Coconut Cheesecake
Ultra creamy Coconut Cheesecake baked on a coconut and graham cracker crust. The cake is topped with a mound of whipped cream and a shower of sweetened shredded coconut.
Table of contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
After 30 years as a pastry chef, I can tell you that no one seems to be neutral about coconut, they either love it or hate it.
Me? I’m definitely in the love-it camp. Savory or sweet, I love the taste and texture of coconut. So, how to make a cheesecake with the most coconutty flavor?
I could just throw a bunch of shredded coconut into the batter. But, I nixed that idea without even testing it. The shreds would mar the perfectly smooth and creamy cheesecake and wouldn’t add flavor to the batter itself.
I tested the recipe using canned coconut milk but the batter was too thin when I added enough milk to get a good coconut flavor.
The solution? Coconut cream! It’s thicker than coconut milk so we get more coconut flavor without adding too much liquid. The high fat content of coconut cream makes the cake super rich and creamy. A little hit of rum enhances the coconut flavor.
After several rounds of recipe testing and tweaking I created one of the richest and creamiest cheesecakes I’ve ever made.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Cream Cheese – This recipe was developed using full-fat cream cheese. I don’t recommend using low fat, non-dairy or whipped cream cheese.
- Canned Coconut Cream – Coconut cream is thicker than coconut milk. Coconut cream will add more coconut flavor with less moisture for a creamier cheesecake.
- Eggs – Because a cheesecake is basically a custard, the eggs provide thickening for the cheesecake.
- Rum – A little rum enhances the coconut flavor. You can leave it out if you don’t want to use alcohol.
- Shredded Coconut – Sweetened Coconut flakes reinforce the coconut flavor and add a nice textural contrast.
How to make Coconut Cheesecake
See the recipe card for detailed measurements and instructions.
- Pour the graham cracker/coconut crumbs into the prepared cake pan.
- Tamp the crumbs to an even layer.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes.
- Set the baked crust aside to cool while you prepare the cheesecake batter.
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl until smooth.
- Add the thick cream from the top of the canned coconut cream to the cheese mixture. Mix to combine.
- Pour the coconut liquid from the bottom of the can into the batter.
- Add the eggs and mix to combine.
- Pour the cheesecake batter over the pre-baked crust.
- Place the cake pan into a larger pan and pour water to come 1/2 way up the sides of the cake pan.
- Slide the pan into the oven. Bake until the entire cake shimmies as a mass without a liquid spot in the center.
- Chill the cake for at least 6 hours before removing it from the pan.
- If you use a springform pan, run a knife around the sides and release the pan. If you use a regular cake pan warm the bottom of the pan with a torch or in a bowl of hot water.
- Run a knife around the sides of the pan and flip the cold cheesecake out of the pan.
- Spread whipped cream over the top of the cake.
- Sprinkle generously with shredded sweetened coconut.
Recipe Tips
- To avoid lumps of cream cheese in the batter, make sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature before mixing. Thoroughly scrape the bowl after mixing the cheese and sugar, and after each addition of coconut cream and eggs to the batter.
- When you open the can of coconut cream you’ll find a very thick layer of cream on top and a layer of syrup at the bottom. Add the thick cream to the batter first then add the liquid. This will prevent lumps of coconut cream from forming.
- This cake takes quite a long time to bake, possibly more than 1 1/2 hours. You’ll know the cake is done when you shimmy the pan and the entire cake shifts as a mass. If you see a liquidy spot in the middle the cake is not ready.
- Chill the cake completely in the refrigerator before unmolding.
Storage
- The cheesecake will keep in the refrigerator for a week or can be frozen for up to a month. Before freezing, double wrap the cake in plastic wrap to avoid picking up freezer odors.
- Individual slices of left-over cake can be wrapped and frozen for up to a month.
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Coconut Cheesecake Recipe
Ultra creamy coconut cheesecake baked on a coconut and graham cracker crust and topped with whipped cream and shredded coconut.
servings
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Ingredients
Coconut Graham Cracker Crust
- 2 oz sweetened coconut flakes (½ cup, packed)
- 1 oz granulated sugar (2 tablespoons)
- 5 oz graham cracker crumbs (1 cup)
- 2 oz butter (melted)
Cheesecake
- 24 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
- 12 oz granulated sugar (1 ½ cups)
- ⅛ teaspoon table salt
- 12 oz canned coconut cream
- 1 oz rum (2 tablespoons, optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 large eggs
Assembly
- 8 oz heavy cream (1 cup)
- 1 oz confectioner sugar (¼ cup)
- 1 tablespoon rum (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sweetened coconut flakes (for finishing)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line the bottom of an 9"x3" cake pan or springform pan with a parchment paper round. (see note) If you're using a spring form pan wrap the outside of the pan with a piece of aluminum foil to cover the bottom and sides.
To make the Crust
- Combine 2 oz sweetened coconut flakes and 1 oz granulated sugar in food processor. Pulse to grind the coconut to a chunky powder. Add 5 oz graham cracker crumbs and pulse a few times to combine. Add 2 oz butter (melted) and pulse a few times to combine. Dump the crumbs into the cake pan and press to an even layer. Bake the crust for 10 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 °F.
Make the cheesecake batter
- Combine 24 oz cream cheese, 12 oz granulated sugar and ⅛ teaspoon table salt in a mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed to combine the ingredients, scraping the bowl and beaters often to avoid lumps.
- With the mixer running on low speed add 12 oz canned coconut cream, 1 oz rum and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Scrape the bowl. In a small bowl, whisk 5 large eggs and add them in two stages, scraping well after each addition. Mix just until the eggs are combined, do not over mix.
- Pour the batter into the cake pan. Set the cake pan into a larger pan. Set the pan onto the middle rack of the oven and pour water into the larger pan to come at least ½ way up the side of the cake pan.
- Bake until the cake softly jiggles as a mass when the pan is shaken, about 1½ hours. (see note)
- Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Run a thin sharp knife that has been moistened with warm water around the sides of the cake to release it from the pan (this will prevent the cake from cracking while it cools). Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
- If you used a springform pan run a knife around the sides of the cake and release the sides of the pan. If you used a regular cake pan, set the cold cake pan into a bowl of very hot water for 20-30 seconds to release the sides. Run a warm knife around the sides of the cake. Place a plate or cardboard cake circle covered with plastic wrap on top of the cake pan. Immediately flip the cake over and remove the pan and the parchment circle. (See Note) Flip the cake over onto a serving plate.
- Whip 8 oz heavy cream with 1 oz confectioner sugar, 1 tablespoon rum and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to full peak. Spread the cream in a swirling pattern over the top of the cake. Sprinkle with ½ cup sweetened coconut flakes.
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Notes
This cake takes quite a long time to bake, possibly more than 1 1/2 hours. You’ll know the cake is done when you shimmy the pan and the entire cake shifts as a mass. If you see a liquidy spot in the middle the cake is not ready.
You can use a blow torch to warm the outside of the pan instead of a bowl of hot water. See the process photos.
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @eileen.bakingsense or tag #bakingsense!
Easy directions to follow, the cake is light and creamy. Will bake this recipe again. Thank you