Turn Yellow Cake Mix And Shredded Coconut Into This Beloved Southern Dessert

Louisiana Crunch Cake is a classic southern dessert that often has a starring role at potlucks, church functions, and holiday celebrations. Made in a tube cake pan, Louisiana Crunch Cake is a rich yellow cake topped with a sweet and crunchy coconut topping. While you can get a store-bought version from Entenmann's, you don't need to go the premade route when you can easily make your own Louisiana Crunch Cake.

This accessible Louisiana Crunch Cake recipe is built on the convenience of boxed yellow cake mix. Yellow cake has a richer flavor than white cake because it uses whole eggs and butter, which give it its signature hue and deep, buttery flavor. Any store-bought yellow cake mix will do, but our taste testers prefer Pillsbury's Moist Supreme Yellow Cake mix.

The tender yellow cake gets even more flavor from a glaze made of powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla. For extra coconut flavor, you can add coconut extract to the glaze. Now for the crunch: While the glaze is still fresh, a crumble topping made of coconut flakes and crushed nuts adds the loveliest flavor and texture. 

A Louisiana Crunch Cake traditionally calls for a tube cake pan or a Bundt cake pan, but you can also make it as a sheet cake. Make the yellow cake mix according to the package's directions. To add flavor and fluffiness to your boxed cake mix, add an extra egg or egg yolk. 

Spray your tube pan with easy-release baking spray, and then carefully fill the bottom with your crunch topping. Some recipes call for a mix of shredded coconut and crushed nuts, but you can use only coconut. Or, even better, try a mixture of shredded coconut and turbinado sugar for a delicious caramelized crunch. 

After your cake bakes, set it to cool on the counter while you prepare your glaze. Combine powdered sugar and milk or heavy cream until you get your desired consistency. You can flavor it with coconut or vanilla extract, or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Once you've gently poured the glaze over your cooled cake, top it with additional coconut or lemon zest for brightness.