Chocolate Coconut Loaf Cake
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This Chocolate Coconut Loaf Cake is a light and sweet coconut cake that's topped with a rich chocolate icing and shredded coconut. The classic combination of chocolate and coconut never gets old for me!
If you love chocolate and coconut as much as I do, be sure to check out some of my other favorite recipes like my Toasted Coconut Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies, Dark Chocolate Coconut Squares, or my Toasted Coconut Chocolate Scones.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Small Cake: I love making loaf cakes because they are smaller cakes. This easy loaf cake recipe only makes about 8 servings, so it's perfect even if you are a smaller family!
Easy: This easy loaf cake recipe comes together quickly. It's no fuss because you just use a 1 ½-pound loaf pan. If you are new cake baking, loaf cakes are a great place to start for beginner bakers.
Chocolate + Coconut: There is nothing I love more than chocolate and coconut. And this easy loaf cake recipe has plenty of both! This Chocolate Coconut Loaf Cake starts with a fluffy coconut cake and it's topped with chocolate icing and a sprinkle of fine shredded coconut on top. This classic combination is sure to be a hit with whoever you share it with.
5 Reasons to Bake a Loaf Cake
1. Size
Their size! This is the perfect amount of cake for any family. With just myself and Delaney, we can still eat a whole loaf cake in a week and not have to toss out any, though usually friends stop by and swipe up slices anyways!
2. Cake to Frosting Ratio
Loaf cakes have the best cake to frosting ratio! Seriously guys, I didn't like frosting for a lot of my younger life, I always thought it was too sweet. I used to trade my little brother my frosting for his cake all throughout childhood. But, with loaf cakes the frosting is just enough for me every time, it's perfect!
3. Ease
Loaf cakes are so easy! Dump it all into one pan, check. Bake it, check. Frosting just on top, check. If you're new to cake baking, then loaf cakes are a great place to start. They use one pan, you only have to frost the top, and they are seriously impressive for a lot less work than other cake recipes.
4. Acceptable Anytime
You can eat loaf cakes anytime! Seriously, breakfast, mid morning snack, dessert… any time is loaf cake time.
5. Easy to Travel With
Loaf cakes are the easiest kind of cake to travel with! Whether you are bringing the whole loaf to someone or just a slice for yourself. You can wrap either one up in plastic wrap easily and it won't mess up the cake. Wrapping it in plastic wrap keeps it fresh. If you can, using a tupperware is more eco friendly and works for just one slice.
Ingredients
Real Coco Organic Coconut Milk
Food to Live Organic Unsweetened Fine Shredded Coconut
Florida Crystals Organic Powdered Sugar
NuNaturals Organic Dutch Cocoa Powder
Tools Needed
1 ½-pound loaf pan
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Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper letting it hang over the sides for easier removal.
Step 2
To make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment add the butter, cane sugar, and coconut extract and mix on low until combined and there are no chunks of butter.
Add the eggs and coconut milk and mix on low until it combined. Add the flour, coconut, baking powder, and sea salt and mix on low until combined into a smooth batter.
Grease the loaf pan with either butter or cooking spray. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
Step 3
Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the pan.
Step 4
To make the glaze: In a medium bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, cocoa and coconut milk.
Step 5
Remove the loaf cake from the pan and pour the glaze over the top.
Baker's Tips
Use the Best Cake Pan
My favorite 1 ½-pound loaf pan is from USA Pan, you can find it here. The ridges in their pans literally help your cakes bake up so much better! It's totally worth it to invest the small amount it is to upgrade to this pan! This easy loaf cake recipe will be that much easier with the right pan.
Use Softened Butter
Make sure your butter is soft. If it's soft, then it will make an indent when you press your finger into it. I like to leave butter out on the counter overnight or for quite a few hours before using it, so it can soften at room temperature as it softens best this way. If you need to microwave it, then make sure you are only doing about 10 seconds per stick as you don't want to melt parts of the butter into a liquid, and that can happen very easily in the microwave.
Use Organic Coconut Extract
Use a coconut extract you like the flavor of! There are so many out there, and they are all a little different. The one I am using right now and really like, can be found here.
Use Organic Coconut Milk
My favorite organic coconut milk is Real Coco. You can find it at Costco and on Amazon here. I prefer to buy the carton from the fridge, and if you go with the shelf stable one, just be sure to shake it up before using it as I feel that one can separate easily.
Choose the Best Cake Flour
You can also make your own organic cake flour with my Homemade Cake Flour recipe.
Use Organic Unsweetened Coconut
Unsweetened coconut is always the way to go! It may seem odd to buy an unsweetened version for baking, but it is truly the best as it's a true coconut flavor without any additives. You can find it here. There are many brands that make this, I don't have a preference as long as it's organic and unsweetened, you're good to go!
FAQ's
You can use vanilla extract in its place, but the cake itself won't have as much coconut flavor. You could also use almond extract instead for a chocolate coconut almond combo!
Yes, loaf cakes are a great cake to make ahead of time! I love making them in the evening, then letting them cool completely overnight. Then I will frost them the following day.
Loaf cakes need to be kept under a cake dome to stay soft. Or you can store extra slices in a tupperware as well.
Craving More?
Chocolate Coconut Loaf Cake
Equipment
- 1 ½-pound Loaf Pan
Ingredients
Batter
- 170 grams salted butter (softened)
- 226 grams cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- ¾ cup coconut milk (room temperature)
- 255 grams cake flour
- 57 grams unsweetened fine shredded coconut
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Glaze
- 127 grams powdered sugar (sifted)
- 15 grams Dutch cocoa powder (sifted)
- 2 ½ tablespoons coconut milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper letting it hang over the sides for easier removal.
- To make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment add the butter, cane sugar, and coconut extract and mix on low until combined and there are no chunks of butter.
- Add the eggs and coconut milk and mix on low until it combined. Add the flour, coconut, baking powder, and sea salt and mix on low until combined into a smooth batter.
- Grease the loaf pan with either butter or cooking spray. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool completely in the pan.
- To make the glaze: In a medium bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, cocoa and coconut milk.
- Remove the loaf cake from the pan and pour the glaze over the top.
- Store in a cake dome or in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
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