Close-up of a Coconut Snowball Cake coated in pink shredded coconut, showcasing chocolate cake layers and creamy marshmallow frosting, garnished with a maraschino cherry, on a rustic wooden surface with scattered coconut flakes in warm golden light.

Coconut Snowball Cake: The Pink-Tinted Retro Dessert That’ll Transport You Back to Childhood

Coconut Snowball Cake: The Pink-Tinted Retro Dessert That’ll Transport You Back to Childhood

Coconut Snowball Cake is about to become your new obsession if you’ve ever torn into a package of Hostess SnoBalls and thought, “I wish I could make this at home.”

And honestly, why wouldn’t you want to?

Those pillowy pink coconut-covered cakes are pure nostalgia wrapped in marshmallow frosting.

PREP TIME: 20-30 minutes
COOK TIME: 33-70 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 2-3 hours (including cooling)
SERVINGS: 12-20 slices
DIFFICULTY LEVEL: Intermediate
DIETARY TAGS: Vegetarian

Close-up of a vintage kitchen counter featuring ingredients for Coconut Snowball Cake, including softened butter in a ceramic dish, scattered cocoa powder, cracked eggs, and an electric mixer, all illuminated by warm golden morning light on a marble surface.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

You don’t need fancy gadgets to pull this off.

Essential tools:
Simple alternatives:
  • Hand mixer works fine instead of a stand mixer
  • Regular knife if you don’t have a serrated one
  • Fork for mixing colored coconut if you’re going rustic

INGREDIENTS

CAKE BASE:
  • 1.5 cups (180g) all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup (50g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 0.5 cup (113g) softened unsalted butter
  • 1.5 cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt
  • 0.5 cup (120ml) hot brewed coffee (intensifies chocolate flavor)
  • 0.5 cup (120ml) whole milk
MARSHMALLOW FROSTING:
  • 7-ounce (198g) jar marshmallow fluff
  • 0.5 cup (113g) softened unsalted butter
  • 2-3 cups (240-360g) powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
PINK COCONUT COATING:
  • 3 cups (270g) shredded sweetened coconut
  • 2-4 drops pink food coloring (gel works better than liquid)
  • Maraschino cherries for garnish (optional)

Common substitutions:

  • Boxed chocolate cake mix if you’re short on time
  • Sour cream for extra moisture
  • Gel food coloring for more vibrant pink

METHOD

Getting Started
  1. Heat your oven to 350°F. Grease that 13×9 baking dish like your cake’s life depends on it. Because it does.
  2. Whisk together your dry crew. Flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder go into one bowl. Set aside.
  3. Mix coffee and milk. Combine hot brewed coffee with whole milk in a measuring cup. The coffee isn’t there to make you jittery—it amplifies the chocolate flavor without making it taste like a latte.
  4. Cream butter and sugar for a full 5 minutes. This is non-negotiable. Your arm might get tired if you’re using a hand mixer, but push through. You want light, fluffy, almost cloud-like texture. Scrape down the sides halfway through.
  5. Add eggs one at a time. Beat after each addition. This builds structure and keeps everything emulsified.
  6. Alternate dry and wet ingredients. Start with dry ingredients, then coffee mixture, then dry again. Do this about 3 times total, beginning and ending with dry. Don’t overmix—you want tender cake, not rubber.
  7. Pour and bake for 33-38 minutes. The toothpick test is your friend here. Insert it in the center—if it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, you’re golden.
  8. Cool completely. Seriously, wait. I know you’re excited, but frosting a warm cake is a recipe for disaster. Let it cool in the pan first, then transfer to a wire rack.

Hands in culinary gloves massaging shredded coconut with pink gel food coloring in a stainless steel bowl, surrounded by maraschino cherries and dramatic side lighting enhancing the texture and color contrast.

Making That Iconic Pink Coating
  1. Beat marshmallow fluff with butter. Use your mixer and let them get to know each other for 3-4 minutes. The mixture should look creamy and combined.
  2. Add vanilla and powdered sugar. Start with 2 cups of powdered sugar, then add more if needed. Beat for another 3-4 minutes until smooth. If it’s too thick, add a splash of milk. Too thin? More powdered sugar.
  3. Spread frosting generously. Use an offset spatula and don’t be shy. Cover every inch of that cooled cake.
  4. Color your coconut. Put shredded coconut in a bowl. Add 2-4 drops of pink food coloring. Mix with a wooden spoon or—here’s where it gets fun—put on gloves and massage it with your hands until the color distributes evenly. The gel coloring gives you that vibrant Hostess pink without making the coconut soggy.
  5. Shower the cake with pink coconut. Work quickly while the frosting is still tacky. Press gently so it sticks.
  6. Slice and serve. Cut into squares or, if you made a dome, slice like you’re cutting a small pink planet.

CRUCIAL TIPS

For perfect texture:

  • Room temperature butter is essential—not melted, not cold, but soft enough to leave an indent when you press it
  • Beat butter and sugar for the full 5 minutes—this is what makes your cake light instead of dense
  • Mix only until ingredients are just combined after adding flour

For that picture-perfect pink:

  • Gel food coloring beats liquid every time—more vibrant, less moisture
  • Start with 2 drops, add more gradually until you hit that nostalgic pink
  • Mix coconut thoroughly or you’ll get pink streaks and white patches

Common disasters to avoid:

  • Frosting a warm cake (it’ll slide right off)
  • Skimping on the coconut (you want full coverage, not bald patches)
  • Overmixing the batter (creates tough, dense cake

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