Our Lemon-Coconut Sheet Cake combines classic flavors for a crowd-pleasing Southern favorite.
Lemon-Coconut Sheet Cake
Makes 1 (13x9-inch) cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1½ cups sugar
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 2 tablespoons lightly packed lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1¼ cups unsweetened coconut milk
- Lemon-Coconut Frosting (recipe follows)
- Garnish: toasted sweetened flaked coconut, lemon slices
LEMON-COCONUT FROSTING
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon lightly packed lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 7 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 6 to 7 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 13×9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add lemon zest and juice, and extracts, beating to combine.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with coconut milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition.
- In a medium bowl, beat egg whites with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into batter. Spread batter into prepared pan.
- Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pan. Remove cake from pan. Spread Lemon-Coconut Frosting over cake. Garnish with coconut and lemon, if desired.
LEMON-COCONUT FROSTING
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until creamy.
Beat in zest and coconut extract. On low speed, gradually add confectioners’ sugar
alternately with coconut milk, beating until smooth and ending with confectioners’ sugar,
reserving 1 tablespoon coconut milk. Increase speed to medium and beat until fluffy.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon coconut milk to achieve a spreadable consistency, if needed. Use immediately.
