This Coconut Cream Cheese Pound Cake recipe is crazy delicious. Dense and buttery this pound cake is topped simply with a sprinkle of powdered sugar then served with whipped cream and berries. This rich, dense, buttery cake is dessert perfection.
Of all the pound cakes I’ve made and shared with you, I had not even thought about a Coconut Pound Cake until this spring when two different readers asked about one. They both wanted a Coconut Pound Cake for Easter.
After a busy Track season, Boy Scouts campouts, and birthday celebrations I finally got to test and perfect this Coconut Cream Cheese Pound Cake.
My most favorite recipe to make is pound cakes. I’ve made hundreds and shared over 30 with you. (You can find the recipes here, Pound Cake Series.) I do recommend you read How to Bake the Perfect Pound Cake as well as How to Calibrate your Oven to get the very best results for your pound cake baking.
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- Two Step Pineapple Pound Cake
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- Amaretto Pound Cake
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- Cold Oven Brown Sugar Whipping Cream Pound Cake
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- Kentucky Butter Sauce Pound Cake
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- Vanilla Red Velvet Marbled Pound Cake Recipe
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- Vanilla Red Velvet Marbled Pound Cake
Most often, I’m asked ‘did you accidentally omitted the baking powder or baking soda’? One important note, traditional pound cakes did not contain baking powder or baking soda. They were leavened simply with eggs and is my preferred method of baking pound cakes. Baking powder and baking soda change the texture (crumb) of cakes as well as, inhibit getting that nice crunchy ‘crust’ that is so desirable on pound cakes.
Perfectly sweet and supremely moist Coconut Cream Cheese Pound Cake starts with a basic Cream Cheese Pound Cake recipe. To this, I added coconut extract, almond extract, and flaked coconut. I didn’t want large pieces of coconut in the cake. Therefore, I pulsed the flaked coconut in a food processor until it was ground fine. (about .5 centimeters in length for lack of a better example)
Coconut Cream Cheese Pound Cake Baking Tips
- As indicated above, I sprinkle confectioners’ sugar over the top. I then served the Pound Cake with fresh berries and whipped cream.
- You could frost it with Caramel Sauce or Cream Cheese Glaze and toasted coconut if you prefer.
- Brands I recommend Philadephia cream cheese, Crisco solid vegetable shortening, and White Lily or Martha White flour. Pans and more recommendations here.
- I have found solid vegetable shortening and sugar instead of flour to be the best for coating the pan with to prevent sticking. By using sugar instead of flour, you won’t have white patches on the cake. You can use flour if you prefer.
- If you use a bundt pan instead of a tube pan, make sure it’s a taller bundt, about 5 inches tall.
You can also find great recipes here or at Meal Plan Monday or Weekend Potluck.
Coconut Cream Cheese Pound Cake
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Save To Your Recipe BoxIngredients
- 1 cup butter room temperature, salted or unsalted, your preference
- 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour sifted and measured correctly
- 1, 8 ounce package cream cheese (low or fat-free not recommended)
- 1 tablespoon coconut extract recommended brand
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 6 extra large eggs or 7 large eggs
- 1 cup flaked coconut sweetened, pulsed 4 to 5 times in a food processor
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a (10-inch, 12 cup) bundt or tube pan with solid vegetable shortening and sprinkle with sugar (or you can use flour). Alternately, you can use Wilton Cake Release.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer beat butter, shortening, and sugar together. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides. Next, add the cream cheese and blend until fluffy. Again stop the mixer and scrape down the sides.
- Add eggs alternately with flour, beginning and ending with flour. Scrape down the sides.
- Blend in the coconut and almond extracts.
- Stir in coconut.
- Pour into prepared baking pan.
- Place pan on a baking sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 85 to 90 minutes. Test cake with a wooden pick or skewer. Cake is done when dry crumbs or no crumbs come out on pick when inserted into the thickest part of the cake.
- Cool on a wire rack 20 minutes before inverting on serving tray.
- Frost, if desired, and serve.*See posts for details
Notes
Nutrition
Marlene says
This is my go to dessert and everyone loves it. It is a moist pound cake with lots of flavour.
Kathy L says
I love coconut anything! I had a can of coconut cream in the pantry that I wanted to use so was looking up recipes online trying to find a recipe other than coconut cream poke cake ( which is delicious, by the way, but I have made it several times and wanted something different!) I came across this recipe and decided to try it even though it did not call for the coconut cream. I had all the ingredients except the coconut extract which I had to run to the store and get! OMG! How I love this pound cake! I made it to bring to a family gathering for Memorial Day and served it with cool whip and fresh strawberries and blueberries, but it tastes awesome without the toppings as well. Those crispy edges are addictive! Everyone kept picking at the crusts even though we were so full we barely had room for desert. Big chunks of it were cut to bring home to enjoy again later. I will definitely be making this again! It made a good sized Bundt cake so there was plenty to go around.
Paula says
Thanks for commenting!! I’m so happy you all like this cake.
Steff says
As i taste the batter, very sweet, fluffy, rich. My search started with a coconut dessert on Pinterest. Saw your title – “cream cheese” & was sold at your photo of dense pound cake. Thanks! Happy Memorial Day.
Linda H Elms says
This is a good recipe. I messed up the first time and only used one stick of butter, but with added fruit topping it was fine with moisture. Eating by itself you would for sure want to add 2 sticks. Thanks for sharing this good recipe.
Pam says
Can you use coconut oil instead of shortening?
Paula says
You can, but there’s a slight difference in taste and texture with coconut oil.
Mary says
Do I sift the flour then measure it?
Or, do I measure the flour then sift it?
Paula says
Always sift first, then measure the flour.
Kimberley says
Measure first
Sift second
Paula says
No… Sift first, then measure
Mary Broussard says
If I decide not use shortening, how much butter should I use. Alo can I do unsalted and salted butter?
Paula says
You would replace the butter in an equal amount of shortening. Professional bakers say to use unsalted butter when baking, I prefer to use salted. It acts/reacts the same so use what you like or have on hand.