Coconut Tea Cake
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A light and lovely coconut tea cake is a most welcome sight, especially when topped with coconut glaze and sweet spring berries!
Perfumed with a triple dose of coconut (flaked coconut, coconut oil, and coconut milk), a splash of dark rum boosts the delicate coconut flavor of this golden and finely crumbed cake.
Whether you serve this cake for Easter brunch or enjoy mid-afternoon over tea with friends, this is the kind of loaf you trim away at, the thinnest sliver at a time, until you find yourself facing the final crumbs. Happily, this cake is all too easy to bake again and again.

Coconut Tea Cake
- Yield: Yield: 1 loaf, 12 slices
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 Tbsp dark rum (optional)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp coconut extract
- 2/3 cup full fat coconut milk
Glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp coconut extract
- 2 1/2 Tbsp full fat coconut milk
Topping
- 2 Tbsp toasted coconut chips
- mixed berries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang around the edges. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Place sugar and flaked coconut in a food processor and pulse for 1 minute. Beat coconut oil and coconut-sugar in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; beat in rum (if using), vanilla, and coconut extract. Reduce speed to low and add half of flour mixture, beating just to combine. Add coconut milk, then finish with remaining flour mixture.
- Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top with an offset spatula. Bake for 53 to 54 minutes, until cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs attached. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before using the parchment overhang to lift cake from pan; cool completely on wire rack.
- For the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, coconut extract, and coconut milk in a small bowl. Set rack with cake over a piece of wax paper and drizzle with glaze. Let glaze set for 20 minutes before topping with toasted coconut chips and berries. If not serving cake right away, wait to add topping until ready to serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
- Calories: 220
- Carbohydrates: 30
Keywords: Coconut, Coconut Milk, Tea Cake
What a pretty tea cake, Laura. I LOVE the triple coconut. And this is the perfect cake for upcoming berry season! 🙂
Mmm, need this cake in my life! Coconut and berries are such a delicious combo too! Pinning for future baking!
Such a pretty cake. Happy Easter. x
Fresh berries are the perfect garnish for this coconut cake! I love this flavor combination, perfect for the warmer months!
When you say full fat coconut milk is that from a can or the carton in the dairy aisle? Beautiful cake!
Hi Peggy, I use the full fat coconut milk from the can (such as Thai Kitchen brand). Hope that helps! 🙂
Thanks! That’s exactly what I was wondering. I can’t wait to try this. 😉
This is SO beautiful! Perfect for Easter!