Name: Coconut Custard Cake
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups (285g) granulated sugar; ½ cup (118 ml) vegetable oil; 2 tablespoon (28g) unsalted butter, melted; 2 large egg; 2 large egg white; ½ cup (118 ml) sour cream; 2 ½ cups (350g) all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoon (7.5g) baking powder; 1 teaspoon (4.5g) baking soda; 1 teaspoon (5g) salt; 1 tablespoon (15ml) coconut extract; 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract; 1 1/3 cup (315ml) coconut milk, well stirred; 1 ¼ cup (296ml) heavy whipping cream, divided; 4 teaspoons (13g) cornstarch; 1/2 cup (114g) unsalted butter; ¾ cup (142g) granulated sugar; 2 ¼ cups (170g) shredded coconut, sweetened; ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 cup (114g) unsalted butter, softened; 12 oz (339g) cream cheese, softened; 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract; 3 cups (390g) powdered sugar; 2 cups (151g) shredded sweetened coconut, toasted

This moist and decadent coconut custard cake is made from fluffy homemade coconut cake layered with a rich and creamy custard, decorated with tangy cream cheese frosting, and golden toasted coconut.

If you love creamy coconut desserts, my coconut cream pie, a personal favorite, or this coconut custard pie, which uses a similar custard filling as this recipe.

A slice of coconut custard cake on a white plate, with the rest of the coconut cake on a cake stand in the background.

Today’s coconut custard cake is a to-die-for combination of silky coconut filling layered between fluffy and moist coconut cake. The whole thing is finished off with sweet-tangy cream cheese frosting and covered with toasted coconut.

The cake that inspired today’s coconut custard cake is actually from Croissant Bakery in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Heidi, the owner, wrote a wonderful cookbook, and the original coconut custard cake was so good, I couldn’t resist making my own version! This coconut cream cake looks impressive, and it’s more than worth the effort.

What Makes This a Stand-Out Coconut Custard Cake

Ultra-silky custard. I’ve seen recipes that use coconut cream or milk to make the custard filling, but I like to stick with good, old-fashioned heavy cream. It makes the texture SO silky in contrast to the shredded coconut that gets folded in.
(Literally) layers of flavor. With coconut milk and coconut extract in the cake layers, combined with the creamy coconut filling, tangy cream cheese frosting, and crunchy toasted coconut, there’s plenty of layered flavor and texture in this cake. It’s definitely a cake for coconut lovers!
Make-ahead for extra convenience. I’ll sometimes prepare the coconut custard filling and buttercream frosting a day or two before, so these components are ready to go when it’s time to bake and assemble the cake. You can even bake the cake layers in advance, and store or freeze them for later. It’s an easy way to get a head start on this cake during the holidays.

Coconut custard cake covered with toasted coconut with a slice missing, on a white cake stand with a wooden base, next to a jar of toasted coconut.

Ingredient Notes

I’ve included notes on the important ingredients you’ll need to make this thick and luscious, coconut custard-filled cake. You’ll find the full recipe details in the printable recipe card below the post.

For the Coconut Cake

Oil and Butter – Oil brings more moisture to the cake crumb than butter would alone, while melted unsalted butter adds richness and flavor.
Egg and Egg White – The egg helps bind the ingredients, while the addition of an extra egg white makes the cake’s texture extra fluffy.
Coconut Extract – Despite it being an extract, coconut isn’t a very strong flavor, so I amp up the amount in this recipe.
Sour Cream – Sour cream brings loads of added moisture to cakes, and it’s especially helpful in this recipe since this cake is refrigerated. If you don’t have sour cream, substitute Greek yogurt instead.
Coconut Milk – You’ll find cans of coconut milk in the Asian food section of your local supermarket. Make sure you’re buying coconut milk, and not coconut cream. You’ll notice that the fat separates from the liquid, so make sure to stir it well.

For the Custard Filling

Heavy Cream – Full-fat heavy whipping cream will yield the richest, creamiest coconut custard.
Shredded Coconut – Rather than flavoring the filling with coconut milk or extract like I do with the cake, I keep it simple with shredded coconut and vanilla extract, adding subtle flavor and contrasting texture. You could use toasted coconut here, too.
Cornstarch – You’ll combine the cornstarch with the cream, which thickens the custard without making it grainy.

To Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

Butter and Cream Cheese – I recommend using unsalted butter and the cream cheese (full-fat) that comes in blocks (versus the tub kind). Take both ingredients out of the fridge ahead of time so that they can soften to room temperature.
Toasted Coconut – For decorating. Don’t forget to check out the section layer on with more decorating tips and ideas!

First, Prepare the Coconut Cake Layers

There are a few steps involved in making this cake, but never fear! We’ll start with the homemade coconut cake layers, which are thick and stable, and perfect for stacking. While the oven preheats, grease and then line three 8” round baking pans. Then, follow the steps below. This is an overview, so scroll to the recipe card for the printable instructions.

Combine the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, cream together the sugar, butter, oil, and wet ingredients.
Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. After, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a little at a time, alternating with the coconut milk until just combined.
Divide and bake. Distribute the batter between the prepared baking pans. Bake the cakes at 350ºF for 20-24 minutes. If you have hot spots in your oven, I recommend rotating the pans in the oven halfway through baking for more evenly baked cake layers.
Toast the coconut. For some forward-thinking, it’s worthwhile to toast the coconut you’ll use to decorate your cakes while the oven is hot! Spread shredded coconut out across a lined baking sheet, and pop it into the oven for 5 minutes, until the coconut is lightly toasted and golden. Set the toasted coconut aside to cool while you prepare the filling and frosting.

Coconut cake inside an 8" round cake pan.

How to Make the Custard

Make a slurry. Whisk together the cornstarch with the heavy whipping cream. You want the mixture to thicken but stay at a liquid consistency to avoid any clumps.
Heat the ingredients. Combine the remaining heavy cream with melted butter, sugar, and shredded coconut in a saucepan. Bring the mixture almost to a boil, stirring along the way.
Combine. Add the cornstarch slurry to the saucepan, and continue to cook and stir until thickened. Lastly, whisk in the vanilla extract.
Cool. Set the custard aside to cool completely. When I took my custard off the stove, the consistency was thick but still a bit liquid. This is fine, as the custard continues to thicken to a spreadable consistency as it cools.

Make It Ahead

I sometimes like to make the custard filling ahead of time and refrigerate it overnight, to really let the flavors develop. However, it does tend to thicken in the fridge. Take the custard out of the fridge about 30 minutes to 1 hour before you plan to use it.

If the filling still seems too thick to spread once it’s been out of the fridge for a while, pop it in the microwave for just a few seconds at a time. The consistency should be spreadable but not melting.

Easy Cream Cheese Frosting

I opted to stay as close as possible to Heidi’s original cream cheese frosting recipe. It’s just perfect for covering this cake in a light layer. This is not a traditional cream cheese frosting, it’s much thinner than I would normally make.

Beat the butter and cream cheese. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with butter until smooth.
Combine. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, and finally, beat in the vanilla extract until the frosting is evenly combined.

Try These Other Frosting Ideas

A small jar of piped vanilla frosting with a teal napkin and piping bag next to it

Perfect Vanilla Frosting

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Coconut Whipped Cream

A small glass jar filled with piped whipped cream frosting. The jar is surrounded by berries

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

The original cream cheese frosting for this cake is on the thinner side, ideal for doing a rough crumb coat that I finish off with toasted coconut. If you’d prefer a thicker frosting for piping and decorating, you may wish to use my recipe for traditional cream cheese frosting instead. Or, if you’d like to trade the cream cheese frosting for your own recipe, go right ahead! You can also try my mascarpone whipped cream or any of the ideas you see here.

How to Make a Coconut Custard Cake

Now, it’s time to assemble this coconut custard layer cake! This three-tier cake is easy enough to fill and stack and then decorate with a simple crumb coat, topped with toasted coconut. If you’re new to baking layer cakes, have a look through my step-by-step tutorial on how to make a layer cake for more information.

Prepare the first layer. First, divide the coconut filling in half, and have your bottom cake layer ready on a cake board.
Fill and repeat. Pipe a border of frosting around the outside edge of the cake (see how to use piping tips), then fill it with custard. This frosting “dam” keeps the custard from oozing out of the sides. Afterward, place the second layer gently on top. Repeat with the third and final layer.
Frost the cake. Give the top and sides of the cake a light coating with cream cheese frosting. It doesn’t have to be a thick layer, as we’re going for more of a crumb coat. Finally, pat the shredded toasted coconut from earlier in an even layer on top of the frosting.
Chill. Place the frosted coconut custard cake, covered, into the fridge for at least half an hour before serving.

Coconut custard cake covered with toasted coconut on a white cake stand with a wooden base.

Helpful Notes

Make sure to evenly mix the cake batter. Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, and give the batter a good stir from bottom to top.
Start with flat, even cake layers before filling. This helps make a stable cake. I like to use bake-even strips as these prevent the cakes from “doming” too much as they bake. You can also use a bread knife to trim off the domes, as needed.
Get a head start on your cake. Both the frosting and the filling can be prepared ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator. The cream cheese frosting is usually still spreadable after sitting in the fridge overnight, though you can soften it up by letting it sit out with the filling before assembling the cake.
You will have leftovers. This recipe was originally a 4-layer cake that I turned into a 3-layer cake. Be careful not to overfill your layers. Turn the leftover batter into coconut cupcakes!
Add sprinkles. Top your coconut custard cake with your favorite colored sprinkles, nonpareils, or sanding sugar (in place of or in addition to toasted coconut.
Garnish with fruit. Citrusy lime and coconut are a zesty pair. Top your cake with lime wedges or lime zest for a pop of color and zing. Or, make a pineapple coconut cake with a garnish of fresh chopped pineapple.

A slice of coconut custard cake on a white plate next to a forkful.

How to Store

Refrigerate. Due to the custard filling and cream cheese frosting, you’ll want to keep your finished coconut custard cake refrigerated. Store the cake in an airtight container (such as a cake carrier) or wrap the entire cake with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out. Remove the cake from the fridge approximately 20-30 minutes before serving to take the chill off.
Freeze. I don’t recommend freezing cakes with custard or cream fillings, as the filling tends to separate once thawed and turns the cake soggy. If you’d like to prepare the cake layers in advance, however, you can freeze the individual cakes. It’s easy to wrap the cooled cake layers tightly in plastic wrap and then freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw the cakes in the fridge, prepare your filling and frosting, and assemble the cake as usual.

More Coconut Desserts