This Christmas Coconut Cake is quick, easy and the perfect festive dessert recipe for the holidays!
Today I have the pleasure of sharing this Christmas Coconut Cake with you. I am so excited about this one because I'm a huge fan of coconut.
Honestly, any excuse I get to bake with coconut. It's one of my favourite baking ingredients. especially at Christmas time. Coconut makes your cakes and cupcakes look like a winter wonderland.
This quick no bake coconut cake is one of the easiest dessert recipes you will ever make. My Mom used to make this when I was a kid. I'm old, so that's going back quite a long time.
You can also make these in mason jars for a No Bake Cake in Jars, or you make a stackable version like my Coconut Cream Cookie Stacks.
Some folks refer to this as a zebra cake and some people call it an icebox cake. Whatever you call it, I highly recommend making a double batch because it's going go disappear quickly!
Ingredient Notes:
- Chocolate Wafer Cookies - Rumour has it both Mr Christie and Nabisco have both stopped making their famous chocolate wafer cookies. Use whatever kind of chocolate wafer cookie you can find. Oreo cookies work really well too.
- Whipped Cream - I used Cool Whip for my cake but use any kind of prepared whipped cream you have on hand. Or make your own whipped cream from scratch. Personally, I would not use the whipped cream in a can for this recipe. It tends to not hold up quite as well as other kinds.
- Shredded Coconut - For this particular recipe, sweetened shredded coconut is best. The sweetness will work well with the cake. You can toast the coconut if you like. That's a personal choice.
How to Make Christmas Coconut Cake:
- Grab a plate or platter to use for the base. Add a dollop of whipped cream to the plate and smooth it out into a line down the plate. This will give you a good base for the cake to stick as assemble it.
- Take two wafers and coat the back of one with cool whip, sprinkle some coconut on it and then place it on the plate so the cookies edges are facing up.
- Coat the next cookie with cool whip, sprinkle with coconut and stick it to the cookies that are already on the plate.
- Repeat this process until all the cookies are assembled in a log cake formation. (yes, you can assemble the cake in other shapes)
- Spread the remaining whipped cream over the cake and use an offset spatula to smooth out.
- Sprinkle the remaining coconut over top of the cake.
- Place the cake in the refrigerator overnight. This will allow the cookies to soften into a cake like texture.
- Remove the cake from the fridge.
- Slice and serve.
Substitutions for Mr Christie and Nabisco Chocolate Wafer Cookies:
- Oreo Cookies - They actually work quite well for this type of cake.
- Ice Cream Sandwich Wafers - I believe Oreo makes these and they are quite large. They would work well for this cake.
- Oreo Thin Cookies - These are pretty similar to a chocolate wafer cookie.
- Chocolate Graham Crackers - If you can find them, they make an excellent substitution for chocolate wafer cookies.
- Animal Cookies - These will give a different flavour but they're so much fun.
- Biscoff Cookies - Again, they will taste different than a chocolate version but that's okay.
- Chocolate Wafers from America's Test Kitchen
- Homemade Chocolate Wafers by Smitten Kitchen
More Holiday Treats:
- Chocolate Chip and Pistachio Cookies
- Mendiant
- Peppermint Hot Chocolate and Peppermint Wands
- S’mores Cookies
- Microwave Pistachio Brittle
- White Chocolate Oreo Cookie Balls
- Easy Chocolate Peppermint Fudge
- Coconut Filled Sandwich Cookies
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Christmas Coconut Cake
Ingredients
- 9 ounces chocolate wafer cookies
- 2 cups prepared whipped cream (personally, I love cool whip)
- 7 ounces sweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
- Get out a plate or platter. Swipe a layer of cool whip in a line down the middle of the plate.
- Take two wafers and coat the back of one with cool whip, then drop some coconut on it, then place it on the plate so the cookies are standing up.
- Coat the next cookie with cool whip, then coconut and stick it to the cookies on the plate.
- Continue till all the cookies are in a log type cake formation.
- Now spread the rest of the cool whip over the cake.
- Coat generously with coconut.
- Stick in the fridge and let set up overnight.
- The magic of this is the cookies turn into a soft cake. You will not believe it the next day. It's one of the best cakes you can make, yet it's so easy and quick. You will be hooked on it immediately.
- Remove from fridge.
- Serve with a big old Christmas Coconut Cake smile! Then give Martha the finger!
Nutrition
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Toodles! xx
Jen @ Juanita's Cocina
Tsk, tsk, Martha!
But this looks FABULOUS!
Kim Bee
Right, she's evil I say, evil.
Omg it's so ugly but so good. Lol.
Baker Street
All I need is a fork! What a delicious looking cake, Kim! LOVE it! 🙂
Kim Bee
Thanks so much An. I have had two pieces already. Not boding well for my weigh in at the doctor's office tomorrow. Yikes.
Emily @ Life on Food
Come to mama! This cake looks divine.
Kim Bee
I cannot stop laughing Emily. You crack me up.
Cathy W
She does have a damn good pancake recipe, however. 😉 I would eat your version of coconut cake any day! On another note, I wouldn't try the high heels on level ground and in a padded room with handrails much less on a plane....
Kim Bee
Oh all I can think about now is pancakes. Lol. I used her marshmallow recipe the other day and it rocked. But the cake recipe flopped. Too much air I think, one of those meringue style things. Such a bummer. This version is the bomb though, just ask my button on my pants, it bombed right off after piece #2.
I like to dress up occasionally but man my balance is not good. I go down like a lead balloon often. They have these cool boots at Walmart called Earth Shoes, I love the pair I bought. I have their sandals but they make wicked comfy gorgeous boots too.
Heather @girlichef
bwah! I almost shot coffee through my nose on that last step in the cake-making process. ha ha ha... This definitely does look dreamy. And really, I cannot believe how ridiculously easy it is! Yum.
Kim Bee
Lol now that I'd like to see. This is one of my go to cakes in a pinch. So glad I picked up some wafers yesterday just in case.This cake was a good save. I'm still mad at Martha though.
Kristen
I'll take the no bake-three ingredient-easy as pie cake over an intense baking session any day of the week. Way to punt! (sorry, you don't like football, but had to use the reference)
Kim Bee
I know right. How did I not think of it earlier. I could have saved the lives of 2 dozen eggs. Well, not really but you know what I mean. I am a good punting. I'm also a good tackler, that's a word right.
Liz
You had to make TWO cakes??? So sorry. But this one looks worth the trouble...I adore coconut, too, and it is the perfect ingredient for the holidays. Do I spy a gray background? Your photos look so sharp and wonderful!
Kim Bee
I know, how freaking messed up is that. I rarely have recipes flop so I was mad as heck. Hate wasting ingredients. Luckily I had this recipe at the ready when the other one tanked.
Nope that's my kitchen, sort of a sage green kind of colour. The room is done though and once I get up enough energy to wash the floor we're moving the desk in there. Hubs came back from work tonight to help with my broken down suv and then to help move furni. There will be picture taking in there tomorrow. So excited.
Kayle (The Cooking Actress)
This cake looks so delicious!! And I love how the coconut makes it look like it's covered in snow 😀
Kim Bee
Thanks Kayle. I love that too. I have no idea why but I love coconut around the holidays. I think it's the snow effect. Just so pretty.
Ramona
Loving this no bake dessert!! Happy Day #3!!
Kim Bee
Happy Day # 3 Ramona. Thanks so much. I have to say no bake is rather awesome.
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie
Wow what a simple fun cake
Kim Bee
Thanks so much. I like easy. It makes more time for things like watching Supernatural or the Kardashians.
Kim@Treats & Trinkets
I love this cakes. With a passion. And I love that it looks all snow covered and awesome.
Kim Bee
Thanks so much Kim. I had so much fun making this.
Ashley Bee (Quarter Life Crisis Cuisine)
Eeee! I want this! Looks so easy and light and fluffy and delicious 🙂
Jenni
We call that thing a Zebra Cake. I love that thing so much. I learned to make it from a Judy Blume book back when I was wee. Maybe Deenie? I don't remember.
I have never used coconut. Note to self: use coconut the next time.
I often give Martha the finger, but thanks for directing me to do so! 😉
Kim Bee
Your comment has me in absolute stitches. I cannot stop laughing.
My mom used to do the non-coconut version all the time. It was my fave of all time. It's now mini-me's fave of all time. Without coconut though. She's not a fan. I'm convinced she's adopted.
kitchenriffs
Coconut? Say no more. I'm heading over to your place. Don't worry, I'll bring my own fork and plate. Just don't lock the doors this time, OK? 😉 Good stuff - thanks.
Kim Bee
There's a seat waiting for you my friend. I'll leave the door open and the fire going to warm you up. It's freaking freezing in Canada.
Kalyn
Pinned! My dad would have loved this; he was crazy about coconut.
Kim Bee
Thanks so much Kalyn. My mom used to just love this kind of cake. I have such fond memories of it.
Choc Chip Uru
You'd looks awesome my friend, reminds me of a huge snowball 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Kim Bee
Thanks so much. And lol, it surely does.
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
What a great cake for Christmas - love the coconut!
Thanks so much for including me this week!
Kim Bee
Thanks so much Erin. So happy to have you join us. I am totally digging your dishes, as always.
Lyn @LovelyPantry
This cake really LOOKS like Christmas. I can't believe Martha did that to you! LOL! I got a good laugh, Kim!
Kim Bee
Thanks. I know right, the woman is pure evil. Or talented and rich. Whatevs.
mjskit
You and Jen sure got something started here! I'm finding lots of great delicious and fun ideas for the holidays and beyond!
suzanne Perazzini
Oh dear, not so good, Martha! You had a great save though and this looks amazing with its flakey white snow coating. I can't wait to see the inside of it.