Birthday Cake Club: Coconut Cinnamon Cake

A snowy coconut cake with cinnamon cream cheese frosting.

Baker’s Notes:

Rich and tender; tangy cream cheese

Easy to decorate; cinnamon throughout

Hi Bakers!

Welcome to your January Birthday Cake Club recipe - Coconut Cinnamon Cake! It’s grand, it’s beautiful, and it reminds me of snow. Just when you thought you’ve had enough sweets over the holidays, those January birthdays still come around each year and are definitely worth celebrating (we have two in our house). 

A snowy coconut cake seemed like the best consolation for a snow-less holiday. Paired with cinnamon and cream cheese, this flavor combination is 10/10. The cake is thick with a plush crumb. The coconut exterior might have you thinking “fluffy,” but it is actually rich and tender. It’s quite a cozy cake that would pair really well with both coffee in the afternoon and something bubbly and crisp for a birthday cheers. 

My family on my grandmother’s side is from Puerto Rico. And while she didn’t make many traditional Puerto Rican dishes, I was inspired by tembleque (a coconut and cinnamon pudding) and coquito (a Puerto Rican cocktail of coconut, rum, and spices) for the flavors in this cake. 

I don’t love using coconut flavoring in my cakes. The coconut is definitely still in there, but don’t expect an over-the-top piña colada flavor. You also get a little tang from the cream cheese, buttery cake made even more luscious with coconut milk, and warm cinnamon flavor throughout. 

The thing about cream cheese frosting is that it is softer than an icing that uses only butter. Adding more confectioners’ sugar in an effort to thicken it up often makes it too sweet, losing that lovely cream cheese tang. Left too soft, and the frosting bulges out between the layers. 

For this cake, whip the butter by itself until super creamy. Then slowly add in a couple tablespoons of soft cream cheese until it's emulsified and smooth. I find that overworking cream cheese breaks it down faster. Make sure the cream cheese is soft or it will be difficult to mix without lumps. 

What you’ll love about this cake is that it is super easy to decorate and the design is pretty forgiving. I still recommend stacking the cakes with flat layers and straight sides covered with a crumb coat. The shredded coconut will disguise any rough patches in the frosting.