Why have I waited so long to bring coconut coffee cake into our lives?

Make breakfast and brunch better with coconut coffee cake! Tender coconut cake with a cocoa sugar streusel and a coconut glaze. To die for!

I HAVE NO IDEA.

It was the wrong decision. Waiting, that is. Because now I don’t want coffee cake any other way. If you’re a coconut lover like I am, you.are.in.for.a.treat.

Quite literally.

coffee cake in nordicware bundt pan

I’ve talked about Mother Lovett’s coconut cake for YEARS, but have never actually made it here for the blog. Her actual recipe writing was lacking – I mean, she baked cakes totally from scratch! Everything was a “suggestion” and she went by how things looked and felt as she stirred, adding flour by spoonfuls, unmeasured. Isn’t that mind blowing? I have such a hard time developing my own baking recipes from complete scratch that is seems impossible. It’s truly an art form, that I’m sure of.

She was living the wild life, right? Recipe rebel.

pouring glaze on coffee cake

So I haven’t exactly got to a point that I can replicate that yet. But. We were talking about that cake a few months ago and thought about how amazing it would be if it could be turned into a breakfast cake. Could we do OTHER things with her coconut cake?

Now let me get something straight – no one on my mom’s side needs an excuse to eat cake for breakfast. It’s basically their life motto. Even just yesterday morning, I picked up my mom and she told me that she’d just had the last slice of my chocolate tres leches cake for breakfast. This is real life. And I love it.

Make breakfast and brunch better with coconut coffee cake! Tender coconut cake with a cocoa sugar streusel and a coconut glaze. To die for!

All that to say that it got me wondering why I’ve never put coconut in my coffee cake, the huge coconut freak I am. So I made it!

Make breakfast and brunch better with coconut coffee cake! Tender coconut cake with a cocoa sugar streusel and a coconut glaze. To die for!

If possible, the coconut added to the batter makes the cake even more tender.

This greek yogurt coffee cake is so, so good. Definitely our favorite out of any other coffee cake. I’ve made this using plain greek yogurt and also using coconut yogurt – amazing every time. And it’s such a hearty cake that it’s acceptable for dessert too. Not only breakfast. Of course.

Make breakfast and brunch better with coconut coffee cake! Tender coconut cake with a cocoa sugar streusel and a coconut glaze. To die for!

It’s such a lovely little treat for this spring weekend… and one you should definitely make for yourself.

Make breakfast and brunch better with coconut coffee cake! Tender coconut cake with a cocoa sugar streusel and a coconut glaze. To die for!

Coconut Coffee Cake

Coconut Coffee Cake

Make breakfast and brunch better with coconut coffee cake! Tender coconut cake with a cocoa sugar streusel and a coconut glaze. To die for!
5 from 30 votes
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Ingredients

streusel

cake

coconut glaze and toasted coconut

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 10-inch bundt cake pan and set aside. Butter and flour is key or use a nonstick baking spray with the flour in it.

Streusel

  • Whisk together the sugar, flour, cinnamon, cocoa, espresso powder and salt. Add the butter pieces and using your hands, mix together the flour and butter until the flour is incorporated and in tiny pieces. It’s okay if the mixture looks like SAND!

Cake

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, soda and salt. In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, then add the sugar and beat for 4 to 5 minutes on medium speed until fluffy, scraping down the sides if needed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well for a minute or so after each addition. Add the extracts and beat well. Beat in the yogurt, again scraping down the sides if needed.
  • Gradually add the dry ingredients with the mix on low speed. Beat until they are just incorporated. Stir in the shredded coconut. Spoon half of the batter into the greased bundt pan. Sprinkle the batter with two thirds of the streusel. Add the remaining batter on top then, swirl in the remaining streusel with a knife. Bake until a wooden pick inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 45 to 55 minutes. My cake needed the full 55 and it was perfect.
  • Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Invert the pan on a wire rack and allow the cake to cool completely. Don’t attempt to move it or it will break apart!
  • Once cool, drizzle the cake with the coconut glaze. Sprinkle with the toasted coconut. Let set for about 30 minutes then slice and serve.

coconut glaze

  • Whisk together the powdered sugar, extracts and coconut milk (start with ¼ cup!) until combined and smooth. If the mixture is too thin, whisk in more powdered sugar about ¼ cup at a time. If it’s too thick, drizzle in more coconut milk 1 tablespoon at a time.
  • To toast the coconut, add the flakes to a skillet over medium-low heat. Toss and stir (and shake the pan!) until the coconut is golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Don’t walk away! Keep your eye on it the entire time. Remove the skillet and let it cool slightly before sprinkling on top.
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I appreciate you so much!

Make breakfast and brunch better with coconut coffee cake! Tender coconut cake with a cocoa sugar streusel and a coconut glaze. To die for!

Just loooook at that middle.