Cooking Lesson #1033: Pacific Island Coconut Cake

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

How you doin’? When working in Fiji several years ago we decided to take a few days off and visit the Jacques Cousteau beachside resort. The environment was pretty spectacular. It was the perfect place to have wonderful island food and long walks on endless, unspoiled beaches.
 
One might fantasize about one of Burt Lancaster’s movies, His Majesty O'Keefe, about a sea captain looking to make a fortune with copra (coconut) on South Pacific islands. And don’t forget about the beautiful island women… okay, a guy can dream, can’t he?
 
Okay, while you can’t dream about yourself in that movie, how about dreaming about a delicious piece of Pacific Island Coconut Cake? Do you have dreams about food? I must confess that I do, and this is one of my recurring dreams (that and kissing an island princess).
 
I want to share the secret of what has become one of my favorite cake recipes. Because it’s one of my recipes, you might have thought I was making the recipe from scratch. But there is no measuring the flour or sugar into mixing bowls… I made this showstopping cake from boxed cake mix—yes, a boxed cake mix!
 
To make it mine, I add toasted coconut to the cake and frost it with a luscious layer of tangy cream cheese frosting. No one ever guessed it was from a mix! When time is of the essence, doctoring up a boxed cake mix and covering them with homemade buttercream frosting is the answer.
 
Cake mixes can be delicious alternative and, in some cases, better than homemade if you know how to upgrade your cake mix. I have found the Duncan Hines Super Moist White Cake Mix is my boxed mix of choice.
 
My cake recipe works with the addition of full-fat canned coconut milk—no substitutes. Adding a high-fat liquid in place of water helps to shorten the cake, or prevent gluten strands from forming, leaving you with an irresistibly tender crumb.
 
The addition of a little extra vanilla extract and a sprinkle of lime zest brightens the rich coconut milk, giving you the feeling of the tropical islands. If you want, you can add 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract to the batter for extra coconut flavor.
 
My classic Pacific Island Coconut Cake needs homemade cream cheese frosting. I added some candied ginger, a little lime zest and a splash of coconut liqueur for some extra tropical notes.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Bake time:  30 minutes
Cool time:  allow 1 hour
Yield:  1 (9x13-inch) cake / 12 servings
 
Ingredients
For the cake
Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes, divided
1 (15.25-ounce) boxed white cake mix (I prefer Ducan Hines Super Moist baked cake)
3 large eggs
1 cup canned full-fat coconut milk
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
1/2 teaspoon ground candied ginger
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract (optional)
 
For the frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
2 to 3 cups powdered sugar, as needed
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
Ground candied ginger (optional)
 
Directions 
To make the cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Spray a 9 X 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
3. On a large baking sheet, spread the coconut flakes into an even layer.
4. Bake the coconut in the preheated oven, stirring halfway through, until the coconut is golden brown and toasted, 5 to 8 minutes. Keep a close eye on the coconut as it can burn quickly.
5. Let the coconut cool on the baking sheet (as it cools, it will continue to toast from the residual heat from below).
6. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, coconut milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, lime zest and ginger.
7. Mix with a rubber spatula until completely combined.
8. Fold 3/4 cup of the toasted coconut into the batter.
9. Pour the batter into the greased baking pan.
10. Bake according to the package directions (Duncan Hine knows best) until lightly golden and a cake tester comes out clean, 20 to 28 minutes.
11. Let the cake cool in the baking pan on a rack.

To make the frosting

1. Using an electric mixer, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter on medium speed until smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides.
2. On the lowest speed, carefully add 2 cups of powdered sugar, vanilla extract and lime zest. If desired, you can include additional candied ginger.
3. Scrape the sides of the bowl down to fully incorporate.
4. Mix the frosting until creamy, adding more sugar as needed, a little at a time, to get your desired sweetness and thickness.
5. Use an offset spatula to spread the frosting on top of the cooled cake.
6. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup toasted coconut flakes.

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Store:  Pacific Island Coconut Cake can sit in a room-temperature kitchen for up to one day. This cake is rich in dairy. To store longer than one day, cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days. It is best to remove the cake from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving to bring to room temperature to let the flavors blossom.

ChefSecret:  Here’s a thought out of left field—instead of using white cake mix— change it up with Duncan Hines Super Moist Chocolate Cake Mix. It’s like eating a Mounds Bar.

Quip of the Day:  Q. What did the cocoa bean say to the chef?  A. “I’m coco for coconut!”
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/perspectives-on-food.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

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                                                                               ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2025

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