This coconut loaf cake is an airy, tender, moist springtime cake topped with a sweet coconut glaze! It's an easy-to-make one-bowl loaf cake recipe that's completely holiday-worthy! Enjoy it for brunch, Easter Sunday, or any other day when you are craving some tropical flavors!
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a loaf pan by lining it with a strip of parchment paper and some butter.
Use a stand mixer to cream together the butter and granulated sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
1 cup butter, 1½ cups sugar
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well in between each one. Then, add the vanilla extract, almond extract, baking powder, and salt and mix well. *Stop to scrape down the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl as needed.
3 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon almond extract, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon baking powder
Reduce the speed to low, and gradually alternate between adding small amounts of the flour and coconut milk until they both have been fully incorporated. Then, stir in the shredded coconut.
1¾ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup coconut milk, 1 cup shredded coconut
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and use a silicone spatula to evenly spread out the top. Bake in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 1-1½ hours, or until the top has turned a golden color and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out almost clean.
Top With the Coconut Glaze
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, coconut milk, and vanilla extract until well combined.
1 cup confectioners sugar, ⅓ cup coconut milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pour the glaze over the loaf cake when it has been out of the oven for 10-15 minutes.
Sprinkle more shredded coconut over top, if desired. Allow the cake to cool before slicing and serving.
½ cup shredded coconut
Notes
The cooking time for this loaf cake can vary based on the material of the loaf pan you are using! Don't worry if your cake is not done at the 1½ hour mark, as it could take up to 2 hours to finish baking depending on your oven and pan! Just make sure to check it with a toothpick to see if it is done.
If the top of your cake is browning too much, but it isn't done baking, you can cover the top with some foil and finish baking.
Leave some excess parchment paper hanging out of your loaf pan for easy removal!
Choose canned coconut milk (as opposed to the kind in the carton) since it has a higher fat content and is thicker.
You can serve your loaf cake by either removing it from the pan, placing it onto a serving platter, and pouring the glaze over top, or by keeping it in the loaf pan, pouring on the glaze, and serving it straight from the pan itself.
To store: Keep any leftover coconut loaf cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
To freeze: You can freeze this cake before adding the glaze. Simply let it cool completely before wrapping it in a double layer of Saran wrap and then one layer of foil. It can be frozen for up to 3 months.