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Home » Recipes » Desserts » Cakes » Easy Coconut Cake

Easy Coconut Cake

September 18, 2023 by Jennifer @ Plowing Through Life Leave a Comment

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Super moist with an instant pudding mix and coconut added to a box of yellow cake mix this Easy Coconut Cake recipe is delicious!

Piece of moist coconut cake with flakes of coconut and chopped walnuts covered with homemade coconut cream cheese frosting on a stack of small white plates with a sliver fork on a green, yellow and blue napkin.

Coconut Cake From a Box Mix

If you are looking for a hassle free way to make the coconut lovers in your life feel special try this Easy Coconut Cake!

Make this moist coconut cake even better by topping it with our homemade Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting. The combination creates a bakery quality masterpiece quickly at home.

This southern style recipe is decadent and moist, but so easy to whip up in 15 minutes or less.

We love recipes like this one and our Crescent Roll Apple Pie that are so enjoyable. We need more desserts with shortcuts so they are quick enough to make with a busy schedule.

Piece of coconut cake from a box mix with a generous layer of coconut cream cheese frosting on a white plate with a fork and the full cake in the background.

We love visiting Amish country in our area and this recipe is reminiscent of a moist bundt cake that Walnut Creek Foods sells. A few other Amish style baked goods we love to make are Peanut Butter Dream Bars and these Old-Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls.

Why This Recipe Works

  • Coconut pudding cake makes a great birthday cake for a coconut lover.
  • Coconut cake from a yellow cake mix creates a shortcut that you won’t notice.
  • Even if you’re not a coconut fan this recipe is still enjoyable.
  • Make homemade coconut frosting or use a can to increase your options.
Fork with a bite full of coconut cake with a piece of chopped walnut baked in and a layer of frosting on top with the full cake in the background.

Ingredients Needed to Make Coconut Walnut Cake

  • Box of Yellow Cake Mix – We prefer to use the Duncan Hines brand.
  • Eggs – Add a nice richness.
  • Vegetable Oil – Helps all of the ingredients mix together.
  • Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix – Help creates the added moisture and a higher quality.
  • Coconut – Add a memorable depth of nutty flavor that sets this apart from your average cake.
  • Walnuts – While they are optional the chopped black walnuts add a crunch and more earthy flavor.
Overhead view of ingredients needed to make an easy box coconut cake are eggs, box of classic yellow cake mix, chopped walnuts, box of instant vanilla pudding, vanilla extract, vegetable oil and bag of flaked coconut on a wooden counter top.

Step By Step Instructions

Pour a box of cake mix into a mixing bowl. We always use an electric mixer to make this recipe easier.

Add a small box of instant vanilla pudding.

Box of instant vanilla pudding poured on top of a box of yellow cake mix.

Measure out vegetable oil and water and pour into the mixing bowl.

Crack eggs and add to the bowl.

Eggs, oil, water and instant vanilla pudding mix poured into a silver mixing bowl with a box of cake mix.

Starting on low speed and working up to medium speed.

Scrape the edges of the bowl with a silicone spatula and mix for about two minutes.

Yellow cake mix with a box instant pudding, eggs and vegetable oil mixed in.

Pour into a lightly greased 9 x 13″ baking ban or use three 8″ round cake pans.

Bake in a preheated 350℉ for 35 – 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Freshly baked moist coconut cake made from a box mix in a white 9 x 13" pan.

Allow to cool and then coat with a thick layer of Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting.

Overhead view of freshly frosted coconut walnut cake with cream cheese and coconut frosting.

Finally dress up the final look of the cake by sprinkling with a layer of toasted coconut on top.

Freshly toasted coconut sprinkled on top of coconut cream cheese frosting on an easy coconut cake from a box mix on a colorful pastel napkin.

Cover with plastic wrap and store in a cool place. Enjoy within 3 to 4 days for best results.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

Can substitute pecans for walnuts to make a wonderful Coconut Pecan Cake.

Moist coconut walnut cake from a box with in a 9 x 13 pan with a few pieces missing revealing the yellow cake with flakes of coconut and a rich layer of coconut and cream cheese frosting on top.

More Easy Box Cake Recipes

Chocolate Mint Cakes adds Andes mints for spearmint flavor that is fresh and a little spicy.

Snickers Cake uses a box of devil’s food cake mix and caramel topping for a special twist.

These Cake Mix Cupcakes and Vanilla Bean Cake are always popular at parties.

Honey Bun Swirl Cake can easily crossover from brunch to dessert and you’ll know why.

Close up piece of super moist coconut cake with pudding and walnuts and a thick layer of coconut cream cheese frosting on top sitting on a white plate.

Easy Coconut Cake

Super moist with an instant pudding mix and coconut added to a box of yellow cake mix this Easy Coconut Cake recipe is delicious!
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Easy Coconut Cake
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
Servings: 15 pieces
Calories: 285kcal
Author: Jennifer @ Plowing Through Life

Ingredients

  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 3.4 ounce instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 1/3 cup water
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 cups coconut
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350℉ and coat a 9 x 13" pan OR 3 – 8" round pans with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Blend box of cake mix and small box of instant vanilla pudding.
  • Add eggs, water and vegetable oil. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.
  • Add coconut and chopped walnuts and mix by hand.
  • Pour into pan and bake for 35 – 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Equipment

9×13 Baking Dish
Silicone Spatula

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Nutrition

Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 298mg | Potassium: 185mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 66IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Follow me@PlowingThroughLife and mention #PlowingThroughLife!

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Filed Under: Cakes, Desserts, Recipes

Previous Post: « Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

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Hi I’m Jennifer

I want to make life easier by creating simple dinner recipes for my family and yours. Read More…

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