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.
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.
Jump to:
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.
Why My Recipe
I may not be a born and bred Cajun and sometimes that can be a good thing. In this instance it shows that even a British girl can come into this beautiful state of Louisiana and learn how to cook the perfect Louisiana Crunch Cake.
Let me show you how.
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 Slow Cooker Bread Pudding!
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.
Viral Recipe Alert!
Banana Bread
Due to the secret ingredient in this deliciously moist banana bread it has become one of my most sought after recipes!
Louisiana Crunch Cake
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 Cups Cake Flour
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- 2 Cups Granulated Sugar
- 1-½ Cups Unsalted Butter Unsalted, room temperature
- 4 Each Large Eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Coconut Extract
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Cup Buttermilk room temperature
- ¼ Cup Sweetened Coconut Flakes
Glaze
- 2 Cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
- 3 Tablespoons Evaporated Milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Sift the cake flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda into a medium bowl and set aside.3 Cups Cake Flour, 1 teaspoon Salt, 1 teaspoon Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- Using a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer) beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy - about 3 minutes.2 Cups Granulated Sugar, 1-½ Cups Unsalted Butter
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well inbetween.4 Each Large Eggs
- Add the coconut and vanilla extracts and beat again.1 teaspoon Coconut Extract, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture ½ cup at a time, inbetween adding some of the buttermilk, ending with the flour mixture and scrape down the sides.1 Cup Buttermilk
- Grease the bundt pan all over with butter, use a silicone brush to get in all the grooves.
- Sprinkle sugar at the bottom of the pan, then dust the rest of the pan with flour. Add the coconut sprinkles at the bottom with the sugar.¼ Cup Sweetened Coconut Flakes
- Pour the cake batter over the top of the topping and fill the bundt pan evenly.
- Bake for 50 minutes (more or less depending on your oven).
- Remove from the oven once cooked and allow to sit for 10 minutes in the pan before turning out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Mix the glaze ingredients and pour over the top of the cake.2 Cups Powdered Sugar, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, 1 teaspoon Almond Extract, 3 Tablespoons Evaporated Milk
- Sprinkle with coconut flakes.
Notes
Nutrition
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