This coconut drizzle cake is moist and light with desiccated coconut in the crumb, drenched in a coconut syrup and topped with coconut icing.
It's a beautiful cake with an understand beauty that wouldn't be out of place at a birthday celebration, tropical gathering or winter party.
The white coconut shavings on white of the icing is so elegant and tempting!
To make this coconut drizzle cake, you'll start by making the coconut sponge batter.
For this you'll just need a single large bowl, first creaming butter and sugar together, then whisking in eggs, folding in self-raising flour and finally, stirring in desiccated coconut and lime.
After that, you'll simply spoon the batter into a lined tin and bake.
To make it sweet, moist and packed with flavour, you'll then make a simple syrup by boiling lime juice, coconut water and icing sugar together. Once the cake is baked, you'll skewer it all over and drench it in the zesty syrup.
Once the cake has cooled, the final step is to decorate. The icing is made from a little of the reserved syrup combined with extra icing sugar. This gives a thick and luxurious icing that drips gently down the sides of the cake.
A topping of coconut shavings and your cake is ready to serve!
Below is the full recipe, complete with a full list of ingredients and recommended equipment, plus detailed instructions with plenty of step-by-step photos.
I hope you enjoy making this easy, delicious coconut drizzle. I have orange, lemon, chocolate and lime drizzle varieties for you to try too!
Once you've given my recipe a go, I'd love you to come back and leave a comment letting me know how yours turned out.
I'd love to see your videos and pics, too! Just tag me on social media. I'm @emilylearycooks on Twitter and TikTok or @amummytoo on Instagram.
Ingredients
For The Sponge
- 250 g salted butter softened
- 250 g white caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 3 medium free range eggs
- 250 g self-raising white flour (self rising flour)
- 50 g desiccated coconut
- 1 lime juice and zest
For The Coconut Drizzle
- 1 lime juice and zest
- 80 ml coconut water
- 125 g icing sugar (powdered sugar)
For the final decoration
- 200 g icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- 2 tbsp whole milk
- 3-4 tangerines peeled and sliced
- 50 g coconut chips
Instructions
Grease and line the base and sides of your 18cm (7 inch) round loose bottomed or springform cake tin before you start so that it's ready to go when you need it.
Make The Coconut Sponge Batter
Preheat the oven to 180C / 160C fan / 350F.
To make cake batter, start by placing the caster sugar and softened butter in a large mixing bowl.
Beat with an electric whisk or by hand until pale and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time while whisking until combined.
Add the self-raising flour.
Fold through with a silicone spatula.
Add the desiccated coconut plus the juice and zest of one lime. See notes on lime sizes below.
Gently fold through to combine.
Spoon the batter into your prepared cake tin and level off.
Bake for about 1 hour 45 minutes or until firm all the way across. Check that it's cooked through by pushing a skewer all the way into the centre - it should come out clean.
Make The Coconut Drizzle
You can make your coconut drizzle towards the end of the sponge's baking time.
Start by putting the lime juice and zest, coconut water and icing sugar in a small saucepan. Remember again that my limes may vary in size to yours and adjust accordingly.
Gently mix together until there are no lumps.
Place on the stove and bring to the boil, then boil for 3 minutes. Be careful, it will be very hot. The syrup should change from opaque to translucent and be thickened.
Take the cake from the oven and prick holes all over, about 3/4 of the way down with a long skewer.
Reserve 2 tbsp in a bowl.
Pour the rest slowly all over the cake.
Leave to cool completely in the tin.
Decorate Your Coconut Drizzle Cake
When your coconut drizzle cake is completely cool, transfer it to a cake board.
Combine the reserved syrup with the milk and icing sugar. Whisk to create a thick, white icing.
Pour over the top of the loaf and gently coax down the sides to create some drips.
Top with the coconut chips and allow to set.
Slice with a serrated knife and enjoy!
Notes
My limes weighed about 55-65g (about 2 ounces) each and yielded 20-25ml (3/4 fl oz) juice per lime. If yours are bigger or smaller, adjust accordingly.
Print this coconut drizzle cake recipe
Coconut Drizzle Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For The Sponge
- 250 g salted butter softened
- 250 g white caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 3 medium free range eggs
- 250 g self-raising white flour (self rising flour)
- 50 g desiccated coconut
- 1 lime juice and zest
For The Coconut Drizzle
- 1 lime juice and zest
- 80 ml coconut water
- 125 g icing sugar (powdered sugar)
For the final decoration
- 200 g icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- 2 tbsp whole milk
- 3-4 tangerines peeled and sliced
- 50 g coconut chips
Instructions
- Grease and line the base and sides of your 18cm (7 inch) round loose bottomed or springform cake tin before you start so that it's ready to go when you need it.
Make The Coconut Sponge Batter
- Preheat the oven to 180C / 160C fan / 350F.
- To make cake batter, start by placing the caster sugar and softened butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric whisk or by hand until pale and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time while whisking until combined.
- Add the self-raising flour and fold through with a silicone spatula.
- Add the desiccated coconut plus the juice and zest of one lime. See notes on lime sizes below. Gently fold through to combine.
- Spoon the batter into your prepared cake tin and level off.
- Bake for about 1 hour 45 minutes or until firm all the way across. Check that it's cooked through by pushing a skewer all the way into the centre - it should come out clean.
Make The Coconut Drizzle
- You can make your coconut drizzle towards the end of the sponge's baking time.
- Start by putting the lime juice and zest, coconut water and icing sugar in a small saucepan. Remember again that my limes may vary in size to yours and adjust accordingly. Gently mix together until there are no lumps.
- Place on the stove and bring to the boil, then boil for 3 minutes. Be careful, it will be very hot. The syrup should change from opaque to translucent and be thickened.
- Take the cake from the oven and prick holes all over, about 3/4 of the way down with a long skewer.
- Reserve 2 tbsp in a bowl and pour the rest slowly all over the cake.
- Leave to cool completely in the tin.
Decorate Your Coconut Drizzle Cake
- When your coconut drizzle cake is completely cool, transfer it to a cake board.
- Combine the reserved syrup with the milk and icing sugar. Whisk to create a thick, white icing.
- Pour over the top of the loaf and gently coax down the sides to create some drips.
- Top with the coconut chips and allow to set.
- Slice with a serrated knife and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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More coconut recipes to try
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Julie says
Tried the coconut drizzle cake but it was lacking in flavour, except sugar and lime. No coconut evident despite quite expensive ingredients. Cake was moist and a good rise but so t make again.
Emily Leary says
Hi. My guess is that your coconut was old and lost its flavour. You can add a little coconut essence if you like.