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Mini Coconut Bundt Cakes

These Mini Coconut Bundt Cakes are a must-bake for coconut lovers!

a Mini Coconut Bundt Cake on a blue cake stand

Mini Coconut Bundt Cakes

The discovery of a forgotten mini Bundt pan prompted my first batch of these Mini Coconut Bundt Cakes. It’s easy to forget about having a baking pan here or there when I have them stored in every spare space I can find in our New York apartment!

I made a lovely coconut Bundt cake for my 5 Ingredient Baking book, and these little cakes are a version of that recipe. They start out as simple vanilla cakes but get a boost of flavor from toasted coconut and coconut milk.

The small size of these cakes makes them a great choice for no-fuss serving for a small group. No cake slicing and serving! They also look gorgeous displayed on a cake stand among other treats on a dessert table. Or, you know, take the simple route and just store them well and grab one when the craving strikes!

overhead view of Mini Coconut Bundt Cakes on a blue cake stand

What You’ll Need

For the cakes:

  • Sweetened coconut – You can use sweetened flaked coconut that’s commonly found in grocery stores, or try sweetened shredded coconut which is usually smaller pieces.
  • All-purpose flour – As always, measure by weight or spoon and sweep.
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Unsalted butter – Set out the butter about half an hour before baking time to allow it to soften.
  • Granulated sugar
  • Eggs – Also set out the eggs, as they’ll mix better and make a better cake texture if they aren’t cold.
  • Vanilla extract – For something a little different, try almond extract or coconut extract. You could also use the juice of a lemon or lime.
  • Coconut milk – This is old-school canned coconut milk, not the beverage.

For the glaze:

  • Confectioners’ sugar – While not absolutely necessary, I recommend sifting the sugar for a smooth glaze.
  • Milk – Whole or 2% milk works best.

How to Make Mini Coconut Bundt Cakes

This is really quite a simple recipe that mixes quickly and easily. And the glaze really couldn’t be easier!

Make the cakes:

Toast the coconut. Heat the oven to 350°F. Spread the coconut in a single layer and toast in the oven until browned and toasted, about 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can toast the coconut in a skillet on the stovetop. Learn more: How to Toast Coconut

Prepare the pan. Generously grease a 12-cavity mini Bundt pan. I highly recommend a cooking spray with flour, like Baker’s Joy or Pam Baking.

Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Combine the wet ingredients. With an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy and lightened and color. Add the eggs one at a time, and mix well after each. Mix in the vanilla.

Add the dry ingredients and coconut milk to the wet ingredients. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three portions alternating with two portions of the coconut milk. Don’t over-mix; only mix just until combined.

Add the coconut. Set aside about 1/4 cup of the toasted coconut for garnish. Add the remaining coconut to the batter and stir just until well-distributed.

Portion the batter. Divide the batter evenly among the cake cavities, filling each about 3/4 full. There is some variance among the capacities of these types of pans, so be sure not to over-fill even if that means a little bit of leftover batter.

Bake. Place the pan in the heated oven, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The cakes are done with the edges are browned and a pick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool the cakes. Place the pan on a wire rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Then transfer the cakes from the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Add the toppings:

Make the glaze. Combine the confectioners’ sugar and 2 teaspoons of milk. Add a small amount of milk at a time and continue stirring until the glaze is the consistency you want.

Top the cakes. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cakes. Sprinkle the reserved toasted coconut over the tops.

Mini Coconut Bundt Cakes on a blue cake stand

Tips for Success

  • Thoroughly grease the pan. Make sure you get all those little nooks and crannies covered. I use a cooking spray with flour (like Baker’s Joy) and very rarely have any issues with sticking. If you tend to be slower to get things mixed, then you may want to wait to spray the pan until right before adding the batter so that it doesn’t settle toward the bottom of the pan.
  • Don’t over-fill the pan. Mini Bundt pans are sadly not all the same and have slightly different capacities. Because of that, be sure not to fill the cavities more than 3/4 full so that they won’t overflow. It’s better to have a little leftover batter if your pan won’t hold it all.
  • Toast the coconut! That may seem like an unnecessary additional step, but those extra 10 minutes are totally worth it for that toasty coconut flavor.
  • Want to make a standard Bundt cake? Double the recipe and bake 50-60 minutes in a 10 or 12-cup Bundt pan.

How to Store

Place the cooled cakes in an airtight container. The cakes will be best within a day or so, but they should keep up to 3 days. For longer storage, place the container in the refrigerator. Be sure it’s airtight so the cakes won’t get dry.

How to Freeze

For best results, freeze the cakes without the glaze. Once they’re completely cooled after baking, place them in a freezer-safe container or bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for an hour or two at room temperature.

If you do freeze them with the glaze, first place them on a baking sheet in the freezer to allow the glaze to freeze until solid. Then transfer them to a freezer-safe container.

Mini Coconut Bundt Cakes

Yield 12 mini Bundt cakes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes

Toasted coconut adds big flavor to these Mini Coconut Bundt Cakes!

Mini Coconut Bundt Cakes on a blue cake stand

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 1 & 1/4 cups (106g) sweetened flaked coconut
  • 1 & 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup (118ml) coconut milk

For the glaze:

  • 1/2 cup (55g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
  • 2 to 4 teaspoons milk

Instructions

To make the cake:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Generously grease a 12-cup mini Bundt pan.
  2. Spread the coconut in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the coconut has browned. Stir the coconut about halfway through the bake time to help it toast more evenly. Set aside to cool.
  3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  4. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.
  5. Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture in three portions, alternating with two portions of the coconut milk. Mix just until combined.
  6. Set aside about 1/4 cup of the toasted coconut for garnishing the cakes. Stir the remaining coconut into the cake batter.
  7. Divide the batter evenly among the cake cavities, using about 3 tablespoons of batter to fill each cavity about 3/4 full.* Spread evenly.
  8. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the edges of the cakes are browned and a pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  9. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes. Then transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the glaze:

  1. Combine the confectioners' sugar and 2 teaspoons of milk. Add more milk, a small amount at a time, until the glaze is the desired consistency.
  2. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cakes. Garnish with the reserved toasted coconut.

Notes

*Be sure not to overfill the pan. It's far better to have a little leftover cake batter than to have a mess in your oven!

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    32 Comments on “Mini Coconut Bundt Cakes”

  1. Can I make this in a regular bundt pan?

    • Hi, Carol. Yes, you can make this in a 10- or 12-cup Bundt pan if you double the recipe. The cake will need to bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until a pick inserted into the center comes out clean.

  2. A mini bundt pan is one of the few things I don’t own. I must have now!

  3. These are precious! I need a mini bundt pan!

  4. I can TOTALLY relate. I’m pretty sure I have an unused donut pan somewhere… 

    Love all things coconut and could totally go for one of these!

  5. Delicious gallery! The photos makes the foods looks more delicious! It looks simple and easy to cook! Thanks for the sharing of recipe!

  6. It’s been a while since I’ve made bundt cakes too and you just gave me an idea. What do you think about adding pineapple glaze to this recipe as a recipe to the glaze? Been meaning to try it out for sometime.

  7. I had mini rum cakes in Cozumel.  One of the flavours was coconut.  Wonder if I can add rum! 😃

  8. These bundt cakes were so easy to make and you totally sold me with those gorgeous photos. My son absolutely loved it and it allowed us to spend time together so it was a win win. What kind of camera did you use for these photographs?

  9. Just recently came across this recipe and decided to try it out. The cakes turned out amazing! I have five kids and EVERYONE loved them. My five-year-old was a little skeptical, but he ate almost the whole thing after some convincing. Lol! Will be making this recipe again, thanks for sharing.

  10. My hubby loves anything coconuts. As soon as I saw this recipe, I knew that it’s going to make an excellent Sunday bake. That’s a recent habit I am trying to commit to; gives a nice atmosphere at home and the kids loving it. Made mine with goat’s butter, organic flour and pink Himalayan salt. Turned out delicious.

  11. My eldest son adores coconut and anything which has coconut in it, so I thought I’d make it for him. It was a huge success, and even my daughter, who usually claims to hate coconuts, was eating the cakes and said she liked it. I am very used to baking, and these are quite simple to make. I am sure to do another batch soon.

  12. I’m not an experienced baker but these were easy and delicious. I have the added good fortune of living two miles from the Nordic Ware Factory Store so I was able to get the Mini Bundt pan.

  13. These looks great! Making them today for 4th of July. Do you suggest the thicker canned coconut milk or the thinner “drinking” milk that comes in cartons  (Like almond milk style)?  Thanks! 

  14. I’ve been looking for a mini coconut cake recipe for my six year old nephew. He loves coconut but nobody else in the family likes it besides myself. I don’t have the bundt pan. Im going to use a 4 inch spring form pan. Also can these be frozen. l Any suggestions.

  15. Made these this morning. I found them to be a bit dry. Also, I think I would add more coconut milk.

  16. Do you put the mini bundt pans on a regular cookie sheet or just put the individual pans in the oven?

    • Hi, Sheilah. What I have is a large pan with mini Bundt cavities, much like a muffin pan. If you look in the recipe directions, there is a link to it. If you’re using individual pans, I would probably place them on a baking sheet.

  17. I made these and even froze them already glazed . I used a 6 cavity Bundt pan so the cakes were larger and baked for 25-30 mins. for friends at Christmas. Making them again but trying lemon zest and lemon glaze with the coconut this time

  18. What kind of coconut milk are you using in these? Is it the canned coconut milk or the thin milk in a carton/
    These look and sound amazing1
    Thank you

  19. This looks like a great recipe. Is the mini size pan you use for these 1/3 cup batter each or 1 1/4 tablespoons of batter each.
    I want to order the right size pan.

  20. Would it be possible to add cut up chunks of white chocolate or white chips to the batter?

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