The Halfway Homemade Cake I Make Every Single Valentine’s Day

My mom’s secret to the best coconut cake ever? Dress up a box of cake mix with coconut milk, toasted coconut, and lime. No one will guess the recipe for this tropical treat is only halfway homemade!

Overhead view of a gray plate of coconut cake with a fork next to a green cloth napkin — Simply Recipes / Micah Siva

My Grandpa Louis was born on Valentine’s Day in 1927. Every year, we celebrated Valentine’s Day with a home-cooked dinner at his house, joking that he would always be our first and only Valentine. Louis was a food lover and always had room for dessert, whether it was a poppyseed cookie, angel food cake, or anything with coconut.

Every Valentine's Day, my grandmother would cook juicy steaks, thick hamburgers, or beef stew and we’d gather around their dinner table with party hats and Perry Como playing in the background. The grand finale, the birthday cake, was always my family’s contribution. He had a blank slate to request whatever his heart desired.

More often than not, he would request my mom’s “famous” coconut cake… a cake that came with a little secret. While he likely thought we were making a cake from scratch, painstakingly measuring the flour and sugar into mixing bowls, we were building our showstopping cake off our favorite boxed cake mix.

We’d add toasted coconut to the cake and frost it with a generous layer of tangy cream cheese frosting. No one ever guessed it was from a mix! Quickly, my mom became known for her amazing cakes, and soon she was on the hook for everyone’s birthday cake in the family, doctoring up cake mixes and covering them with homemade buttercream frosting.

The Key Ingredients for My Halfway Homemade Cake

Overhead view of a brown metal baking pan of coconut cake squares surrounded by plates of cake and a bowl of toasted coconut — Simply Recipes / Micah Siva

Cake mixes can be delicious and, dare I say, better than homemade if you know how to upgrade your cake mix. I like to use Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines Super Moist White Cake Mix.

Don’t substitute low-fat or coconut milk beverage in this recipe. This cake works because of the addition of full-fat canned coconut milk. Adding a high-fat liquid in place of water helps to shorten the cake, or prevent gluten strands from forming, leaving you with an irresistibly tender crumb.

The addition of extra vanilla (because, truthfully, you can never have too much vanilla) and a sprinkle of lime zest brighten the rich coconut milk. Feeling even more tropical? Add 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract to the batter for extra coconut flavor.

The Frosting On Top

I love using a classic cream cream cheese frosting, and homemade frosting is a great place to let your creativity shine! Add candied ginger, 1/4 teaspoon lime zest, or even a splash of coconut liqueur for some extra tropical notes. If you don’t feel like making your own frosting, you can use a container of vanilla frosting and whip it together with an 8-ounce block of cream cheese.

Angled view of a gray plate of coconut cake with a fork on a gray countertop — Simply Recipes / Micah Siva

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Toast the coconut:

On a large baking sheet, spread the coconut flakes into an even layer. Bake in the preheated oven, stirring halfway through, until the coconut is golden brown and toasted, 5 to 8 minutes. Keep a close eye on the coconut as it can burn quickly. Let cool on the baking sheet (as it cools, it will continue to toast from the residual heat).

Make the cake batter:

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, coconut milk, vegetable oil or melted butter, vanilla extract, and lime zest. Mix with a rubber spatula until completely combined. Fold 3/4 cup of the toasted coconut into the batter. Pour the batter into the greased baking pan.

Bake:

Bake according to the package directions until lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean, 20 to 28 minutes. Let cool in the pan.

Make the frosting:

Using an electric mixer, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter on medium speed until smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides.

On low speed, add 2 cups of powdered sugar and the vanilla extract. Scrape the sides of the bowl down to fully incorporate. Mix until creamy, adding more sugar as needed, a little at a time, to get your desired sweetness and thickness.

Decorate and serve:

Use an offset spatula to spread the frosting on top of the cooled cake. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup toasted coconut flakes.

Cream cheese frosted cakes can sit in a room-temperature kitchen for up to one day. To store longer, cover with plastic wrap or a cake cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before serving to bring to room temperature.

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