Louisiana Crunch Cake Recipe

Homemade Louisiana crunch cake topped with creamy vanilla glaze and toasted coconut

This easy Louisiana crunch cake recipe starts with a yellow cake mix and gets upgraded with butter, buttermilk, vanilla, and coconut for a rich, tender crumb. A sweet, crunchy coconut crust and thick vanilla glaze finish it off with plenty of old-fashioned Southern bakery flavor.

Course Dessert - Cake

Cuisine American - Southern

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Cooling Time 10

Total Time 1 5

Servings

Calories 349kcal

Author Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

Cake

4 large eggs
½ cup butter melted
1-½ teaspoons vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
15.25 ounces yellow cake mix
2 tablespoons Angel Flake coconut or favorite sweetened coconut

Crunch coating

¼ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons Angel Flake coconut lightly toasted

Glaze

1½ cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream divided, you may need a little more or less.

Instructions

Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Generously butter a 10 to 12-cup tube pan, making sure to get into every nook and cranny.
In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and coconut for the crunch coating.
Sprinkle the mixture into the buttered pan, tilting and tapping until the bottom and sides are evenly coated. Shake out any excess.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted butter, and buttermilk until smooth.
Add the cake mix and coconut.
Mix just until combined. Don’t overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. An instant read thermometer will show 205℉.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes only.
Carefully run a thin knife around the edges if needed, then invert onto a cake stand or serving plate.

Glaze

While the cake cools, make the glaze.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons heavy cream until smooth.
Add the remaining tablespoon of cream if needed to reach a thick but pourable consistency.
Spoon or drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake, letting it run down the sides.
Garnish with more toasted coconut if desired.

To Toast the Coconut

Spread the coconut in a dry cast iron skillet over medium-low heat or on a baking sheet in a 325°F oven.
Stir frequently, watch carefully, and toast just until lightly golden, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Let cool.

Notes

Storage:

Keep Louisiana crunch cake covered tightly at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze individual slices for up to 3 months. If you're making the whole cake ahead to freeze, I'd freeze it without the glaze, then glaze it after thawing so it looks freshly made rather than recently exhumed.

Tips:

Start with room-temperature ingredients. Eggs and buttermilk blend into the batter more evenly when they aren't refrigerator-cold.
Butter the pan generously before adding the sugar and coconut.
Be sure not to let the cake cool in the pan for more than 10-15 minutes.

Nutrition