CookDiaries

This coconut Easter cake is an easy lemon coconut Bundt cake decorated like a bird’s nest, topped with cream cheese frosting, shredded coconut, and chocolate Easter egg candies. You just need some basic baking staples, an electric mixer, and a standard Bundt pan to make this stunning springtime dessert that’s easy enough for cake decorating beginners.

Ingredients

Cake

• 3 cups (360g) cake flour (spooned & leveled)*
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 and 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
• 1 heaping Tablespoon lemon zest
• 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1/2 cup (120g) full-fat sour cream or plain yogurt, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup (180ml) whole milk, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup (100g) sweetened flaked/shredded coconut

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 cups (240g) confectioners’ sugar
• 1–2 Tablespoons (15–30ml) fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For Topping

• 1 and 1/2 cups (150g) sweetened flaked/shredded coconut*
• 1–2 cups candy-coated chocolate eggs, such as Cadbury Mini Eggs

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Generously grease a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan.
2. Make the cake: Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and lemon zest and beat on high speed for 3 minutes until creamed. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the oil and mix on medium speed to combine. With the mixer running on low speed, add the eggs one at a time, then add sour cream and the vanilla and coconut extracts. Beat on medium-high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed.
4. Whisk the lemon juice and milk together. With the mixer running on low speed, add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the lemon-milk mixture and mixing after each addition until just incorporated. Do not over-mix. The batter will be thick and fluffy. Fold in the coconut.
5. Spoon/pour evenly into Bundt pan and bake for 55–65 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. If you find the top is browning too quickly, loosely cover with aluminum foil about halfway through bake time.
6. Cool cake for 2 hours in the pan set on a cooling rack, and then invert onto a cake stand or serving plate. Cool completely before decorating.
7. Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, and vanilla extract with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes. Add 1 more Tablespoon of lemon juice to thin out, if desired. Taste. Add a pinch of salt if desired.
8. Using an icing spatula or a knife, frost the cooled Bundt cake. Top with sweetened flaked/shredded coconut. Fill the hole in the center of the cake with candy-coated chocolate eggs. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 24 hours. If the cake has been refrigerated for longer than an hour, let it sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving, to soften up a bit.
9. Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I usually store frosted cakes in a cake carrier.

Notes

1. Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can make and cool the cake 1 day before serving, store covered overnight, and decorate and serve the following day. You can also make and decorate the cake 1 day in advance; see step 8. To freeze, wrap unfrosted baked and cooled cake in 1–2 layers of plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw (still in the wrapping) overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before frosting, slicing, and serving.
2. Special Tools (affiliate links): 10- to 12-cup Bundt Pan | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Cooling Rack | Icing Spatula | Cake Carrier | Citrus Juicer | Citrus Zester
3. Cake Flour: For the best results, I strongly recommend cake flour.
4. Sweetened Shredded Coconut: I recommend using sweetened shredded/flaked coconut in the cake and as the topping. It’s moister than unsweetened coconut and that makes a big difference in the cake’s texture. If desired, pulse the coconut shreds in a food processor to chop them up so they aren’t as long inside and outside of the cake. Chopping the coconut is optional.
5. Room Temperature Ingredients: All refrigerated items should be at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly. Here is why room temperature ingredients are important in baking. 
6. Whole Milk & Sour Cream: Whole milk and full-fat sour cream are strongly recommended for the best taste and texture. You can substitute full-fat plain yogurt for the sour cream, if needed. And if you don’t have whole milk, lower fat or nondairy milk work in a pinch.
7. Toasted Coconut for Topping: If desired, you can toast some or all of the coconut for the topping. Spread the coconut on an ungreased baking sheet, and bake in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 6–8 minutes, or until browned to your liking. Let cool before using.