This 3 Day Easy Coconut Cake is a moist, soft, delicious, melt-in-your-mouth cake! This old-fashioned coconut cake recipe starts with a cake mix, but you'd never know it! It's the perfect make-ahead dessert you'll want to serve again and again for family gatherings, holidays, and more!
Originally posted July 2018, updated October 2024.
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3 Day Coconut Cake
When we moved back to my tiny hometown a few years ago, I was tasked with helping at a bake sale for one of our local ministries. Everybody told me I had to get Mrs. Sharon (a lady from our church) to make a coconut cake for the bake sale. I mean they were emphatic - I HAD TO!
So I asked and she made not one, but two of them. I was pretty happy with myself. I was even more happy when they were the first cakes to sell that day! Apparently, her coconut cakes are pretty "famous" in our small town.
Why You'll Love This Coconut Cake Recipe
- Delicious. I'm not shy about asking anybody for a recipe; to my delight, Mrs. Sharon happily shared hers. I'm so grateful because this cake is crazy-good.
- Easy. I was just thrilled to see that this recipe is cake-mix-based and the frosting starts with Cool Whip. Y'all know I love a doctored cake mix recipe, so I love that this starts with a cake mix but tastes like a homemade, from-scratch, grandma kind of old-fashioned cake.
- Make-Ahead. This cake can be eaten within a day of making but it's actually much, much better after 2-3 days so it's perfect for making ahead around busy holidays!
What is Frozen Coconut? What is a Substitute for Frozen Coconut?
Frozen shredded coconut is made from fresh, mature coconuts that are grated and quickly frozen, retaining their natural moisture, soft texture, and fresh coconut flavor. It is used in recipes that call for fresh coconut, like desserts, and is stored in the freezer.
In contrast, regular shredded coconut is dried, removing the moisture, resulting in a dry, flaky texture and a more subdued flavor. It's often used in baking and as toppings, with a longer shelf life, and stored at room temperature. The key differences are texture and moisture content.
2024 Update
Until recent years, frozen coconut was easy to purchase at both small local grocery stores and big stores like Walmart and Kroger. Then, sometime around Covid (2020-2021), it became more difficult to find and eventually discontinued.
I can't pinpoint when exactly (maybe in 2022) because I purchased in bulk to keep in my freezer (I live in rural Mississippi), and I don't use it often, so I had a supply for quite a while after it was no longer available. I should clarify, I'm specifically talking about Birds Eye Fresh Frozen Sweetened Coconut. It's the brand I had been buying for 20+ years.
If there are other brands, I have not seen them. I have searched and researched far and wide, and I cannot find a similar product anywhere or in any other brand. I did find frozen coconut in an Indian Grocery Store in New York, so if you have an Indian foods store near you, you may have some luck.
So, I'm currently using sweetened, shredded coconut that is not frozen for this recipe. It's drier, so I like to make the filling the day before, and the dry shredded coconut seems to soften in the wet ingredients overnight.
Ingredients
These ingredients are common and easy to find!
- Yellow or White Cake Mix
- Eggs
- Oil
- Water
- Sour Cream
- Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
- All-purpose Flour
- Frozen Coconut, thawed (updated to more of the shredded sweetened coconut)
- Sour Cream
- Cool Whip
- Shredded Sweetened Coconut
How to Make a 3 Day Coconut Cake
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Prepare cake pans with non-stick baking spray or homemade goop.
- Mix the cake mix, eggs, oil water, sour cream, pudding, and flour until well combined in a large mixing bowl.
- Divide between two or three prepared 8-inch pans.*
- Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
- Cool and torte (split) the layers.
- While the cake cools, mix the frozen coconut with the sour cream and sugar. Save ½ cup of this mixture for later.
- Place the first layer of cake on a cake board with the cut side up. Cover and soak it with the sour cream mixture.
- Repeat with all except the last layer. Lay it on top with the cut-side down - do not soak with filling.
- Mix the reserved sour cream mixture with the tub of Cool Whip.
- Spread on the top and sides of the cake.
- Cover with flaked coconut.
- Refrigerate for 3 days in an airtight container for best results.
- Or be like me and eat the same day or next day 🙂
*Mrs. Sharon bakes in three 8-inch pans, then tortes (splits) each of those layers so her cake is actually 6 layers. As you can see - mine is only three because I don't like handling super thin layers. They always break on me. Another option is to divide between two 8-inch pans and torte those for a total of 4 layers.
FAQ
If you have more willpower than I do, let it sit for three days. The frosting is made with sugar, sour cream, and whipped topping, and the cake soaks up all that deliciousness every minute you let it chill in the frig.
If you're reading this thinking you don't have 3 days or want to wait 3 days to eat it, let me assure you that it's still a fantastic cake if you'll take at least 8-10 hours and let it chill overnight. Either way, it's quite simply incredible!
More Delicious Coconut Cake Recipes
PrintRecipe
3 Day Easy Coconut Cake
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 24 1x
Description
If you love coconut, or even if you don't, this 3 Day Easy Coconut Cake is quite delicious! It's moist, creamy, melt-in-your-mouth incredible!
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 box of white or yellow cake mix (I prefer Pillsbury)
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup oil
- 1 cup water
- 8 ounces sour cream
- 1 (3.4 oz) box of instant vanilla pudding mix
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
For the filling & frosting:
- 2 (6 oz each) packages of frozen coconut, thawed (SEE MY NOTE IN THE POST ABOUT THIS PRODUCT)
- 16 oz. sour cream
- 2 cups sugar
- 16 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 1 (7 oz) bag flaked coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Prepare cake pans with non-stick baking spray or homemade goop.
- Mix the cake mix, eggs, oil water, sour cream, pudding, and flour until well combined in a large mixing bowl.
- Divide between two or three prepared 8-inch pans.*
- Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
- Cool and torte (split) the layers.
- While the cake cools, mix the frozen coconut with the sour cream and sugar. Save ½ cup of this mixture for later.
- Place the first layer of cake on a cake board with the cut-side up. Cover and soak it with the sour cream mixture.
- Repeat with all except the last layer. Lay it on top with the cut-side down - do not soak with filling.
- Mix the reserved sour cream mixture with the tub of Cool Whip.
- Spread on the top and sides of the cake.
- Cover with flaked coconut.
- Refrigerate for 3 days in an airtight container for best results. Or be like me and Mrs. Sharon and eat the same day or next day.
*Mrs. Sharon bakes in three 8-inch pans, then tortes (splits) each of those layers so her cake is actually 6 layers. As you can see - mine is only three because I don't like handling super thin layers. They always break on me. Another option is to divide between two 8-inch pans and torte those for a total of 4 layers.
Notes
Mrs. Sharon's exact original instructions:
"Mix the cake mix according to the directions on the box (I don't do this - I use a doctored cake mix recipe). Bake in three layers and cool; split into six layers (I don't do this - I bake in two pans and split those). Mix two packages of frozen coconut with the sour cream and sugar. Set aside ¼ cup of this for later use. Spread the rest between the layers. Now mix the ¼ cup mixture with the whipped topping; spread on top and sides of the cake. Decorate the outside of the cake with the flaked coconut. Refrigerate for 3 days in an airtight container before cutting.... I never do this. I usually cut it the same day it is made. However, it is more moist if you let it set."
- Prep Time: 30
- Rest Time: 8 hours to 3 days
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Mary Witkowicz
Hi rose. I was thinking about making the Cooked Frosting with flour and milk and was wondering if you have tried it and if it’s good for kids party cupcakes. I respect your opinion as I read your posts as often as I can. Thanks
Rose
I'm not sure I've ever heard of this type of frosting. Sorry I can't help!
Anne
Maybe she’s talking about ermine frosting. Weird but it works and tastes fantastic.
Christine Stephens
I made this cake years ago. It is delicious. Thank you for reminding about this old favorite.
Rose
So happy to hear it - you're welcome!
Pamela
Does this cake SERIOUSLY yield 24 servings? Can any cake baked in 8-inch pans that isn't at least 7 or 8 layers serve that many people? This astounds me. I just want to double check and see if this is correct or if it might be a typo. Whoever came up with this number doesn't feed the people I'm usually around. They don't have a cakeaholic for a mother and feed several farmers at a meal. I would have to bake an 18-inch cake to even consider that many servings. The people at some restaurants in Colonial Williamsburg don't read these instructions either. I have been served at the restaurant called the Trellis, not sure if its still there or not, a deep dark rich chocolate cake with ganache frosting that HAD to be at LEAST 6-inches tall, the end of the cake slice 4-inches wide and the slice of cake 6 to 8 inches deep. It was served on a dinner plate I think, not the dessert plates I use at holiday meals. I'm NOT exaggerating on this cake slice either. It was without doubt THE largest slice of cake I had ever been served in my life. While the cost was not cheap, I could not complain I wasn't given my money's worth of dessert. I would have LOVED to have seen the whole pre-sliced cake back in the kitchen. It had to have been a work of art to behold. If this coconut cake is as good as its claiming to be it makes me extremely sad that one of my older relatives isn't with us any longer. Every Christmas and every Easter she made a coconut cake. Aunt Maudie always loved finding a new and delicious recipe. For a woman born in 1905 she sure did love trying to recipes and new foods (within reason), basically, she just loved food. Sounds like she would have loved this one. While I'm the one in the family that inherited the job of baking ALL the recipes of EVERY female on BOTH sides of the family (one of the times I'm glad I'm not married or I would have all of hubby's family to do too) I do Aunt Maudie's Easter cake at Easter but not at Christmas, not unless I have a function other than Christmas dinner that I'm baking for. After all, I do her Applesauce cake every Christmas and about 3 or 4 other cakes. I'm still baking recipes that have been in our family around 150 years. I think I'm doing pretty good. I think at Easter coconut just always seems to go, not quite sure why that is but Easter and coconut just exist together. And then at Christmas, I think she thought the cake reminded people of snow. Is that why we do coconut at Christmas? Well if this cake is as good as it sounds poor Aunt Maudie's coconut cake may be benched for a while and I use this. I'm anxious to give it a try. I have a function I want to make several items for this coming Saturday and I think this is going to be one. I also plan on giving the Fudge Cupcakes with the Raspberry Syrup from one of the Hannah Swensen Mysteries, the ones that run on the Hallmark Channel. Do you read any food based mystery series? I read too many to remember them all but the mystery sleuth who owns the Cookie Jar Bakery, Hannah Swensen by Joanne Fluke are a favorite along with all of the ones by Laura Childs who does tea shop mysteries with Theodosia Browning and her dog Earl Grey which occur in Charleston, SC and the scrapbook shop in New Orleans with Carmella Bertrand and her shop Memory Mine. Even though Carmella owns a scrapbook shop she is also a great cook and her recipes she prepares are included in the back of the book, often more Cajun or seafood oriented. I have discovered some fantastic recipes from reading mysteries. A great way to fulfill to obsessions at the same time, mysteries and baking. Life CAN be good at times.
Lisa
Is the frozen shredded coconut sweetened or unsweetened???
Rose
The brand I buy, Bird's Eye, is sweetened.
Pamela
this is a p.s. to the above comment. In reading your comments with the instructions and looking at the pictures I agree, it seems like a lot of frosting for just the outside and top of cake. In the pictures it doesn't look like anything is between the layers. I almost didn't think you did put anything until I read the instructions again doublechecking for that. It seems like there should be more filling between layers. Almost every coconut cake I've ever seen has had a decent amount. Were you ever able to see one of the coconut cakes Mrs. Sharon made after it had been cut? It's a shame now that you have the recipe you don't have a good reason to ask her to do another one for comparison. Are you sure she didn't also place some of the frosting with the whipped topping between the layers? I don't see why you can't. I think I'm going to put some of it between layers. I wish you had pictures of a cut slice of a cake Mrs. Sharon did. I would be very curious to see what her cake looked like when finished. You can tell a lot in a cut slice of cake.
Julia Swarner
Looks yummy! I will have to try it sometime!
Rose
Let me know if you do!
Windy Barr
Looks delicious
Rose
Thank you!
Denise
Sounds good but I have to ask...what is frozen coconut? How is it different than regular coconut? I haven’t seen frozen coconut in any stores so I’m wondering what is different other than just being regular coconut that was frozen.
Rose
I'm gonna be honest here and say, I really have no idea. I hadn't used it prior to this recipe but I just followed it as written. I found the frozen coconut in our local small-town grocery store, in Walmart Super Stores and in Kroger. Hope that helps!
Denise
Ok-LOL. I’ll have to look harder when I go to the store and see if I can find some of that coconut. Thanks for the reply.
Shayle
I was going to ask the same question about the coconut because I have never heard or seen frozen coconut before. Is it shredded coconut? Can you substitute for regular shredded coconut?
Rose
It is shredded. After doing a little research, it seems that frozen coconut is frozen fresh vs. dried (like the bags), so it has a lot more moisture.
Rose
After doing a little research, it seems that frozen coconut is frozen fresh vs. dried (like the bags), so it has a lot more moisture.
Michael Taylor
I will have to try this cake, as it looks awesome.
Rose
Great!
Valencia
Thank you so much for this recipe! I had been wanting to make a coconut cake for quite some time. I chose this one because of the 3 day part. I was doing all the cooking for Labor Day so I figured that the cake would be an easy dessert to do in advance. I didn't veer too far from the recipe. I just made it as a sheet cake. I did split the cake into 2 layers and put the filling in the middle. I also went a little lighter on the coconut on top. It was a huge hit. Everyone loved it. And it definitely gets better and better as each day passes. Again, thanks so much for this.
Rose
That makes me SO happy to hear!! Thank you Valencia!
Pattie
I made this cake today. Have no idea how it will taste. I love coconut so I will wait the 3 days ( maybe ). I made the filling, boy was it thin. I checked the recipe again, yes it is sour cream. Thought maybe it was supposed to be cream cheese. Maybe that is the reason that you can't really tell that there are layers of cake. Yes it is a lot of frosting. If it turns out, I will use some of the frosting in between the layers next time . I'm sure it will taste wonderful. tasted the cake when I leveled it, tasted the filling ( had some left over, it just kind of ran off the cake layers, very thin ) and I tasted the frosting. All tasted great. Was the filling supposed to be thin?
Rose
Hey Pattie - yes, the filling is very runny. I think that helps it soak into the layers and creates a more moist cake in the end!
Pattie
Question: Is the filling supposed to be so thin? Would not stay between layers. Just oozed out. Thank you
Rose
Yes, it's always been thin for me. I think that helps it soak into the cake and makes it super moist.
Dawn
Have you tried this cake with buttercream frosting? I have someone who wants her wedding cake to be coconut, but not the frosting with recipe.
Rose
I have not tried it with buttercream. Do you still plan to use the filling? Because there's no coconut in the actual cake.
Dianne
I just finished making this cake and I can't WAIT to taste it! Not that I haven't been tasting all along. I had to do some modifications, like I made it with two square pans, and I have 4 layers. I didn't have frozen coconut and when I mixed the flaked coconut into the sugar and sour cream, it was not "runny" as I had read in the comments so I added a tablespoon or 2 of 1/2 & 1/2. It looked like it was going to make tons (way too much) frosting. so I ended up adding just 1/2 the cool whip to my leftover sour cream mixture which was way more than 1/4 cup, more like 1 cup. That made just enough to cover my cake. It's in the refrigerator right now, and I am hoping it will last in there until tonight. I'm sure I won't be able to last much longer than that! LOL
Susan
I will be making a coconut cake for my friend who will be turning 70. I'm looking to make 2 tiers 9 and 8". Is this cake sturdy enough for that 2nd tier?
I remember my mother making this cake with a 7 minute frosting.
Thank you
Rose
I would think not. This cake is super soft and I don't think I'd try to do tiers with it.
kehinde
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.....i got to try it,it looks yummy
Claudia
Tried this cake today. Wish I knew to take the whipped cream right out of the freezer. My cake looks like a glob of cream! Lol
Ricki
Can't wait to try this recipe. It looks delicious. Are you supposed to use the whipped topping and the frozen coconut right out of the freezer or should they be thawed?
Rose
Thawed!
Ginny
Question: I detest Cool Whip. What do you think about using (stabilized) whipped cream in its place?
I (also) have never seen frozen coconut in any of my local markets, even our Mexican market, which has a very good selection of other frozen fruit purees and such. I'll have to look closer.
I agree with one of the other posters about the cake needs some more filling between layers. I suspect you added it, but it soaked into the cake and thereby helps moisten it too. I would try adding more filling knowing it will soak in before cutting.
Otherwise, coconut cake? What's not to love. Can't wait to try it (with whipped cream).
Kathy Tolbert
I worked as Brookshires Grocery store a few years ago. This recipe came out in their Easter flyer. Being a home baker, I kept it and made the cake for a lady in my dance group that was turning 80. She had requested a coconut cake. Long story short, Every time someone in the group turns 80 this is the cake they want. We always have a party for anyone in the group who is 80 and still dancing. Monthly parties for everyone. We all love this cake, and it is better after 3 days and served cold.
Lindsey
Couldn't let mine sit for 3 days either!!! BUT OMG!!! SO SO GOOD and love the simplicity of using a cake mix!
Katie
I love this recipe! I make it in a 9x13 pan, and treat it like a poke cake. So instead of filling layers, I just put that "filling" on top of the cake and it soaks in, and the whipped topping layer on top of that. Yum!!
Lena
I see flour and pudding listed in the instructions but not in the ingredient list, do you have the measurements for those and how much of the sour cream to add to the cake batter? Thank you!
Rose Atwater
Corrected, thank you!