• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Andrea Meyers logo

  • About
  • Photography
  • The Farm Project
  • Cooking with Kids
  • Grow Your Own
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Flickr
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Photography
  • The Farm Project
  • Cooking with Kids
  • Grow Your Own
    • Flickr
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Photography
    • The Farm Project
    • Cooking with Kids
    • Grow Your Own
    • Flickr
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Cakes

    Grandma’s Coconut Cake

    Apr 15, 2006 · Modified: Dec 26, 2020 by Andrea · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads ·

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Grandma’s Coconut Cake - Andrea Meyers

    We love this coconut cake for holidays and birthdays. The nearly 100-year-old recipe was handed down to my mother from my late paternal grandmother, who learned it from my great-aunt Gladys. My mother tried for years to get the recipe right because it's my father's favorite cake. My grandmother wrote these notes to my mother: “Germaine, When I add the hot milk-oleo mixture, I usually mix lightly on very low speed of mixer then finish mixing thoroughly with spoon. But don’t beat. As I said, this is a very sensitive cake, so have everything measured and ready before you start mixing. Gladys used to say, ‘I never let the beaters stop after I start, until finished.’” When Mom finally made a coconut cake that tasted like Grandma's, Grandpa proclaimed that she was now "a McClure."

    Grandma sometimes added pineapple in between the layers, but the cake doesn’t keep as long. She did not leave us any instructions on how to do it. Grandpa used to help by grinding fresh coconut for the cakes. In later years, Grandma bought frozen sweetened coconut. The cake freezes well. Grandma used to wrap them in several layers of plastic wrap before putting in her freezer. She even mailed a whole cake to my mother for her birthday one year. We were shocked to see that it arrived intact with every strand of coconut in place!

    The boiled frosting is the most difficult part, but when done correctly it has a consistency very much like a soft marshmallow creme. It can be very temperamental based on humidity, so make sure your kitchen is cool and dry. Store the finished cake in the refrigerator, otherwise the frosting will drip and run.

    It takes two days to make this cake, so plan ahead. But boy, is it worth it! It makes a beautiful cake for parties. You can make this in one day, you just need to start early in the morning so that the cake has time to cool before you frost it.

    We saved my grandmother's recipe cards for this cake, drips and all. They are one of my favorite mementos of her.

    📖 Recipe

    Grandma’s Coconut Cake - Andrea Meyers
    Print Pin

    Grandma’s Coconut Cake

    Adapted from Shirley McClure and Gladys McClure.
    Prep Time1 hour hr
    Cook Time40 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American, Southern
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Keyword: cake, Christmas, coconut, Easter
    Servings: 12 servings
    Calories: 491kcal
    Author: Andrea Meyers

    Equipment

    • 3 (9-inch) cake pans, greased and floured, line the bottom with wax paper
    • stand mixer with paddle attachment or glass mixing bowl and hand mixer
    • wire cooking racks
    • 2-quart pot with a heavy bottom
    • candy thermometer
    • cake plate or stand

    Ingredients

    Cake

    • 2 cups granulated sugar
    • 2 cups cake flour
    • 4 eggs
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1 cup hot milk
    • ¼ pound unsalted butter or margarine (Grandma always used margarine.)
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    Boiled Frosting

    • 2 cups granulated sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
    • ¾ cup water
    • 2 egg whites (room temperature)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
    • 6 ounces coconut (freshly shredded and drained or bag frozen shredded coconut, thawed)
    US Customary - Metric

    Preparation

    Day 1: Cake

    • Preheat oven to 360°. (Yes, that temperature is correct.)
    • Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together in a small bowl. Set aside.
    • Put milk and butter together in a sauce pan over low heat. Cook until it reaches the boiling point. The mixture should be very hot and just starting to boil, but don’t allow it to overcook. Remove from heat.
    • Put sugar in the mixing bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each. Add vanilla and mix thoroughly. Add flour mixture gradually, mixing well.
    • Add the hot milk and butter mixture to the flour and eggs mixture all at once. Mix well.
    • Pour into prepared cake pans and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit about 10 to 15 minutes in the pan. The cake tends to crisp around the edges and stick to the pan, so run a knife around the edges to loosen the cakes while they are still warm. Remove from pans, peel off the wax paper, and cool on a rack overnight.

    Day 2: Frosting and Assembly

    • Mix together sugar, cream of tartar, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil without stirring, until the mixture spins a 6-inch thread (about 240° to 242°). Keep the pan covered for the first 3 minutes of cooking to prevent crystals from forming on the sides of the pan.
    • Beat two egg whites in a large glass mixing bowl until stiff. Pour the hot syrup very slowly into the egg whites, beating constantly on high speed. Add vanilla. Continue beating until mixture is fluffy and will hold it shape and is cool and thick enough to spread of sides and top of cake. You do not want runny frosting.
    • Frost cake in layers and sprinkle the top and sides with shredded coconut. Press the coconut into the frosting so that it sticks. Put in a cake keeper and refrigerate. Will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator. The cake actually tastes even better if you allow it to sit for 24 hours because the frosting starts to absorb into the cake.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 491kcal | Carbohydrates: 86g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 93mg | Potassium: 204mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 69g | Vitamin A: 348IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Share in the comments!

    Copies of Grandma's Original Instructions

    Grandma's Original Hot Milk Cake Recipe - Andrea Meyers

    Grandma's Boiled Frosting recipe - Andrea Meyers

    More Cake Recipes

    Banana Bundt Cake - Andrea Meyers
    Banana Bundt Cake
    Brown Sugar Cake with Prunes and Apples - Andrea Meyers
    Brown Sugar Cake with Prunes and Apples
    Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting - Andrea Meyers
    Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

    More Cakes

    • Meyer Lemon Polenta Cake with Winter Fruit Compote - Andrea Meyers
      Meyer Lemon Polenta Cake with Winter Fruit Compote
    • Eggnog Cheesecake with Dark Rum and Biscoff Cookie Crust - Andrea Meyers
      Eggnog Cheesecake with Dark Rum and Biscoff Cookie Crust
    • Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting - Andrea Meyers
      Caramel Cake with Caramelized Butter Frosting, and a Tribute to the Queen of All Daring Bakers, Lis
    • Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cheesecake with Reese’s Minis - Andrea Meyers
      Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cheesecake with Reese's Minis

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Gayla says

      March 11, 2008 at 5:41 pm

      I want to try this recipe. My Grandma made a cocconut cake that was wonderful. We never got the recipe for it(I wonder if she even used a recipe). Wish me luck!!! Thank you

      • Beverly says

        November 11, 2021 at 7:40 am

        L want this recipe.

    2. Namz says

      April 01, 2008 at 8:41 am

      That was truly divine....I was looking up Coconut Cakes since I made one yesterday....nothing to beat your gorgeous concoction ofcourse!! It's a recipe that my mum picked up on a school-picnic and makes me all soppy and sentimental, whenever she bakes me one!!
      I especially loved your Grandma's Original Instruction Card.....complete with tiny splotches of past efforts.....beautiful memories....and a supa-beautiful cake!!

    3. shilpi says

      March 24, 2009 at 12:33 am

      Hi! This is fantastic recipe! I was hunting recipe for coconut cake for long time as my boyfriend loves coconut cake. finally found here! Thanks you very much for sharing such a wonderful recipe with everyone!

    4. Sally Strong says

      October 12, 2010 at 3:57 am

      Oh my gosh! I've been looking for this recipe and I think this is the one my mom used to make. Boiled icing with coconut on top! I can't wait to try it. I took one look at the photo and I could just taste it all over again. Thank you so much for posting this recipe, my childhood memories of this cake are about to be shared with my family.

    5. Mariko says

      May 04, 2011 at 2:42 am

      Beautiful! I suspect that it was worth it, even if it took two days to make. It's crazy to me that they had coconut cakes back then-- I guess coconut just preserves so well even with all the poor transport.

    6. Kalee says

      May 04, 2011 at 5:29 pm

      Thanks for sharing! Oh, and I had to laugh....going through my grandmama's home I came across boxes of recipe cards....I have those exact cards!

    7. Mara Hincher says

      December 18, 2011 at 1:24 pm

      I've been trying to track down a copy of my Great Granny Naron's coconut cake recipe, and I wondered if you might be related?! It was the McClure comment, my mother's first cousin is a Raymond McClure in Mississippi. Unfortunately, I don't know everyone's names on that side, and I don't know all that much about the Naron's or McClures. Just wondering. And still searching for that coconut cake recipe.

      • Andrea says

        December 18, 2011 at 4:17 pm

        Hi Mara. Can't say for sure if we are related as we're from further North, but I hope you find your family recipe.

    8. Kimberly McCasland says

      February 19, 2012 at 10:23 am

      My mother, and her mothers before her, made a coconut cake every Easter, and since they've both passed I've been searching for the recipe. This sounds just like I remember. Thank you so very much for posting it online...I will make it for this Easter!!

    9. Ozaer N. says

      January 11, 2013 at 5:11 pm

      This recipe looks great--could you also comment on how to make it a chocolate coconut cake? Im sure it may be simple as adding cocoa to the mix perhaps? Thank you for sharing this.

      • Andrea says

        January 23, 2013 at 3:34 pm

        If you want to make a chocolate cake, replace about 1/4 cup of the flour with an equal amount of baking cocoa. I haven't tried this before, so let me know how it turns out.

    10. DrGina says

      July 21, 2013 at 11:14 pm

      This sounds just like the coconut cake served at Old Original Bookbinders restaurant in the Society Hill section of Philadelphia. Since they closed, I've been on a quest to find a recipe that had cooked white frosting and it seems that I may have found what I'm looking for! I'll let you know whether it's similar once I have a chance to make it. Thanks for posting the pics of the original recipe. It makes it that much more special. <3

    11. Mary Blake says

      September 26, 2013 at 8:09 pm

      I just created my first successful egg white icing. Thank you!

    12. Tera says

      October 04, 2014 at 8:00 pm

      I have been looking for a recipe like my grandmothers and this sounds very close. I am excited to try it. Thank you very much for putting this on the web.

      • Andrea says

        October 07, 2014 at 11:12 am

        Thanks Tera, I hope you enjoy it!

    13. Krystle says

      January 02, 2019 at 6:52 pm

      My grandpa loves this cake he said, it's like his mother used to make. After trying a different recipe every year for his birthday we finally found what he has been looking for. On his 90th birthday were made it for him and now he wants this one every year. I'm making it again for his 92nd birthday on Saturday.

      • Andrea says

        January 31, 2019 at 11:44 am

        Hi Krystle! That's so wonderful! I'm glad that your family enjoys our family cake.

    14. Tammy Terry says

      October 03, 2020 at 9:32 am

      I made it. It was delicious.

    15. Diann C Stephens says

      November 25, 2020 at 8:38 am

      Is this a white cake or yellow cake?

      • Andrea says

        November 25, 2020 at 11:15 am

        Hi Diann! I would say it's light yellow.

    16. Hollie Anderson says

      February 11, 2021 at 2:27 pm

      Thank you for sharing. I have plans to make cake starting tomorrow. I am always looking for older southern recipes. I myself from Mississippi also the Pickens area. Thanks again for posting.

    Trackbacks

    1. Ideas for Christmas Dessert » More To The Core says:
      December 14, 2009 at 9:10 am

      [...] Grandma’s Coconut Cake at Andrea’s [...]

    2. Sugar Love and Sugar-Free Love « Joyous Crybaby says:
      July 21, 2011 at 10:32 pm

      [...] younger child, I’d been averse to the tickly, chewy texture of coconut and so I had not loved the high white coconut cake with divinity icing made by my Grandmother Meek every year or the more unusual jam spice cake with nut-, raisin-, and [...]

    3. Coconut Cake Recipe | Leite's Culinaria says:
      December 6, 2011 at 10:03 am

      [...] onto the sides. Behold!Hungry for more? Chow down on these:Coconut Raspberry Cake from Culinary CoryGrandma’s Coconut Cake from Andrea’s RecipesLady Baltimore Cake from Leite’s CulinariaGerman Chocolate Cake [...]

    4. Cakes for Mother's Day - Cake Recipes for Mother's Day | Momcaster says:
      April 9, 2012 at 12:47 am

      [...] substance on the planet – and surely just about one of the best. This lovely recipe from Andrea Meyers is as close as I can find, and as it turns out, it’s a recipe long enjoyed in her own family. [...]

    5. 50 Easter Treats says:
      March 29, 2014 at 9:28 am

      […] Get Ready For Easter With White Chocolate Dipped Bunny Peeps Coconut Cupcakes {Bird Nest Cupcakes} Grandma’s Coconut Cake Homemade Peeps Easter Bunny Chick and Nest Carrot Cake Cupcakes Peeps Whoopie Pies Recipe Easter […]

    Primary Sidebar

    Andrea Meyers photo

    Hi, I'm Andrea Meyers: educator, photographer, tea drinker, avid cook, and gardener. I love helping people learn how to do great things.

    More about me →

    Seasonal Favorites

    • Slow Cooker Cuban-Style Black Beans with Rice - Andrea Meyers
      Slow Cooker Cuban-Style Black Beans with Rice
    • Baked Boston Brown Bread - Andrea Meyers
      Baked Boston Brown Bread
    • Slow Cooker Boston Baked Beans - Andrea Meyers
      Slow Cooker Boston Baked Beans (Kids Cook Monday)
    • Slow-Cooker Chicken Korma - Andrea Meyers
      Slow-Cooker Chicken Korma
    • Roasted Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin - Andrea Meyers
      Roasted Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
    • Country Captain Chicken - Andrea Meyers
      Country Captain Chicken

    Trending

    • Southern Buttermilk Cornbread - Andrea Meyers
      Southern Buttermilk Cornbread
    • Beans and Lentils - Andrea Meyers
      Dry Beans and Legumes Cooking Chart (From the Pantry)
    • Colombian Hot Chocolate - Andrea Meyers
      Colombian Hot Chocolate
    • Cincinnati Chili - Andrea Meyers
      Cincinnati Chili
    web hosting

    Footer

    Return to the top


    About

    • About Andrea
    • Contact
    • Advocacy
    • FAQs
    • As seen in
    • Work with me

    Policies

    • Privacy Policy
    • Nutrition Disclaimer
    • Comment Policy
    • Accessibility
    • Copyright Policy

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

    ALL PHOTOS AND ORIGINAL TEXT COPYRIGHT © 2005-2022 ANDREA MEYERS PRODUCTIONS LLC
    YOU MAY NOT USE ANY PHOTOS OR ORIGINAL TEXT WITHOUT EXPRESS PERMISSION.