Coconut Pecan Cake
This Coconut Pecan Cake is so flavorful and moist, with flaked coconut and toasted pecans in every bite. This delicious bundt cake is a bit fluffier and lighter than our favorite Coconut Pecan Pound Cake, and has fantastic flavor.
Table of Contents
Why we Love It
- Coconut & Pecans are perfect together!
- Moist and Flavorful
- Perfect for any time of year
- We love the convenience of bundt cakes and pound cakes!
- Great a great potluck dessert, birthday cake recipe, holiday cake, and more.
How to Make Coconut Pecan Cake
You can find the full, printable recipe at the bottom of this post. Here is a quick look at our steps!
Roasting the Pecans
For a flavor boost, we tossed our chopped pecans in melted butter and baked them for about 7 minutes on a cookie sheet. This step is optional, but really brings out the flavor of the pecans.
Give them a little stir about halfway through baking, and keep an eye on them so that they don't become too dark.
For the Cake
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (if not already). Grease and lightly flour a bundt pan.
- Sprinkle ½ cup of chopped, buttered pecans evenly in the bottom of the prepared bundt pan. (You will still have 1 cup remaining for the batter).
- In a medium bowl, whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for 30 seconds. Set aside
- In another bowl, add the buttermilk, vegetable oil and coconut extract. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your mixer, add the softened butter and mix at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and continue to mix on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes until lightened in color and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each until the yellow of the yolk has blended.
- With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients (3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of liquid).
- Mix just until incorporated. Be careful not to over-mix.
- Fold in the sweetened flaked coconut and one cup of chopped pecans.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared bundt pan, which has been sprinkled with ½ cup of chopped pecans.
- Bake at 325 degrees F for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just few crumbs attached. Baking times can vary and so peek in as the end time approaches, and adjust time as needed.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack before turning out.
For the Coconut Glaze
This cake is beautiful an delicious just as it is, but for an extra boost of coconut flavor (and to dress it up a bit) you can add a simple glaze!
This is a twist on our simple vanilla glaze for pound cakes, but with coconut extract instead of vanilla. It is very quick and easy to make, adds another layer of flavor, and sets dry to the touch.
After combining the powdered sugar, a bit of milk, a pinch of salt, and coconut extract, you can spoon it over the cooled cake, or apply with a piping bag (or ziplock bag) with the tip snipped away.
More Cakes
We've made several more delicious cakes with pecans and coconut over the years! Some of our favorites are our classic Italian Cream Cake, Coconut Hummingbird Cake, Coconut Pecan Pound Cake, German Chocolate Cake, and Carrot Cake! Make sure to put these on your must-bake list!
Thank you so much for stopping by today! We hope that you enjoy this Coconut Pecan Bundt Cake as much as we have!
Have you made this? We would LOVE for you to leave a ⭐️ rating as well as a comment and photo below! We really appreciate your feedback!
Coconut Pecan Cake
Ingredients
- 1½ sticks unsalted butter (170g) (holds its shape but dents easily when pressed).
- 2 cups (400g) sugar
- 2½ teaspoons Coconut Extract (10g)
- 4 eggs, room temperature (If in a hurry, place eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.)
- 3 cups cake flour (342g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (8g)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda (3g)
- ½ teaspoon salt (3g)
- 1½ cups buttermilk
- ¼ cup vegetable oil (54g) We use Canola Oil
- ¾ cup sweetened flaked coconut (We used Baker's Angel Flake Coconut)
- 1½ cup roasted, buttered pecans, chopped (½ cup for the bundt pan, 1 cup for the batter). (Roasting the pecans is optional but enhances the pecan flavor.)
Simple Coconut Glaze (optional)
- 2 cups 230g Confectioners Sugar (see notes)
- 2-3 Tablespoons milk Adjust amount to desired consistency
- Pinch of salt Approximately ¼ teaspoon
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract 4g
Instructions
For the Pecans (Roasting optional but adds more flavor)
- Set oven to 325 degrees F. Put 2 Tablespoons butter on baking sheet (use parchment if you'd like). When melted, (melts quickly) add 1 ½ cups chopped pecans and toss to coat.
- Spread out pecans and bake 7-10 minutes or until their color deepens. Stir after a few minutes, they roast quickly. Allow to cool while you prepare the cake batter.
- Set aside 1 cup chopped pecans for the cake batter. The remaining ½ cup will be sprinkled into the pan.
For the Cake
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (if not already). Grease and lightly flour a bundt pan.
- Sprinkle ½ cup of chopped, buttered pecans evenly in the bottom of the prepared bundt pan. (You will still have 1 cup remaining for the batter).
- In a medium bowl, whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for 30 seconds. Set aside
- In another bowl, add the buttermilk, vegetable oil and coconut extract. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your mixer, add the softened butter and mix at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and continue to mix on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes until lightened in color and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each until the yellow of the yolk has blended.
- With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients (3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of liquid).
- Mix just until incorporated. Be careful not to over-mix.
- Fold in the sweetened flaked coconut and one cup of chopped pecans.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared bundt pan, which has been sprinkled with ½ cup of chopped pecans.
- Bake at 325 degrees F for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just few crumbs attached. Baking times can vary depending on pan & oven. Peek in as the end time approaches, and add additional time in small increments if needed.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack before turning out.
For the Coconut Glaze
- Combine the confectioners sugar, milk, coconut extract, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl and stir until smooth.
- Apply the glaze over the cooled pound cake. (I spooned mine into a piping bag with the tip snipped away for more control.)
- If the glaze is too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar. If it is too thick, add a bit more milk.
Storage
- Store the cake at room temperature, in an airtight container or under a cake dome, sealed bakery box, etc. This cake can also be frozen for up to three months if tightly wrapped.
Looks delicious! :-) Simple and fantastic as always! :-)
Thanks Teri!! ;0)
Easy and delisious
Thanks!!
The 2 tbsp of butter for the pecans is in addition to the 1 and 1/2 cups for the cake, correct? Or are we taking 2 tbsp out of the 1 and 1/2 cups butter?
Hi Holjo! Yes, the 2 tablespoons butter for the pecans is separate from the butter in the cake batter. *** Also, just to confirm- the recipe for the batter calls for 1 1/2 sticks of butter rather than 1 1/2 cups. (This is the equivalent of 3/4 cup or 170g). Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Love this cake and I am not particularly fond of coconut. This cake is so moist and flavorful it's a treat. I will definitely make again.
P.S. I made no changes to the recipe.
Thanks so much Cheryl, we're so glad that you liked it!