Coconut Pecan Crunch Cake (Tastes Like Coconut Cream Pie — With a Buttery Crunch)

From Mary Katherine’s Kitchen

Last fall, y’all fell in love with our Pumpkin Crunch Cake. This spring, the Strawberry Crunch Cake was such a hit. So this summer, I wanted to bring another one to the family — and this coconut version has my whole heart.

Here’s what I love about our crunch cakes: they’re so easy to put together, they’re not complicated, and they’re endlessly easy to change up. But I’ll tell you right up front — this one is a little different from the others. With the pumpkin and strawberry cakes, you get those pretty, distinct layers you can see on the side of a slice. This coconut cake doesn’t do that, and it’s on purpose. The bottom layer starts as liquid cream of coconut, and as it bakes, it soaks right up into the cake mix and it all becomes one thing. What you end up with is a wonderfully flavored, chewy coconut cake — creamy in a way the others aren’t.

Then we top it with a whipped coconut cream that’s a little different than our usual topping, and honestly, it pairs so perfectly I don’t think I’ll make it any other way. A sprinkle of toasted coconut on top, and it’s done. If you’re a coconut lover, you are going to want to make this one. Jump on in and make it with me.

Recipe

Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 45 minutes Cool time: 1 hour Total time: about 2 hours 15 minutes Servings: 12–15 Course: Dessert Cuisine: Southern / American

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1 (15 oz) can cream of coconut
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, plus about ½ cup extra to toast for the top
• 1 box (15.25 oz) plain yellow cake mix (a 13–14 oz box works fine too)
• 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
• 1½ sticks (¾ cup) butter, melted

For the whipped coconut topping:

• 1 cup heavy cream, cold
• ¼ cup coconut milk, cold
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ½ teaspoon coconut extract
• ¼ cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Prep. Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 baking dish.
2. Smooth out the cream of coconut. Cream of coconut separates into a liquid and a solid in the can, so give the whole can a good whip with a hand mixer until it’s smooth and creamy — you don’t want any of those solid little chunks left. Pour it all into your greased dish and spread it to cover the bottom.
3. Add the coconut. Sprinkle about 1 cup of sweetened shredded coconut evenly over the cream of coconut. I like to use my hands here — it spreads more evenly than pouring it from the cup. Don’t toast this layer; it goes in just the way it is.
4. Toast the topping coconut. Spread the reserved ½ cup of coconut in a thin layer on a small sheet pan and pop it in the oven while it preheats. It only takes about 6–10 minutes, but watch it closely and stir it halfway — it browns fast. Set the toasted coconut aside for later.
5. Add the cake mix. Sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix evenly over the coconut. Don’t stress about the exact box size — this isn’t a standard cake where your measurements have to be precise. Spread it out evenly with your hands.
6. Add the pecans. Give about 1 cup of pecans a rough chop — leave them in good-sized chunks, just cut through each one a couple of times. Sprinkle them all across the top of the cake mix.
7. Butter it up. Melt 1½ sticks of butter and drizzle it as evenly as you can over the whole top. (Some folks use two sticks, some use one — I like to meet in the middle.)
8. Bake. Bake at 350°F for 40–45 minutes, until the top is a nice golden brown. This one looks a little different than the other crunch cakes as it bakes, so don’t judge by that — but do keep an eye on it. Don’t overbake it. 45 minutes is really the most you ever want to go; it firms up as it cools, and the longer it bakes, the harder it gets.
9. Cool completely. Let the cake cool for about an hour. It needs to be fully cooled before the topping goes on.
10. Make the whipped coconut topping. Keep your heavy cream and coconut milk in the fridge right up until you make this — they need to be cold. Combine the cold cream and coconut milk with the cream of tartar (that stabilizes it), coconut extract, and powdered sugar. Whip on medium-high for about 3–4 minutes, until it sets up into soft, pretty peaks.
11. Finish. Spread the whipped topping over the cooled cake and sprinkle the toasted coconut over the top. Slice and serve.

Tip: It’s got a wonderful chew to it, so it can be a touch hard to cut — but it is not hard to eat! That perfect chewiness is exactly what you want.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between a crunch cake and a dump cake? They’re really the same idea — you “dump” or layer the ingredients right into the pan (no stirring), and the cake mix, nuts, and butter bake up into a crunchy top. We call ours crunch cakes for that crunchy topping.

Is this the same as coconut cream pie? Not exactly, but it tastes a lot like one. The cream of coconut soaks into the cake and creates that creamy, custardy coconut flavor you love in a coconut cream pie — just with a buttery crunch on top and none of the crust-and-custard work.

What is cream of coconut, and where do I find it? Cream of coconut is a thick, sweetened coconut product (you’ll often find it near the drink mixers). It’s not the same as coconut milk or unsweetened coconut cream — you want the sweetened cream of coconut for this recipe. Give the can a good stir or whip first, since it separates.

Can I make this without nuts? Absolutely. You’ll still get a lovely crunch from the cake mix and butter. If you’d like a little something in their place, toffee bits are nice (they’ll change the flavor a touch), or a nut-free granola works too.

Does the size of the cake mix box matter? No. Cake mix boxes have shrunk over the years, but with this type of cake your measurements don’t have to be exact. A 15.25 oz box or a 13–14 oz box will both work beautifully. Use a plain yellow or butter cake mix.

Why did my cake turn out hard? Most likely it baked a little too long. This cake firms up as it cools, so it can look underdone when it’s actually ready. Pull it right around 40–45 minutes at a golden brown, and don’t go past 45.

How should I store it? Because of the whipped cream topping, keep it covered in the refrigerator. It’s lovely cold.

Can I make it ahead? Yes — the cake can be baked a day ahead and kept covered. Add the whipped coconut topping and toasted coconut closer to serving so it stays fresh and pretty.