All the beloved pumpkin spice flavors combined with the tropical notes of coconut, Pumpkin Coconut Cake is the best way to say goodbye to summer and hello to fall! Fluffy pumpkin cake is soaked in cream of coconut and topped with tangy cream cheese icing.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutesminutes
Cook Time 45 minutesminutes
Toasting Coconut 20 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour15 minutesminutes
Servings 12
Ingredients
Cake
2 ¼Cflour
2tspbaking powder
1tspsalt
2tspcinnamon
1 15ozcan pumpkin puree
1Cbutter, or 2 sticks
3eggs + 2 egg whites
½Cmaple syrup
1Csugar
1tsppumpkin pie spice
2tspvanilla
1 14ozcan sweetened condensed milk
1 15ozcan cream of coconut
Icing
8ozcream cheese
½Cpowdered sugar
1tspvanilla
2Cheavy cream
Toppings
2Csweetened shredded coconut
Brach's Mellowcreme Pumpkinsoptional
Instructions
To make cake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9x13 baking pan with baking spray.
Cream 1 C of butter and 1 C of sugar on medium speed for about 2 minutes or until pale in color and fluffy in texture. Add the maple syrup very slowly with mixer on low speed. Once all the maple has been incorporated, add the 3 whole eggs one at a time, waiting until each is thoroughly combined before add the next. Reserve the two egg whites for later in the recipe.
Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, and turn the mixer back on low. Add the can of pumpkin puree and increase speed to medium. Mix for about 30 seconds or until well combined. The texture will start to look a little curdled with the addition of pumpkin. Don't worry!
With the mixer on, add baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla. Turn mixer off once all the ingredients are combined.
Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl again and add the flour. Turn mixer to low and mix just until combined. You do not want to overmix at this point, or you'll end up with a tough cake.
In a separate small mixing bowl, separate the remaining two eggs, keeping only the whites. Whip the egg whites on high until they reach stiff peaks. You should be able to turn over the bowl without the egg whites moving. Gently the fold egg whites into the pumpkin mixture. You want to be careful to not deflate the egg whites, but you're not done folding until you no longer see any white flecks of egg white.
Once thoroughly combined, pour the cake batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
While cake cools very briefly, mix together the sweetened condensed milk and cream of coconut in a liquid measuring cup for easy pouring. Using a butter knife, gently poke holes all over the cake without completely demolishing it. I like using a butter knife instead of toothpick or skewer to allow for the cream to easily soak into the cake. You'll need to add slowly and use a small spatula to move the excess that will collect around the edges of the pan back to the center of the cake for even soaking.
Once all the cream is soaked into the cake, set the cake aside to cool completely at room temperature or in the fridge if you're pressed for time.
To toast coconut
Spread the coconut evenly across a sheet pan. Cook for 15-20 minute at 350 degrees, stirring every 5 minutes. Watch it closely the last 5 minutes as it can quickly burn. Allow to cool completely before garnishing cake.
To make icing
Add cream cheese to a stand mixer or large mixing bowl and whip on high for 1 minute. Turn off the mixer and add powdered sugar and vanilla. Whip for another minute or until light and fluffy. Turn mixer off and add the heavy cream. Turn the mixer first on low to combine and then increase speed to high until the cream turns into whipped cream. This usually takes about 2 more minutes.
Spread the icing evenly over the cooled cake. Garnish with the toasted coconut and Brach's Mellowcreme Pumpkins. I like 1 pumpkin in the center of every slice. Keep refrigerated after cutting.