Grandma Yearwood’s Coconut Cake

Grandma Yearwood’s Coconut Cake is rich, moist, and full of coconut flavor, made with vanilla wafer crumbs and topped with a sweet lemon-coconut glaze. This vintage cake is an old-fashioned yet decadent dessert you have to try. 

Are you a fan of bundt cakes? Try my Pumpkin Flan Cake with Maple Brown Butter Glaze.

Note: This post has been updated with new images and added content since its original publication on 11/05/13.

If you love old-fashioned desserts that feel like they came straight from Grandma’s kitchen, you’ll love this decadent coconut cake. This Southern cake recipe comes from Trisha Yearwood’s grandma’s kitchen. It’s rich, incredibly moist, and packed with coconut flavor—but what intrigued me was the unexpected ingredient that brings it all together: vanilla wafer crumbs.

It sounds a bit unconventional, but trust me—it works. The cookies make it dense yet soft and tender, with a mouthfeel that’s pleasantly different from traditional cakes. And then there’s the glaze… a sweet, lemony coconut topping that soaks into the cake and takes it over the top. It’s sweet, indulgent, and completely irresistible! 

This vintage cake is unique in the best possible way. It’s nostalgic and somehow comforting, even if you’ve never tasted it before. If you’re looking for a cake that stands out from the usual, this one is definitely worth trying.

What makes this cake special?

• The vanilla wafer secret ingredient. It’s finely crushed to give the cake its distinctive texture.
• The lemony coconut glaze adds a whole new level of decadence, with a punch of coconut flavor and the brightness of the lemon to cut through the sweetness.

Recipe highlights:

• Preheat oven to 325° F. Prepare a 9-inch bundt pan with butter and flour.
• Use a food processor to pulverize vanilla wafer cookies.
• Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla. Beat well.
• Reduce speed and add vanilla wafer crumbs, coconut, and pecan. Mix to combine.
• Pour into a prepared bundt pan. Bake for 70 minutes.
• Allow to cool slightly before unmolding.

• Place all glaze ingredients in a saucepan on medium heat. Whisk for 15 minutes until thickened. Cool slightly.
• Use a skewer to poke holes into the cake. Spoon glaze over the cake.
• Detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.

How to store the cake:

This cake can be kept in an airtight container or a cake dome at room temperature for a day or two. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 4 days. I prefer to store mine in the refrigerator for a longer shelf life.

Recommended supplies:

(Affiliate links. The products I recommend are either what I use, are on my wish list, or are highly rated.)

• I use this bundt cake pan all the time. It has a non-stick coating, which facilitates easy cake release.
• These cooling racks are inexpensive but are my right-hand man for cooling baked goods.
• This 3.5 cup capacity food processor is for pulverizing the vanilla wafers in seconds. You will need to do it in a few batches.
• A stand mixer to make your mixing job a breeze, or a handheld electric mixer, will also work well.
• Hand whisk for preparing the glaze. This one is stainless steel and dishwasher safe.
• Saucepan for cooking the glaze. This stainless steel pan has a tapered rim for drip-free pouring.

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Grandma Yearwood’s Coconut Cake

Author: In Good Flavor Cooking Method:Mixing Baking Cuisine:American Courses:Dessert

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 15 minutesCook time:1 hour 25 minutesTotal time:1 hour 40 minutesServings:10 servings

Description

Grandma Yearwood’s Coconut Cake is rich, moist, and full of coconut flavor, made with vanilla wafer crumbs and topped with a sweet lemon-coconut glaze. This vintage cake is an old-fashioned yet decadent dessert you have to try.           

Ingredients

• 2 sticks (1 cup) butter, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar (reduce sugar by 1/3 cup if using sweetened coconut)
• 6 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 box (12 oz.) vanilla wafers, finely crushed (See Note at the beginning of the instructions
• 6 ounces unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Coconut Lemon Glaze:

• 2 cups sugar (reduce sugar by 1/3 cup if using sweetened coconut)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• Pinch of salt
• Grated zest of 2 large lemons
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 6 ounces unsweetened coconut flakes

Instructions

1. Note: If you use an 11-ounce box of vanilla wafers instead of a 12-ounce box, add 1/8 cup of flour to the crushed wafers.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
3. Brush softened butter onto a 9-inch bundt cake pan, making sure to cover every crevice. Add a light dusting of flour. Tap out excess.
4. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
5. Add eggs, one at a time, then add vanilla extract. Beat well.
6.  Add vanilla wafer, coconut flakes, and pecans. Mix until well incorporated.
7. Pour batter into the pan and bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes. 
8. Allow to cool on a cooling rack for 45 minutes before unmolding. Working your way around the cake, slide a thin-bladed knife down as far as possible between the cake and the pan to release the cake from the wall. Repeat for the inner circle of the bundt pan. Invert it onto a plate and give it a couple of good taps to unmold.  
    

For the glaze:

9. Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan on medium heat. Cook and stir until bubbly and thickened (about 15 minutes). Allow to cool slightly before glazing the cake.
10. Using skewers, poke holes all over the cake. Spoon glaze onto the cake.
11. Makes 10-12 servings.

Notes:

• Be sure to use baking spray, not regular cooking spray, to prevent sticking. I find that a generous coating of softened butter and a dusting of flour works best.
• Trisha’s recipe instructs you to remove the cake from the bundt pan after only 10 minutes of cooling. However, I find the cake can be a little delicate to unmold at this point. I have better luck waiting about 30-45 minutes before unmolding. You can try it at the 10-minute mark if you like. Wait a little longer if it looks like it needs to firm up more.
• If the cake still won’t release from the pan after the cooling period, submerge the bundt pan halfway into hot water for a minute or two, then try unmolding it. Repeat this step a couple of times if needed. The hot water helps melt the butter and allows the cake to release more easily from the pan.

Keywords:Bundt Cake, Coconut Cake, Grandma Yearwood’s Cake, Vintage Cake, Old-fashioned dessert, Southern Cake Recipe, Vanilla Wafer Crumbs

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