High Altitude Coconut Cream Sheet Cake
This simple coconut cream sheet cake is easy to make, and so delicious! The moist coconut cake is soaked with creamy coconut milk, then topped with fluffy mascarpone whipped cream. Serve the cake cold for a light and refreshing summer dessert.
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Equipment
- Electric Mixer (Stand or Hand-Held)
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 ¾ cup cake flour, fluffed, spooned and leveled
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 1 ¼ cups unsweetened, full fat canned coconut milk, divided (before using, shake the can or whisk the coconut milk well, if separated)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp coconut extract
- ½ cup unsweetened natural coconut flakes
Whipped Cream
- 4 oz mascarpone cheese or full fat block cream cheese, softened for several hours
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup unsweetened natural coconut flakes
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Lightly grease an 8 or 9 inch square baking pan with non-stick baking spray (if serving the cake in the pan) or line with parchment paper (if turning the cake out onto a serving plate).
- In a bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, then whisk until evenly distributed.
- In a separate bowl, pour 3/4 cup of the canned coconut milk (reserving the remaining 1/2 cup for later). Add the eggs, melted butter, oil, vanilla extract and coconut extract, and whisk until well combined.
- Add the flour mixture and the coconut flakes to the wet ingredients, and mix until just combined.Baker's Note: Pulse the coconut flakes a few times in a small food processor or Ninja for a finely ground texture. Larger pieces of coconut can tear the cake when you cut it, while the smaller bits give the cake a softer texture.
- Spread the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 30-35 minutes (for an 8-inch pan) or 25-30 minutes (for a 9-inch pan), until the top of the cake springs back when gently touched, and a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.
- Set the cake on a cooling rack and let cool for 30 minutes.
- Use a wooden skewer or chopstick to prick the cake all over. Brush the remaining 1/2 cup coconut milk over the cake, letting it soak in. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours, or until chilled.
Whipped Cream
- With an electric mixer, beat the mascarpone cheese/cream cheese with the powdered sugar and vanilla extract for 1-2 minutes, until smooth. With the mixer running, slowly stream in the cold heavy whipping cream. Whip on medium high speed for several minutes until thick, fluffy peaks form that hold their shape.
- Spread the whipped cream over the chilled cake. This recipe makes a generous amount of whipped cream, and don't be shy about using it all. Sprinkle the coconut flakes on top of the whipped cream.
- Cut into squares and serve. Cover the leftover cake with plastic wrap (or stored in an airtight container) in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
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