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This dense, buttery Cream Cheese Sheet Cake is rich, moist, and finished with tangy cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut. You’re going to love the little bit of crunch that keeps it from feeling overly sweet. Nothing fussy-looking—just quietly excellent.
Why You’ll Love It
- Rich and moist — cream cheese in the Cake gives it a dense, tender texture.
- Tangy frosting — thick cream cheese frosting balances the sweet cake.
- Toasted coconut crunch — adds texture and coconut flavor without overwhelming the cake.
- Makes 24 squares — plenty for serving from one 9-by-13-inch pan.
Ingredient Notes
Use regular full-fat butter and cream cheese here. This is not the moment for reduced-fat cream cheese, in my opinion. I’m not saying it would be a disaster, exactly, but this cake has a particular rich texture, and I wouldn’t go tinkering with it unless I had to. We all have enough chaos already.
Cake flour matters. It gives the cake a tender texture even though the cake itself is dense. Do not swap in all-purpose flour measure for measure unless you’re prepared for it to be different, because it will be. Maybe still good—cake is rarely tragic—but different.
For the coconut milk or coconut cream, you only need 1/8 cup, which is 2 tablespoons. It’s optional, and that tiny amount can come from canned coconut milk or coconut cream. Give the can a stir first if it has separated, which it almost always does. Coconut milk has a mind of its own.
The frosting calls for vanilla or coconut extract. Vanilla keeps things mellow. Coconut extract makes it feel a little more like a holiday dessert.
And toast your own coconut if you can. The smell alone is worth the minor annoyance. Just don’t walk away from it. Coconut goes from pale and innocent to blackened nonsense in about twelve seconds.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks)
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 6 eggs
- 2 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, or coconut extract for a stronger coconut flavor
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour
- 1/8 cup coconut milk or coconut cream, optional
For the frosting:
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, or coconut extract if you prefer
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut, for toasting and sprinkling over the frosting
- A few tablespoons milk, cream, or coconut milk, optional—I leave it out because I like a thick frosting
The original frosting amount is lovely, though doubling it is never a bad idea if extra frosting is preferred.
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. You can also use a sheet cake pan, but I prefer the 9-by-13 because the cake comes out a little thicker. Not thick like a layer cake, mind you—it is still a sheet cake, and it will settle as it cools.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened 1 cup butter, 6 ounces cream cheese, and sugar. Take a minute to make sure the butter and cream cheese are actually softened. Let it sit out.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time. Yes, one at a time. I know, I know. It feels tedious, but it helps the batter come together smoothly. Add the vanilla or coconut extract, then mix in the cake flour. If you’re using the optional coconut milk or coconut cream, add it now and beat until the batter is well blended.
- Spread the batter into your prepared pan. It will be thicker than you might expect, so use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to nudge it into the corners. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a wooden pick comes out clean.
- Now, don’t panic when the cake falls a bit as it cools. It will. That is normal. It is supposed to settle and end up with that nice dense sheet-cake thickness. That little settling is part of the deal. Cool the cake on a cooling rack.
- While the cake cools, make the frosting. Beat together the 1/4 cup softened butter, 4 ounces softened cream cheese, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or coconut extract. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar and mix until smooth. If you want a softer, more spreadable frosting, add a few tablespoons of milk, cream, or coconut milk. For a thick frosting, leave it out.
- Toast the coconut. You can do this in a lightly sprayed skillet over medium heat, tossing it frequently until it turns golden. Or spread it on a baking sheet and toast it in the oven, turning it often so it doesn’t burn. The skillet makes it easier to see, though coconut can still scorch quickly.
- Once the cake is completely cool, you can frost it right in the pan, which is easiest and perfectly fine. Or gently remove it from the pan, cut it into 24 squares, and frost each square for a neater presentation. Sprinkle the toasted coconut over the frosting. The individual squares look pretty, but leaving it in the pan saves dishes.
Variations
For a stronger coconut flavor, use coconut extract in both the cake and frosting. The frosting can also be doubled for a more generous layer.
For a less coconut-forward version, use vanilla extract in the cake and frosting and keep the toasted coconut just on top. You still get that wonderful crunch, but it tastes more like a classic cream cheese cake with a coconut finish.
Adding extra coconut directly into the batter changes the texture and can make the cake feel oddly chewy. Some recipes do not need improvement.
Storage & Reheating
Store the frosted cake covered in the refrigerator because of the cream cheese frosting. It keeps well for several days, though the toasted coconut softens a little after the first day. Still delicious—just less crunchy.
Take a square out of the refrigerator about 15 or 20 minutes before eating so the frosting loses that cold, stiff edge. You can eat it straight from the fridge too.
You can freeze the cake, too. Wrap individual squares well, preferably before adding the coconut if you’re planning ahead. Let frozen pieces thaw in the refrigerator or on the counter for a short while. The cake stays wonderfully moist.
Final Notes
There’s something old-fashioned about a cake like this—no towering layers, no drips, no elaborate piping bags spread across the counter like a bakery crime scene. Just a pan of cake, thick cream cheese frosting, and toasted coconut.
Anyway, if you make it, don’t be alarmed by that little dip as it cools. Let it be what it is. Dense, creamy, a little messy around the edges—honestly, most of the best things are.
Coconut Topped Cream Cheese Sheet Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened, 2 sticks
- 6 ounces cream cheese softened
- 6 eggs
- 2 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or coconut extract for a stronger coconut flavor
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour
- 1/8 cup coconut milk or coconut cream optional; stir first if separated
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or coconut extract if you prefer
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut for toasting and sprinkling over the frosting
- a few tablespoons milk, cream, or coconut milk optional, for a softer frosting
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened 1 cup butter, 6 ounces cream cheese, and sugar until well combined.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla or coconut extract and mix in the cake flour.
- If using the optional coconut milk or coconut cream, add it now and beat until the batter is well blended.
- Spread the thick batter into the prepared pan, nudging it into the corners, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a wooden pick comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool on a cooling rack, and do not worry if it falls a bit as it cools because the settling is normal for this dense sheet cake.
- Beat together the 1/4 cup softened butter, 4 ounces softened cream cheese, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or coconut extract, then gradually add the confectioners’ sugar and mix until smooth.
- For a softer, more spreadable frosting, add a few tablespoons of milk, cream, or coconut milk; for a thick frosting, leave it out.
- Toast the coconut in a lightly sprayed skillet over medium heat, tossing frequently until golden, or spread it on a baking sheet and toast it in the oven, turning often so it does not burn.
- Once the cake is completely cool, frost it in the pan or cut it into 24 squares and frost each square, then sprinkle the toasted coconut over the frosting.