Birthdays are a big deal in my house. They always have been. From the time I was a little girl, I started planning my birthday before Christmas (my birthday is in January).
Now, I’ve somewhat transferred that to planning my son’s birthday and my husband, bless his heart, falls somewhere in there, too.
And this year, I wasn’t big on planning for my husband’s day. I’m not sure why I wasn’t. I just didn’t do much at all. As a matter of fact, you could say I didn’t do enough at all.
And you’d be right.
You could even say I was a pitiful wife for not doing more for him.
And you’d be right again.
So I decided to pull out all the stops and surprise him with a gorgeous birthday cake. He has three favorite cakes — strawberry, caramel, and coconut.
I decided on coconut for this year. It just sounded like a good surprise cake.
Here’s how I made it.
I started with my favorite Butter Cake recipe and then dolled it up with an over the top delicious Southern Coconut Frosting.
Can you say to die for?
Oh my word!!!
Related Recipes
Southern Coconut Cake
Ingredients
Butter Cake
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) baking soda
- pinch (0.4 g) kosher salt
- 1 cup (226 g) butter, softened
- 2 cups (396 g) sugar
- 4 large (200 g) eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup (227 g) buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons (9.4 g) vanilla extract
Southern Coconut Frosting
- 1 cup (226 g) butter, softened
- 8 cups (908 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 cup (227 g) milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (7.05 g) vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) coconut extract , or coconut rum
- 1 (14-ounce) bag (400 g) unsweetened coconut flake
Instructions
Butter Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare 3 9-inch cake pans with shortening and flour.
- Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt with a whisk in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Cream butter until fluffy and then add sugar. Cream together for about 8 more minutes.
- Add eggs, 1 at a time, and cream together after each.
- Add flour mixture and buttermilk, alternately, beginning and ending with flour. Combine each addition of flour and then turn mixer on high to add air into the batter.
- Add vanilla and beat well. Turn mixer on high once vanilla has been incorporated for about 10 seconds to lighten batter.
- Divide among pans and bake for 25-30 minutes until set. You can follow my tips for how to tell when your cake is done.
- Turn out of pans onto cooling racks and allow to cool completely.
Southern Coconut Frosting
- Whip butter until it reaches light and fluffy stage.
- Slowly add sugar, beating well after each addition.
- When all sugar has been incorporated, the butter and sugar will look like crumbles.
- With mixer set on low speed, add in milk.
- Then, beat on high speed for few minutes.
- Add vanilla and coconut flavorings and beat on high speed until the frosting reaches a spreading consistency.
- If it is too dry, add milk a few drops at a time.
- If it is too wet, add powdered sugar a few sprinkles at a time until it reaches the correct consistency.
- Frost cake and then sprinkle with coconut flakes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’m hoping he didn’t notice all of the other stuff I didn’t do for his birthday.
And… I sure hope he remembers mine!
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Hi Robin. First off I made this cake in December for a coworkers birthday and it was a hit! I wanted to know if I can substitute heavy, whipping cream for the milk for the frosting? I am making it this weekend.
Marie, you can use heavy, whipping cream as a substitute for the milk in this frosting. Hope you enjoy!