This Louisiana Crunch Cake is such a simple southern dessert, I'm in awe. A delicious moist yellow cake with hints of coconut and a crunchy sugary top, drizzled with a decadent glaze and coconut sprinkled all over! This southern classic is heaven on a plate.

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This wonderful recipe for a simple yellow cake with hints of coconut and a delicious crunchy topping originates in New Orleans, though it's hard to pinpoint the exact history.

There's mention of it coming from Beulah Ledner, a famous baker in New Orleans who made amazing Doberge Cakes. It's possible.

You may have seen them made by Entenmann's, as a commercially sold, mass produced cake.

Next time try my King Cake recipe, a Louisiana favorite, especially for Mardi Gras.

Groceries you'll need: Ingredients

• Cake Flour
• Salt
• Baking Powder
• Baking Soda
• Unsalted Butter, room temperature
• Granulated Sugar
• Eggs, room temperature
• Vanilla Extract
• Coconut Extract
• Buttermilk, room temperature
• Sweetened Coconut Flakes
• Powdered Sugar
• Almond Extract
• Evaporated Milk

See recipe card for quantities.

Recipe walkthrough: Instructions

This is an overview of the recipe steps. For more detailed instructions visit the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

• Step 1: Sift the cake flour together with the salt, baking powder and baking soda (the dry ingredients), then set aside.
• Step 2: Using a stand mixer, with paddle attachment, and a large bowl beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Step 3: Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each add.
• Step 4: Add the coconut and vanilla extracts and mix well again.

• Step 5: While the mixer is on a low speed, add the cake flour mixture, ½ cup at a time...
• Step 6: ...alternating with the buttermilk. Finish with the flour mixture.
• Step 7: Grease a bundt pan well with butter, use a brush if needed to get in all the creases.
• Step 8: Sprinkle sugar and coconut in the bottom of pan, then dust the whole thing with flour.

• Step 9: Pour the cake batter on top of the sugar/coconut at the bottom then evenly scrape batter into the pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until an inserted wooden skewer comes out clean with just a few crumbs.
• Step 10: After the cake has cooled from it's bake and it's removed prepare the glaze. Mix the powdered sugar, evaporated milk, almond and vanilla extracts. Pour all over the cake and sprinkle coconut topping flakes.

Hint: When you take the bundt pan out of the oven, allow it to cool in the pan for only 10 minutes then remove the cake onto a cooling rack (wire rack). Any longer than 10 minutes and you'll likely end up with a cake that is stuck to the bundt cake pan!

Recipe variations and substitute ideas

• Sour Cream - instead of Buttermilk, try using a mix of sour cream and whole milk.
• All Purpose Flour - Cake flour helps make a cake a lot lighter and fluffier. It has less protein and so makes it less dense. All purpose flour will be ok though, make sure to pass through the sieve first though.
• Vegetable Shortening - instead of the butter.

• Pecans - Add some chopped pecans on top of the cake with the coconut, or instead of.
• Lemon - Replace the evaporated milk with lemon juice, or add some lemon extract instead of the almond and you'll have a nice tangy glaze.

See this recipe for Banana Pudding Brownies for another delicious southern dessert turned into brownies! Or my Country Apple Pie Recipe!

Necessary gear: Equipment

You'll definitely need a bundt pan (or a tube pan) for this recipe to look traditional, however, if you don't have one, you could probably use the same ingredients and make a layer cake with two 9" pans. I have a link below in the recipe card for a great bundt pan if you order from Amazon.

If you don't have a stand mixer, don't worry. You could use a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or even whisk by hand.

How to store leftovers

Store the Louisiana Crunch Cake in an airtight container (like a cake carrier) at room temperature for up to 5 days. Depending on the humidity in your area, perhaps pop a piece of paper towel in there with the cake to stop it being too moist in there.

It will keep longer in the refrigerator, if you like to keep your cakes in there.

More pie recipes I think you'll love

You can't go wrong baking a pie, everyone seems to have a fondness for the delicious dessert. Here are my top three favorites:

• Old Fashioned Pecan Pie - I think everyone's grandma had a similar recipe.
• Amish Pumpkin Pie - When you're making Amish recipes think simplicity.
• Country Apple Pie - This is a delicious southern country version of the classic.
• Apple Pie Cake - This is a cross between a soft and sweet yellow cake with a filling of apple pie and a yummy streusel on top.
• Pineapple Upside Down Cake - Not really a pie, but I think you'll like it as much as this Louisiana Crunch Cake. A soft and moist crumb, infused with pineapple and topped with a caramelized pineapple and cherry coating.

This Banana Dream Cake recipe from Toojay's is really good too.

Mel's kitchen notes

I can't stress how important it is to grease and flour the bundt pan well before adding the cake batter. This helps prevent sticking. I don't do it at the start of baking the cake - I like to do that right before the cake batter goes in so that none slides down the pan.

If you’ve tried this Louisiana Crunch Cake recipe or any other great recipe on my site, let me know in the comment section below, how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers!

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