three day coconut cake
This is the moistest, yummiest coconut cake ever! It has to “age” for three days in the refrigerator after you make it, so plan accordingly. You are going to love this 3 Day Coconut Cake, and everyone is going to ask you for the recipe!
1 box white or yellow cake mix + ingredients the mix calls for
2 Tablespoons coconut extract
16 oz. sour cream (not low fat)
14 oz. sweetened coconut flakes
1 cup sugar
2 cups Cool Whip (no substitutes and not “lite”)
The day before you make this cake, mix the coconut, sour cream and sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Mix well, cover and refrigerate over night.
The next day, prepare the boxed cake mix according to instructions on the box for 2 round cake pans (8 or 9 inches). Substitute 2 Tablespoons of the water called for with the coconut extract so it still equals the same amount of liquid.
Cool cake in pans for 10 minutes before turning them out onto wire racks to cool completely. Once the cakes are completely cool, carefully split them in half horizontally, using a serrated knife. Now you should have 4 thinner cake layers.
Take half of the coconut mixture and spread it evenly between the 4 cake layers, stacking as you go. Take the other half of the coconut mixture and mix it with the 2 cups of Cool Whip. Frost cake using this coconut/Cool Whip mixture, totally covering the top and sides of cake.
Cover cake and refrigerate for 3 days. No peeking! This cake is worth the wait!
There you have it! Three Day Coconut Cake!
Enjoy!
~Melissa
Looks and sounds amazing Missy! Have to try your cake <3 Nettie
Glad you like it, Nettie! Thanks so much for stopping by and for commenting! Enjoy the cake 🙂 xoxo ~M
Melissa,
My grandmother taught me how to make a cake similar to this years ago. I usually make it for Easter,. It’s one of our favorites.
Hi Jackie! 🙂 This is definitely a favorite in our house too! Thanks so much for stopping by! XOXO ~M
I make this cake but use a seven minute icing with marshmallows on top.
Ooh! I love that idea too, Mary! Thanks for sharing 🙂
My mother made this cake back in the 70’s, but she called it Four Day Coconut Cake, and trust me, she was strict about the four days!
Hee hee… yes! You must allow the cake to “age” properly! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, Carole! XO ~M
I do just one thing different…when making the cake mix, I substitute the liquid for coconut milk…and I bake in an oversize large cake pan. While cake is still warm, I prick the top with small straw and pour remaining coconut milk over top, and when completely cooled, place in frig over night, bring it out the next day and frost, then return to frig for another 2 days. The hardest part of making this cake is the waiting, lol.
I was wondering about using coconut milk. Thanks for your comment okaying it.
I agree, Martha! 🙂 Thanks for sharing your version of this yummy cake with us!
Why do you have to wait, what exactly does it do to the cake?
So, I think, that you have to refrigerate it for 3 days BEFORE eating it??? I can;t wait to make and eat it! YUM! BTW, I tried to enter my URL, http://www.UnforgettablePromotions.com, and Chin Deep wouldn’t accept it. ???
It’s necessary to refrigerate the cake for 3 days prior to eating it if you want the wonderful, moist cake that is achieved by letting the cake “age” for 3 days. Best, ~M
My Nannie used to make this but called it Rotten Coconut Cake…… and yes it is so worth the wait! Thanks for the trip down memory lane, she has been gone now for three years and this just gave me a rush of wonderful memories!
LOL! I love the name “Rotten Coconut Cake,” Carrie! Thanks for sharing that. Enjoy the cake and the happy memories of your Nannie. XO ~M
Melissa, have you ever made this in a 9×13 pan? If so how long would you cook it, the time it has on the cake mix box? Are just use the two layers.
Hi Gaye,
I’ve never tried making this in a 9 x 13 cake pan. I’m sure it would work just fine, you’ll have to figure out how to cut the cake in layers though. There are 4. 🙂 enjoy!
Hi. I was also wondering if you can do this cake in a 9×13 cake pan. Also after everything is done then you wait for 3 more days to eat it ?
Hi Sharon,
As I said above, I’ve never tried making this is a 9 x 13 cake pan. I’m sure you could, you’d just have to figure out how to cut the cake into 4 layers. Yes, you wait 3 days, after everything is done, to eat the cake. 🙂 Enjoy!
Looks where can I find coconut extract?
Thanks, Leslie! 🙂
You can usually find coconut extracts by the other extracts down the baking aisle of you local grocery store or supermarket 🙂 Hope that helps! Enjoy!
Can you use imitation coconut
Flavor or will it taste different?
Thanks, Ann
Wow! Major mess up.
I did not read the reciepe
Correctly and I mixed altogether the sugar-sour cream-coconut & the cool whip 16oz less 1 cup.
Q. Should I throw it out and start over? ????
Do you have to use Cool Whip or can you make real whipped cream? thank you 🙂
I’ve only ever made this with Cool Whip, Brenda. 🙂
The white whipped stuff needs to hold up for three days. Suspect Cool Whip does better that whipped cream. Maybe if you stabilized the whipped cream with gelatin?
My favorite thing about this cake is that it can be made ahead of time. I always appreciate make-ahead recipes that help ease holiday cooking madness. Looking forward to trying this one – it sounds delicious!
I hope you love it as much as we do, Lily! 🙂 thanks so much for stopping by!
You can use home made whipped cream. My mom use to make this , but we call it an Impatient Cake.
Thanks, Jerrel! 🙂
Silly question, Do you cover loosely with foil?
can you add the crushed pineapple when mixing coconut sour cream and sugar or should I add the crushed pineapple after I spread the coconut mixture
My body does not tolerate sour cream not cream cheese…even though I like them.
What would you recommend in place of the sour cream….pudding?
I’m not sure what would make a good substitute… I’ve only ever made this cake the same way. Sorry about that. Please let me know if you have success with any new renditions you try to make to the recipe so I can pass the wisdom on to my other readers. ~M
How long will the cake be safe to eat once you’ve finished the 3 day wait?
up to a week. 🙂
Thank you for your answer!