Description
This Easter Cake Recipe is a moist and flavorful bundt cake featuring lemon zest, coconut, and a luscious lemon cream cheese frosting. Perfect for festive gatherings, it combines a tender crumb with bright citrus notes and a creamy, tangy frosting, topped with sweetened coconut and colorful candy-coated chocolate eggs for a delightful presentation.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 3 cups (360g) cake flour (spooned & leveled)
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 and 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
- 1 heaping Tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1/2 cup (120g) full-fat sour cream or plain yogurt, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup (180ml) whole milk, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup (100g) sweetened flaked/shredded coconut
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (240g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1–2 Tablespoons (15–30ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For Topping
- 1 and 1/2 cups (150g) sweetened flaked/shredded coconut
- 1–2 cups candy-coated chocolate eggs, such as Cadbury Mini Eggs
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Generously grease a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan to ensure the cake comes out easily.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this mixture aside for later.
- Cream Butter, Sugar, and Lemon Zest: In a large mixing bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter on high speed for about 1 minute until creamy. Add the granulated sugar and lemon zest, then beat on high speed for 3 minutes to fully cream the mixture. Scrape down the bowl sides and bottom as needed.
- Add Oil, Eggs, and Flavorings: Mix in the vegetable oil on medium speed until combined. With the mixer on low speed, add eggs one at a time, allowing each to incorporate before adding the next. Then add sour cream, vanilla extract, and coconut extract, beating on medium-high speed until everything is combined. Scrape down the bowl again as needed.
- Combine Lemon Juice and Milk: In a small bowl, whisk together the fresh lemon juice and whole milk.
- Incorporate Dry and Wet Mixtures: With mixer running on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the lemon-milk mixture, mixing just until incorporated after each addition. Be careful not to overmix; the batter should be thick and fluffy.
- Fold in Coconut: Gently fold the sweetened shredded coconut into the batter to distribute evenly.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared Bundt pan. Bake for 65 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil halfway through baking.
- Cool the Cake: Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 2 hours. After cooling, invert the cake onto a serving plate or cake stand and let it cool completely before frosting.
- Make the Frosting: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and softened butter on medium speed with a hand or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract while mixing on low speed. Increase speed to high and beat for 3 minutes for a fluffy frosting. Add additional lemon juice if needed to thin, and add a pinch of salt to taste.
- Frost and Decorate: Using an icing spatula or knife, frost the cooled cake evenly. Sprinkle the top with sweetened shredded coconut. Fill the hole in the center of the Bundt cake with candy-coated chocolate eggs.
- Serve or Store: Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 24 hours before serving. If refrigerated, allow the cake to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving to soften. Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- You can make and cool the cake a day ahead and decorate on serving day for convenience.
- For freezing, wrap unfrosted cake in plastic wrap then foil; freeze up to 3 months and thaw overnight in refrigerator before frosting.
- Using cake flour is best; if unavailable, make a substitute or use a lighter all-purpose flour variant.
- Sweetened shredded coconut is preferred for moisture and texture both in the cake and as topping; chopping coconut is optional.
- Bring all refrigerated ingredients to room temperature for better mixing and texture.
- You can substitute plain full-fat yogurt for sour cream and lower-fat or nondairy milk if needed.
- To toast coconut topping, bake at 300°F (150°C) for 6–8 minutes until golden brown; cool before using.
- For frosting variations, lemon buttercream is a tasty alternative and can be made in smaller quantities.
- The frosting and decoration method works well with other bundt cake flavors like carrot, chocolate marble, lemon berry, hummingbird, and pound cake.
