Easy Coconut Cherry Angel Food Cake Bars

Coconut cherry angel food cake bars are an easy and delicious treat that is perfect for any occasion. Even though they only have 3 ingredients, they’re bursting with plenty of flavor.

This fun dessert recipe is light and fluffy, and doesn’t need any kind of frosting or cream topping. This makes them great for parties because they won’t spoil if they’re left out the entire time.

Why Coconut Cherry Angel Food Bars are So Awesome

Simple. Fast. Tasty.

At some point when you’re making treats for a celebration, easy and fast become essential. That’s what’s so great about these bars.

• They only require 3 ingredients (the 4th is totally optional)
• The cherry pie filling adds festive touches of pink with bright red swirls
• Coconut flakes add bite and chewiness, which make them so satisfying

In fact, these bars are pretty enough to make for LOTS of occasions: Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, July 4th, Christmas, tea parties…the list just goes on and on.

A Few Notes to remember:

2 cake pans: Even though these end up as slightly dense bars, the meringue powder in the angel food cake puffs up a lot when it’s baking. If you try to bake it all in one pan, you could very well end up with a minor disaster.

Food Processor or Blender: I prefer using a food processor because I can better see the consistency of the filling as it’s pureed. But if you only have a blender, that will work fine too.

Step-by-Step Directions:

To make things even easier for you, I created a simple step-by-step guide below. For all measurements and a more detailed guide, check out the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

Puree the Pie Filling

Half of the filling will be pureed until smooth, the other half until the filling is slightly chunky. Reserve ¼ cup of the smooth filling.

Mix Everything Together

Combine the filling, coconut, and cake mix in a large bowl.

Pour Filling into the Prepared Pans

Be careful not to overfill your pans (there’s a reason you need two!)

Make the Swirl

Spoon small dollops of fruit puree on top of the prepared cake mix. Use a toothpick to create a swirl.

Bake Until Set

Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes. Then cool completely before cutting. If desired, dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

Important Tips:

Don’t skip these tips – read them before you start baking to avoid any potential mistakes.

Tip #1: Don’t skip the parchment paper

I made the mistake once of trying to make these bars without parchment paper. What a disaster.

The cherry pie filling and angel food cake both like to stick to the pan. Parchment paper will not only keep these bars from sticking horribly to your pan but will also make removing them a breeze.

Tip #2: Prepare for and Prevent Overflow and Spills

Angel food cake batter rises a lot in the oven as the recipe bakes, which means the batter is prone to overflow if your pan isn’t big enough.

Divide the batter between two pans, and bake them on a foil-covered sheet. You shouldn’t have any overflow if you use two pans, but it’s worth the couple minutes it takes to use a pan just in case.

Tip #3: Swirl Lightly

Drop only small amounts of pie filling on top of the batter and be careful to only swirl the pie filling into the very top layer of the bars.

The angel food cake batter is very light and the filling will fall to the bottom if it is too thick or is swirled too deep. Pie filling that falls to the bottom will cause your bars to fall apart when you cut them.

FAQs:

How Long Do Coconut Cherry Angel Food Cake Bars Last?

Angel food cake bars can last up to two weeks if stored properly. Simply place in an airtight container on your counter.

If you decide to refrigerate them, remember to take the bars out about 30 minutes before serving so they can come to room temperature.

Can You Freeze the Bars?

Yes! Cherry angel food cake bars can be frozen! Simply wrap the cut bars tightly in plastic, or place them in a gallon-size ziplock bag (removing as much air as possible) and store them in the freezer for up to three months.

To thaw, unwrap the bars and place them on a plate or baking sheet in a single layer until defrosted – usually within an hour.

If you liked these coconut cherry angel food cake bars, you’re going to love my other cake mix hacks – Cinnamon Spice Cake Mix Blondies and Lemon Cake Mix Cookies. Or you can check out all of my other desserts right here.

And if you’re making these as party favors or gifts, you’ll love these printable gift tags.

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This post was originally published on 16 December 2016. It has been updated with new photos, helpful tips and FAQs, and step by step photos.