Coconut Lemon Bundt Cake

Featuring the popular flavor combination of tart lemon and sweet coconut, this pretty Coconut Lemon Bundt Cake is a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. Once sliced, a bright yellow lemon curd center is revealed, a beautiful contrast to the snow-white coconut coated cake.

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 55

Total Time 1 55

Servings slices

Calories 627 kcal

5 from 1 vote

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Equipment

1 12-cup Bundt pan
1 handheld electric mixer
1 stand mixer, fitted with paddle optional, see Notes

Ingredients

Lemon Curd

3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 large lemons zested
¾ cup lemon juice
¼ cup water
½ cup unsalted butter

Coconut Cake

2 ¾ cups all purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter room temperture
3 large eggs separated, room temperature
1 cup cream of coconut
1 teaspoon coconut extract
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
18 tablespoon buttermilk (1 cup + 2 tbsp)

Coconut Frosting

2 cups confectioners' sugar
½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
7 oz jar marshmallow cream
5 tablespoon heavy or whipping cream
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 ½ cups shredded sweetened coconut

Instructions

Prepare Lemon Curd

In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk eggs and egg yolks until blended.
In a medium saucepan, whisk sugar, cornstarch, salt, lemon zest, lemon juice and water over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves and mixture boils and thickens.
Gradually add lemon mixture to eggs, whisking constantly until blended. Return to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking, for 2 minutes. Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking to incorporate. Reduce heat to low and cook, whisking constantly, 5-6 minutes or until thickened.
Transfer curd to a clean heatproof bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto surface of the curd. Chill 3 hours or overnight.

Make Coconut Bundt Cake

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray your Bundt pan evenly with nonstick baking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (see Notes), beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time. Beat in coconut cream, coconut extract and vanilla.
With the mixer on low speed, alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk in three additions, beating until incorporated.
In a separate medium bowl, beat egg whites with a handheld mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form (see Notes).
Using a spatula, carefully fold egg whites into batter in two additions (see FAQ section for tips on folding). Transfer batter to the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top.
Bake cake for 45-55 minutes, or until a cake tester or thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes, and then carefully invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely. (Cake can be wrapped and stored overnight at this point. See Notes section.)
Return cooled cake to its cleaned and dried pan. Using a paring knife, cut a circle around the cake, straight down, about 1 inch from the outer edge and reaching about ⅔ deep into the pan (don't cut all the way through!)
Cut a second circle parallel to the first, about 1 inch from the inner edge of the cake, also reaching about ⅔ down, forming a ring inside the cake.
Cut lines across the inner ring until you have 8-10 equal sections.
Working with one section at a time, carefully cut and lift out the inner ring of the cake, keeping the top section intact. You will return these pieces to the pan to cover up the filling.
Dig out any excess cake, creating a "moat" that extends evenly around the inside of the cake, about ⅔ deep.
Give the chilled lemon curd a quick stir and spoon it into the moat, filling to about ½ inch from the top.
Trim the bottoms of the cut out cake sections so that they will fit on top of the filling. Piece the sections back together on top of the filling, covering the filling completely and pressing lightly to adhere. Carefully invert the cake back onto a serving plate.

Prepare Frosting and Decorate the Bundt!

In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat confectioners' sugar and butter on medium speed until combined. Beat in marshmallow cream, 3 tablespoon of the heavy cream and coconut extract. Increase speed to medium high and beat until frosting is light, fluffy and very spreadable. Beat in more cream if necessary, 1 tablespoon at a time, until frosting reaches desired consistency.
Spread frosting all over the cake, covering it completely (see Notes!)
Press coconut into the side, top and interior of the cake, covering it completely. Serve chilled.

Video

Notes

Although a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment is helpful in this recipe, you can also make it using only a standard hand mixer. Just make sure that the beaters are clean and grease-free before whipping the egg whites for the cake.
Don't worry if the frosting isn't perfectly even when covering the cake. The coconut will cover it up, giving a pretty "snowball" effect!
The lemon curd can be prepared up to 5 days in advance. Store, covered, in the refrigerator.
When beating egg whites, use a clean dry bowl. "Stiff" peaks mean that the whites stand up on their own and don't bend over when the beater is lifted from the bowl.
For best results, wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature or in the refrigerator overnight before filling. This will make it easier to cut and remove the sections of the filling.
This cake is best enjoyed the day that it is frosted and filled, but it will keep nicely for up to 3 days, covered and chilled in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

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