This Meyer lemon coconut cake is full of wonderful spring flavors with a moist coconut lemon cake and sweet tropical coconut frosting. Perfect for all your Spring celebrations. 

Meyer Lemon Coconut Cake

Happy first day of March friends! For most of you, spring is in the air. For the rest of us, it’s NOT. Not even close so I am hanging on to winter citrus like no one’s business to make my days more tolerable. Recipes like grapefruit creme brulee, blood orange chocolate Meyerle torte, and this Meyer lemon coconut cake brings on an air of spring in your kitchen while it’s still winter. Isn’t winter citrus the best? I can’t get enough and won’t stop baking until Spring arrives.

Meyer Lemon Coconut Cake

Like any avid citrus fan, I am a firm believer in sweet and tart and that lip puckering tartness that’s just too good. I am also a firm believer in coconut. It makes EVERYTHING better. It’s like the cilantro of the baking world. And as you know, I make it my JOB to explore all the coconut pairings. This Meyer lemon + coconut combination is one that you will love as it is incredible. The sweet Meyer lemon flavor with the tropical coconut blends very well together in this moist cake.

Meyer Lemon Coconut Cake

The recipe for this Meyer lemon coconut cake is adapted from this popular cupcakes recipe. I am always getting emails from readers asking how to convert these Meyer lemon coconut cupcakes into a cake. It’s usually easy with some adjustment in baking times and pan sizes but I understand that not everyone is up to experimenting when you are just looking for a great recipe for your loved ones. Well, I got you covered. The recipe was scaled for an 8-inch two-layered cake but you can double for a 9-inch layered cake or half the recipe for a 6-inch layered cake.

Meyer Lemon Coconut Cake
Yield: 1 8-inch layered cake

Meyer Lemon Coconut Cake

This Meyer lemon coconut cake is full of wonderful spring flavors with a moist coconut lemon cake and sweet tropical coconut frosting. Perfect for all your Spring celebrations. 

Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE:

  • 1/3 cup whole milk, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup coconut cream (NOT coconut milk)
  • 1  large egg, room temperature
  • 2 large egg whites, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 1/4 cups cake flour, sifted
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • zest of 1 Meyer lemon
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into cubes

For the Frosting:

  • 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
  • 3 tablespoons coconut cream
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon Meyer lemon juice
  • Zest of one Meyer lemon
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

FOR CUPCAKES:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 8-inch round cake pans with a baking spray and line with parchment circles. Grease the parchment.
  2. Whisk together half of the milk, coconut cream, egg whites, egg, lemon juice and vanilla extract.
  3. Sift the cake flour in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (Or a medium bowl if using a hand mixer). Combine the rest of the dry ingredients including the lemon zest and sugar. Stir together on low speed for 30 seconds.
  4. Add the butter one piece at a time and blend on low speed for 30 seconds. Then add the remaining milk, and mix on low speed until moistened. Increase speed to medium and mix for 1½ minute. Be careful not to overmix. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
  5. Add the egg/milk/extract mixture in 3 separate batches mixing on medium speed after each addition until combined.
  6. Divide batter into prepared cake pans and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted in center of the cake.
  7. Let cakes cool completely for 10 minutes on a wire rack in pans. Invert cakes and let cool completely before frosting.

COCONUT LEMON BUTTERCREAM

  1. Whip butter for 8 minutes on medium speed using the paddle attachment of an electric mixer. The butter will become pale and creamy.
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix on low speed for 1 minute. Then increase speed to medium and mix for 6 minutes until the frosting is very light, creamy and fluffy.
  3. Use frosting immediately or store refrigerated in an airtight container.

To Assemble

  1. Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving platter. Spread about 1 cup of frosting over the top using an offset spatula. Top with final layer of cake.
  2. Frost cake with a crumb coat of buttercream and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Finish frosting cake and decorate as desired

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