out during your spring gatherings. So…I added a honey lemon “syrup” to drizzle over top each cake. The syrup adds a light sweetness all while keeping each cake layer very, very moist. The syrup is my secret. Go with it.
Moving along. No cake is complete without a buttercream. This one is extra buttery, extra whipped, very heavy on the vanilla, and sweetened ever so slightly with a touch of honey. It also has a touch of cream cheese, to really play with the classic coconut flavors going on in the cake. Simple vanilla flavors, but kicked up a notch. It’s better than words can describe.
Every forkful of cake is roll your eyes back good, and filled with lemony, coconutty, and vanilla flavors.
To decorate, I used fresh thyme blossoms and chamomile flowers, which gave the cake a very spring-like garden feel. It’s exactly what I wanted from the start…even though I may not have known that from the start.
Sometimes things really just need time to evolve into their best version. That could not have been more true than with this cake. It may have just about driven me insane, but I’m so happy I didn’t give up on it. Often the recipes that I try over and over again, until I am more than happy with them, are the ones I just can’t wait to share.
I hope my excitement over this cake inspires you to make it a part of your Easter celebrations this weekend. Or maybe Mother’s Day in a few weeks. Or maybe just a celebratory spring weekend cake. For absolutely no reason at all. Other than that you simply want a damn good coconut cake.
Whatever your reason for making this cake may be, I hope you love it as much as I do!
If you make this lemon coconut naked cake, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Lemon Coconut Naked Cake with Whipped Vanilla Buttercream.
Servings: 12
Calories Per Serving: 2424 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup melted coconut oil, cooled
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup canned full fat coconut milk
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut, plus more for layering
Honey Lemon Syrup
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/3 cup honey
Whipped Vanilla Buttercream
- 3 sticks (1 ½ cups) salted butter, at room temperature
- 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or vanilla bean powder
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 3 (6-inch) round cake pans or 2 (8 inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter/spray with cooking spray.2. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand-held mixer) beat together the coconut oil, yogurt, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and coconut milk. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix until just combined. Fold in the lemon zest and shredded coconut. 3. Pour the batter among the cake pans and bake 30-35 minutes, until the tops are just set, and no longer wiggly in the center. Remove and let cool five minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the pan and turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack. Poke 3-5 holes in the top of each cake.4. Make the honey lemon syrup. In a small sauce pan bring the lemon juice and honey to a boil over high heat. Boil 1-2 minutes, until just slightly thickened. Let cool until warm to touch, about 10 minutes. 5. Make the buttercream. Add the butter and the cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer and whip until extra light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and honey. Beat together until whipped, about 2 more minutes. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. If the frosting feels too loose, add powdered sugar to thicken.7. To assemble, place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand and drizzle lightly with the cooled honey syrup. Spread 1/3 of the buttercream over the cake and add a handful of shredded coconut. Repeat with the remaining 2 cake layers. Be careful not to over fill your layers or the cake will be hard to slice. Serve or store in the fridge for up to 1 day. If desired, decorate the cake with thyme blossoms and edible flowers.
This post was originally published on April 19, 2019
Hi,
I only have 2 9-inch pans, would the recipe measurements work or is it recommended to double the recipe?
Thank you!
x
Hi Sam,
2 9-inch pans should work! I hope you love the recipe! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I would LOVE to make this cake for mother’s day – is there a way of subbing out the cream cheese in the buttercream?! Or perhaps another icing recipe you would recommend for the cake instead?
Hey Sarah, you can just omit the cream cheese from the frosting. It’s not a huge deal. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
This cake is beautiful!
I made it over the weekend for a friend’s birthday.
It’s dense and cutting the three layers was not for the faint of heart.
The frosting was delightful. I’m not a fan of the heavy cream cheese. Your recipe is perfect.
I used the cake pan wraps, you soak in cold water and then wrap each pan, so the cake does over brown at the edges.
I give it a 10. I’ll try again. I just need to figure out why it was so dense
Thank you so much for trying this Marygael! I am so glad it turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Any tips for baking this at high altitude (~5000 ft)??? Want to try making it for my mom on Mother’s Day!
Aw that is so sweet! This recipe should work well for you at your elevation! I hope you love it! Let me know if you have any more questions! xTieghan
Do you have substitute options for the eggs and honey?
Hi Meeta! Unfortunately I have not tried this recipe with an egg replacement, so I do not feel comfortable advising on what to use! I have heard that flax eggs work well, but again, I have not tried it myself. Also, for the honey, you could use maple syrup, but it may alter the flavor of the cake. Or you could use corn syrup with would be the closest match to honey. I hope this helps, but please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hello! Would it be possible to make this cake without eggs? What substitute, if any, would you recommend?
Hi there! I have never made this recipe without eggs, so I am uncomfortable advising you to do so. If you’d like to give it a try, I would recommend using an equal amount of flax or chia eggs, but again I am not sure what the outcome would be. Please let me know if you have any other questions. So sorry I could not have been of more help. Thank you!! xTieghan
any recommendations on baking time and number of cupcakes this recipe might make?
Hi Michelle! This will make around 32 cupcakes. I would bake them for 22-25 minutes, but this is just my educated guess. I have not tested this. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
For the whipped buttercream. it says to use salted butter in your recipe. I’m assuming that is a typo, right? You meant to say unsalted?
HI there! Not a typo, I like to use salted butter. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
This cake is absolutely delicious. I struggled to get my layers to rise as much as pictured though unfortunately. I ended up having to make another one and divide the mixture between two 6″ pans instead.
A very beautiful cake though, with some practice it could become a regular for me! I think it’ll be lovely at Easter.
Thank you!
Thank you! I hope this turns out amazing for you at Easter! xTieghan
HI Tieghan! This is such a gorgeous cake with tempting flavours! I’ve had my eye on it for months now and im finally ready to bake it for a crowd. I had a question, the cake will be kept outdoors for most of the day as it is an outdoor picnic and i wont have access to a fridge. Its winter where i live, but still temperatures go up to 26-27 degrees Celsius. Do you think the cake will hold up well, especially with the cream cheese in the frosting? I dont want my layers to slide. Thanks a lot!
Hi Shilpa! If possible, I would keep the cake inside as those are pretty room tempts. I think it should be fine for an hour or 2 outside, but be sure to keep the cake out of the sun. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and Happy New Year! xTieghan
This looks amazing! Can the cakes be made in advance and frozen before frosting?
HI! Yes, the cakes freeze very well! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and Merry Christmas! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan!
This buttercream frosting sounds amazing! I typically like to decorate around my cakes and need a buttercream that’s fairly thick so that it doesn’t droop. Do you think this recipe will be too thin with the honey or should it hold up?
Thank you!
Hi Dani! I think this should hold up nicely for decorating. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and happy holidays! xTieghan
I am a very nervous cake baker but I love coconut and lemon so I gave this one a try. Delicious cake and fluffy, dreamy frosting! I doubled the recipe so I could make a two-layer 9 inch cake. I had leftover batter to make cupcakes for a friend! Turned out fine. I have a question… Are your recipes developed for your altitude? I live at 4000 feet elevation and have to do a little bit of adaptation.
Hi Carol! I am so glad you loved this recipe! I try to make my recipes so they work for everyone, at every elevation! I hope you continue to love my recipes! xTieghan
If I have only one 6inch pan can I make the butter once but set it aside so I can bake one cake at the time? Thanks!!
HI! Yes, you can just bake 1 cake layer at a time. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
i’m going to try to make this cake, but I do not have coconut oil, can i replace with something else?