Lemon Coconut Cake is a refreshingly light and tangy dessert that marries the brightness of citrus with the creamy sweetness of coconut. The cake is built from a base of soft angel food cake and layered with a luscious lemon pudding made from scratch, then whipped with cream and topped with flaked coconut. This chilled treat was a popular dessert for warm-weather gatherings and potlucks in mid-century America, loved for its airy texture, vibrant flavor, and simple assembly. Its make-ahead nature and stunning layered appearance make it a showstopper on any dessert table.
Ingredients
- 16 oz angel food cake mix
- 4.5 oz lemon pudding and pie filling ( not instant)
- 2 egg yolks (beaten)
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1 tbsp lemon rind (grated )
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 ½ cups whipping cream (divided)
- 3½ oz flaked coconut (or shredded coconut, divided)
Instructions
Step 1: Bake the Cake
- Prepare the angel food cake mix according to package directions in a 9×13-inch pan. Cool completely for at least 2 hours.
Step 2: Cook the Lemon Filling
- In a heavy saucepan, combine lemon pudding mix, egg yolks, sugar, and 2 cups of water.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly.
- Remove from heat and stir in lemon rind and lemon juice.
- Cool completely.
Step 3: Prepare Cream & Coconut
- Whip 2 cups of the whipping cream until stiff.
- Fold the cooled lemon filling into the whipped cream.
- Chill this mixture thoroughly.
- Reserve ½ cup of coconut for topping.
- Combine remaining coconut (about 2 ¾ oz) with remaining ½ cup whipped cream.
Step 4: Assemble the Cake
- Turn cooled cake out of pan and cut horizontally into four even layers.
- Place bottom layer on serving plate.
- Spread with 1¼ cup of lemon mixture.
- Repeat layering with remaining cake and lemon filling.
- Frost top and sides with coconut-cream mixture.
Step 5: Chill and Serve
- Refrigerate overnight.
- Before serving, sprinkle reserved coconut on top.
Tips
- Use homemade angel food cake instead of boxed mix for a lighter, fluffier texture.
- Add ½ tsp coconut extract to the pudding mixture for stronger coconut flavor.
- Fold a handful of toasted coconut into the whipped cream for added crunch.
- Chill the pudding mixture fully before assembly so the layers don’t slip.
- Replace lemon juice with Meyer lemon for a sweeter, floral flavor.
- Add a thin layer of lemon curd between cake layers for extra citrus intensity.
- Garnish top with candied lemon peel for presentation.
- Freeze the cake briefly before slicing to achieve clean, bakery-style cuts.
- Swap half the whipped cream with stabilized whipped topping for longer hold.
- Add a dash of vanilla or almond extract to the cake layers for complexity.
Nutrition
Calories: 420kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 6gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 115mgSodium: 260mgPotassium: 140mgFiber: 2gSugar: 41gVitamin A: 850IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 120mgIron: 1.2mg
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