There is something so comforting about a from-scratch, old-fashioned layered coconut cake. The elegance and decadence invoke warm memories of family gatherings, special celebrations, and Sunday lunches when special company was coming. Make someone feel loved and special by whipping up this old-fashioned layered coconut cake just because!
My Granny always had one at Christmas and Easter, but she was known to whip them up for any “special” occasion. I can’t tell you how often I’m asked, “I follow my grandmother’s recipe exactly, but it doesn’t taste the same. What am I doing wrong?”
The answer is, “Once upon a time,” all food was organic, non-GMO, and contained no pesticides or other poisons. I found that when I began to use organic, non-GMO ingredients, my recipes tasted like those I had grown up with.
Of course, it was one of those “Duh” moments when I realized that my great-grandmother and my grandmother didn’t have GMO, pesticide-laden, heavily processed ingredients to cook with. Of we can’t all have a cow for homemade milk and butter, or chickens for fresh eggs like they did, but buying organic gets you right up beside it.
This coconut cake recipe is the one my great-grandmother, Ma Horton, taught my grandmother to make and she taught me. This recipe is another of those family treasures you’ve heard me speak of so often.

Old-Fashioned Layered Coconut Cake
Makes 3 – 8″ cake layers
Ingredients for Cake Batter:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 1/8 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla (I often use 1 Tbs because we like vanilla)
- 3 eggs
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cup milk
Ingredients for Fluffy White Frosting:
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 12 Tablespoons of light corn syrup
- 4 egg whites beaten
- 3 teaspoons vanilla
- 6 Tablespoons water
- 16 oz of unsweetened coconut. I use 20 oz because we like coconut
Instructions For the Cake:
- Line three 8″ cake pans with parchment paper. OR lightly oil and flour the bottom and sides of your cake pans.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine flour, real salt, and baking powder in a medium-size bowl and set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, cream the butter.
- Add sugar and mix well.
- Add the eggs one at a time and combine well after each addition.
- Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk to the mixing bowl until both are completely incorporated.
- Add vanilla and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cake pans and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cake springs back when lightly touched in the middle and the cake is golden.
- Cool cakes in the pan for 5 minutes on a cooling rack.
- Then remove the cakes from the pans and allow them to cool on the rack until completely cooled.




Instructions for the Frosting:
- Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a heavy saucepan.
- Cover and bring to a rolling boil over medium heat.
- Remove the lid and continue boiling for 6-10 minutes. Do Not Stir.
- Check the mixture using a 1 cup glass measuring cup filled with cold water sitting on the counter next to the pot.
- At the 6 minute mark, drop a small amount of the syrup into the cold water. If a firm ball forms, it’s ready. If it drops flat or drizzles to the bottom of the cup, cook for 30 seconds more and check again.
- If you have a candy thermometer, you want the temperature to be 245 degrees F.
- While the mixture is boiling, use the whisk attachment of your mixer to beat the egg whites on high until stiff peaks form.
- Once your syrup is ready, turn your mixer on medium speed and slowly (SLOWLY) stream the hot syrup mixture into the egg whites.
- When all of the syrup is incorporated into the egg whites, add the vanilla.
- Beat on high speed for about 10 minutes or until stiff peaks form.
- Spread a little of the fluffy white frosting on top of the bottom layer and sprinkle with coconut.
- Add the second layer and spread frosting on top of it and sprinkle with coconut.
- Add the third layer and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake then add coconut.
- Gently press the coconut into the frosting.
- Now, lick the bowl! Your cake is ready to serve.
Tips:
- Don’t let the frosting intimidate you. It is a bit tedious, but once you taste it, you’ll say, “It wasn’t that hard!”
- Be careful to stop cooking the frosting when the ball forms in the water
- Don’t worry if you’ve never used this method. It will be obvious when the ball forms and when it doesn’t.
- A ball will form, generally, around the 7-9 minute mark.
- If you get over-anxious, I have, and the frosting is a little runny, just refrigerate the cake after frosting it. When you’re ready to have a piece, cut it and let it sit out for 5 minutes for the frosting to soften.

Old-Fashioned Layered Coconut Cake
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Print Pin- 1 cup butter - softened
- 1 ¾ cup sugar
- 2 ⅛ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon vanilla - (I often use 1 Tbs because we like vanilla)
- 3 eggs
- 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cup milk
- 1 ⅓ cups sugar
- 12 Tablespoons light corn syrup
- 4 egg whites - beaten
- 3 teaspoons vanilla
- 6 Tablespoons water
- 16 oz of unsweetened coconut - I use 20 oz because we really like coconut
- Line three 8" cake pans with parchment paper. OR lightly oil and flour the bottom and sides of your cake pans.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium-size bowl and set aside.
- Using your mixer, cream the butter.
- Add sugar and mix well.
- Add the eggs one at a time and combine well after each addition.
- Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk to the mixing bowl until both are completely incorporated.
- Add vanilla and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cake pans and bake for 20-25 minutes, until cake springs back when lightly touched in the middle and the cake is golden.
- Cool cakes in the pans for 5 minutes on a cooling rack.
- Then remove the cakes from the pans and allow to cool on rack until completely cooled.
- Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a heavy saucepan.
- Cover and bring to a rolling boil over medium heat.
- Remove the lid and continue boiling for 6 – 10 minutes. Do not stir.
- Check the mixture using a 1 cup glass measuring cup filled with cold water sitting on the counter next to the pot.
- At the 6 minute mark, drop a small amount of the syrup into the cold water. If a firm ball forms, it's ready.
- If a firm ball forms, it's ready. If it drops flat or drizzles to the bottom of the cup, cook for 30 seconds more and check again.
- If you have a candy thermometer, you want the temperature to be 245 degrees F.
- While the mixture is boiling, use the whisk attachment of your mixer to beat the egg whites on high until stiff peaks form.
- Once your syrup is ready, turn your mixer on medium speed and slowly (SLOWLY) stream the hot mixture into the egg whites.
- When all of the syrup is incorporated into the egg whites, add the vanilla.
- Beat on high speed for about 10 minutes or until stiff peaks form.
- Spread a little of the fluffy white frosting on top of the bottom layer and sprinkle with coconut.
- Add the second layer and spread frosting on top of it and sprinkle with coconut.
- Add your third layer and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake and add coconut.
- Gently press the coconut into the frosting
- Now, lick the bowl! Your cake is ready to serve.
Notes
- Don’t let the frosting scare you. It is a bit tedious, but once you taste it you’ll say, “It wasn’t that hard!”
- Be careful to stop cooking the frosting when the ball forms in the water.
- Don’t worry if you’ve never used this method. It will be obvious when the ball forms and when it doesn’t.
- A ball will form, generally, around the 7-9 minute mark.
- If you get over anxious, I have, and the frosting is a little runny, just refrigerate the cake after frosting it. When you’re ready to have a piece, cut it and let it sit out for 5 minutes for the frosting to soften.
Nutrition
Well, now you know all my secrets to Ma Horton’s Old-Fashioned Layered Coconut Cake recipe. I promise you, every dish will be scraped clean from the mixer to the cake plate!

This looks delicious! Great post and recipe
I LOVE coconut cake! It’s one of my all-time favorites!
Hi Patrick, Yes, it is the coconut lover’s dream dessert, isn’t it? This recipe is truly decadent. I hope you like Ma Horton’s recipe!
This looks delicious! My great aunt had an infamous coconut cake recipe, and this reminds me of hers.
Thanks, Maggie, for stopping by and letting us hear from you. It is delicious 😉
It sounds great, it wouldn’t last long in this house!!
It is the most decadent, I just can’t think of a more lavish word, thing you will put in your mouth. It doesn’t last long here either and there’s just two of us now! It used to only last one day when the kids were home! Enjoy!
This sounds so good! I love coconut….and icing lol.
Well, Adriana, I have to say that is you love both of those things, you’re gonna LOVE this cake. Let me know how it turns out for you!
I guess those recipes must have been pasted down. My grandmother married a Horton, which is my mom’s maiden name, and she had the same ones. Guess we knew how to eat.
That’s so cool Jeramie! Thanks so much for stopping in to share with me. 🙂
This looks so divine, Rhonda! As soon as we finish our move, I’m treating myself to this. I mean, treating my family to this. Yeah, that’s what I meant. Just an fyi, your Twitter button isn’t linking – not the one for this post, but your general site Twitter button. 🙂
Thanks Tessa! This cake is…oh my, just decadently delightful! I’ll be excited to hear what you think when you taste it. Thanks for the heads up on the Twitter button, I’ll go check it out. Thinking about you as you move.
This looks soooo good! I have two questions though, will it taste the same if I use a 9X13 pan? I’m going to a church function this weekend and I think it will serve better in a single layer. The second question is, can you recommend a non-GMO brand of light corn syrup? Thanks!
Thanks Angi! It is so scrumptious. I don’t know why it wouldn’t taste the same as a sheet cake. The frosting might be a little thick for some people, not for me 🙂 I use Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Light Corn Syrup. They make one with Vanilla in it and I’ve had to use it when I couldn’t get the plain. I just left the vanilla out of the frosting and it worked just fine. They have the Non-GMO Project Verified seal. I bought it because it was what the health food store in Shreveport carries. I’ve always been pleased with it. Hope your cake is a big hit! Please let me know how it turns out for you my friend. Thanks again for the comment and the sharing. 🙂