Coconut Louisiana Crunch Cake
Soft, moist and sweet with a sugary crunch on top, this Coconut Louisiana Crunch Cake makes an easy homemade dessert.
Every now and then I bake up a cake that I just can’t stay out of. The last one was crack cake.
And now I introduce you to Coconut Louisiana Crunch Cake.
What is Louisiana Crunch Cake?
Louisiana Crunch Cake recipe is a southern classic. It’s a buttery golden yellow cake baked with sugary crumb topping. That topping creates a “crunch” that also adds a touch of texture and another layer of sweet. You may have even tried Entenmann’s Louisiana Crunch Cake. (It’s great!)
We gave the cake a little more of a coconut twist with coconut extract added into the batter and the glaze, plus we sprinkle coconut flakes on top.
What type of pan do you use for crunch cake?
I’ve seen Louisiana Crunch Cake in both bundt cake pans and tube pans. I prefer a bundt pan.
If you choose a tube pan, be careful if it is a two part tube pan. Batter can sometimes seep out and make a mess in your oven. For that reason, it is best to use a pan that is one piece, preferably a bundt cake pan.
Buttermilk Bundt Cake
What if you don’t have buttermilk on hand? You can make your own! Simply put one tablespoon of white vinegar in a measuring cup, then fill it the rest of the way with milk. Let it sit for a few minutes. This mixture will act similarly to buttermilk in recipes.
How to Make Louisiana Crunch Cake
This Coconut Louisiana Crunch Cake calls for cake flour. Cake flour is a low protein flour which makes for a tender crumb. You can use all purpose flour if you’d like, but be very careful not to overmix the batter. If you overmix the cake may be tough.
- Preheat the oven to 350º Fahrenheit.
- Whisk together the cake flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
- In another bowl, cream the butter until it is creamy and almost white in appearance.
- Add in the sugar. Beat an additional 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing in each egg completely before adding in another.
- Mix in the sour cream and extracts.
- Add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, mixing gently (or on low speed) just until combined. Do not overmix or the cake will not be soft.
- Grease with shortening and dust with flour a 12 cup bundt cake pan (or use our cake release).
- Sprinkle ¼ cup sugar into the bottom of the pan. Shake the pan slightly so the sugar coats the sides of the pan as well as the bottom.
- Sprinkle shredded coconut evenly in the bottom of the pan.
- Pour the batter into the pan and use a spatula to make sure is is even.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool for just 5 minutes in the pan, then loosen the edges and turn it out onto a cake plate to cool completely.
Powdered Sugar Glaze
Powdered sugar glaze is one of the easiest toppings for Coconut Louisiana Crunch Cake. No mixer needed, just use a bowl and a whisk.
Note: This makes a lot of glaze and ends of being a thick layer of glaze, almost like icing. If you’d like less glaze, you can make ½ a recipe. This will save calories as well!
We used vanilla and coconut extracts. Almond extract is delicious with this cake as well.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, melted butter, and extracts.
- Add heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until it is the consistency you’d like.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake. If the cake still warm, the glaze will melt and run thin. It’s a matter of preference as far as how you want it to look.
What if the cake sticks to the pan?
The key to helping a cake not stick is to first generously grease the pan with shortening, then dust with flour, shaking the excess off. You can also use a magic release baking spray or our cake release recipe.
Also make sure the cake only cools for a few minutes in the pan. At about 3 minutes of cooling I start to run a knife around the edges to loosen it. Then turn it out onto a plate within 5 minutes of the cake coming out of the oven.
A bit of the sugar may still stick. That’s ok…the glaze will hide any imperfections!
Coconut Louisiana Crunch Cake
From Scratch moist yellow cake with a sugary coconut topping. This glazed Coconut Louisiana Crunch Cake is delicious!
Servings 12
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 cups cake flour 390 grams
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 3/4 cups sugar 350 grams
- 1 cup salted butter (softened)
- 4 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
For the coconut topping:
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar 50 grams
- 1/3 cup shredded coconut
For the glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar 260 grams
- 1/4 cup salted butter (melted)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
- 3-4 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
Make the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350º Fahrenheit.
- Whisk together the cake flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
- In another bowl, cream the butter until it is creamy and almost white in appearance.
- Add in the sugar. Beat an additional 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing in each egg completely before adding in another.
- Mix in the sour cream and extracts.
- Add the flour alternately with the buttermilk, mixing gently (or on low speed) just until combined. Do not overmix or the cake will not be soft.
- Grease with shortening and dust with flour a 12 cup bundt cake pan (or use our cake release).
- Sprinkle ¼ cup sugar into the bottom of the pan. Shake the pan slightly so the sugar coats the sides of the pan as well as the bottom.
- Sprinkle shredded coconut evenly in the bottom of the pan.
- Pour the batter into the pan and use a spatula to make sure is is even.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool for just 5 minutes in the pan, then loosen the edges and turn it out onto a cake plate to cool completely.
Make the glaze:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, melted butter, and extracts.
- Add heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until it is the consistency you'd like.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake. If the cake still warm, the glaze will melt and run thin. It's a matter of preference as far as how you want it to look.
- Note: This makes a lot of glaze. If you'd like less glaze, make ½ a recipe. This will save calories as well.
Notes
The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 12 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of glazed cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information.**
Nutrition
Calories: 567kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 131mg | Sodium: 470mg | Potassium: 138mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 55g | Vitamin A: 811IU | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 1mg
Recipe slightly adapted from Food.com
Tools to Make This Cake
- Bundt Cake Pan: This is a classic, must-have kitchen tool.
- Bundt Cake Carrier: Store your cake in this carrier to keep it fresh and easy to transport!
- Cake Plate: I have this cake plate and everyone loves it! It comes with the cute server too.
Other Bundt Cake Recipes
We have bundt cakes for all occasions and made with all flavors. Try one of these!
Very delicious and moist