White Chocolate Coconut Cake

Why This Coconut Cake Is So Good

• The frosting is actually two frostings in one. I couldn’t decide between white chocolate buttercream and white chocolate cream cheese frosting, so I made both and folded in marshmallow fluff for good measure.
• Coconut milk goes into the batter itself, not just the topping, so the coconut flavor runs through every layer instead of sitting only on the outside.
• White chocolate ganache poured over the top gives it a bakery-style finish without any special decorating skills.

Key Ingredient Notes

• Coconut milk – use canned coconut milk, not the refrigerated coconut milk beverage sold in cartons. They’re different products, and canned coconut milk is what gives this cake its texture and flavor. Shake the can well before opening, since it separates.
• Sweetened coconut flakes – sweetened flakes are moister than unsweetened, which makes a real difference in how tender the cake turns out.
• Cream cheese – use full-fat, original cream cheese, softened to room temperature, for the smoothest frosting.
• Baking white chocolate bar – use a real white chocolate baking bar, not white chocolate chips, since chips have stabilizers that can keep them from melting as smoothly for the ganache.

How to Make White Chocolate Coconut Cake

1. Prep the pans – Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Using three matching pans makes it much easier to divide the batter evenly.
2. Cream the butter and sugar – Beat the butter on high for about a minute, then add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs – Add the eggs one at a time, beating on medium-high after each addition, then mix in the vanilla.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients – Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. On low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and the coconut milk and whole milk in batches, mixing just until combined after each addition. Scrape the bowl and mix until everything is just incorporated, then fold in the coconut flakes by hand.
5. Bake – Divide the batter evenly between the pans and gently tap them on the counter to release air pockets. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Let the cakes rest for 10 minutes, then run a butter knife around the edges before removing them from the pans. Cool completely on a rack before frosting, or the frosting will melt.
6. Make the frosting – Beat the butter for a couple of minutes, then add the cream cheese and beat for 2-3 more minutes. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave in short bursts at half power, then let it cool slightly. Lower the mixer speed, add the powdered sugar, then raise the speed again and mix in the melted white chocolate and marshmallow fluff. Scrape the bowl and beat for a couple more minutes.
7. Frost the layers – Spread a third of the frosting on the bottom cake layer, top with the second layer, spread another third of the frosting, then top with the third layer and spread the remaining frosting over the top.
8. Make the ganache – Chop the white chocolate and place it in a bowl. Bring the heavy cream to a simmer, being careful not to let it boil over, then pour it over the chocolate and whisk until smooth.
9. Finish the cake – Pour the ganache over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Sprinkle coconut flakes over the top. Refrigerate for about 2 hours before serving so the layers have time to settle.

More Cake Recipes From Me

• Blueberry and Cream Cake
• Raffaello Cake
• Ultimate Coconut Cheesecake
• Pina Colada Cheesecake
• Pina Colada Tres Leches Cake
• Coconut Cheesecake

White Chocolate Coconut Cake Recipe

This is a cake of your dreams! If you dream of coconut and white chocolate, of course. Soft, moist layered coconut cake made with coconut milk and coconut flakes. It's filled with fluffy white chocolate frosting and topped with white chocolate ganache and more coconut flakes. I dreamed this one up half asleep on the couch one morning and couldn't relax until I got up and made it.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 4 hours hours

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 4 hours hours 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 10

Calories: 1000kcal

Author: Lyuba Brooke

Ingredients

Cake:

• ▢ ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup white granulated sugar
• ▢ 3 eggs room temperature
• ▢ 2½ cups all purpose flour
• ▢ 2½ tsp baking powder
• ▢ ½ tsp salt
• ▢ 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 3/4 cup whole milk
• ▢ 1/2 cup coconut milk can
• ▢ 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes

Frosting:

• ▢ 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
• ▢ 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
• ▢ 7 oz jar marshmallow fluff
• ▢ 1 cup powdered sugar
• ▢ 4 oz baking white chocolate bar

Frosting:

• ▢ 4 oz baking white chocolate bar
• ▢ ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
• ▢ 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes for topping

Instructions

Cake:

• Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease and lightly flour 3, 8-inch round baking pans. (To flour the pans: grease with cooking spray then add some flour. Pat baking pan so that it's lightly covered in flour all over the inside, then turn the pan upside down and lightly pat to discard loose flour. **I do recommend using 3 of the same cake pans at a time because it will be much easier to divide all the batter equally among the pans.)
• Have all your ingredients ready.
• Beat butter in the electric mixer on high, for about a minute. Add sugar and beat for another minute or two, until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating on medium-high speed after each addition. Add vanilla extract.
• Sift flour, baking powder and salt together.
• Lower the speed to low and add a third the flour mixture, mix until just combined.
• Add coconut milk, mix just until incorporated.
• Add another third of the flour mixture, mix just until incorporated.
• Add half the whole milk, mix just until incorporated.
• Add remaining flour and after it's just incorporated, add remaining milk.
• Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and mix until all ingredients are just combined.
• Stir in coconut flakes.
• Separate the batter between the 3 baking pans, evenly. Pat filled baking pans gently on the counter to get rid of any formed air pockets. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Take out and let the cakes rest of the counter for 10 minutes.
• Carefully run a butter knife between sides of the cake pan and the cake. Let the cakes cool for about 10 minutes and then take them out of the pans. Let them cool completely on a rack before adding frosting or it will melt.

Frosting:

• In a bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter for a couple of minutes on medium-high speed. Add cream cheese and continue to beat it for 2-3 more minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt baking chocolate in a microwave (30-45 at a time, on half the power). Stir and let cool just a little bit.
• Lower the speed and add powder sugar, mix until incorporated and raise the speed again.
• Add melted white chocolate and marshmallow fluff to the mixing bowl, and mix. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl. Beat for a couple extra minutes. (You may want to place the frosting into the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.)

Frosting Cake:

• Once the cake layers are cooled completely…
• Spread a third of the frosting on the bottom layer of the cake. Top off with another cake layer.
• Spread another third of frosting on the bottom of the second cake layer. Top off with the third cake layer.
• Spread remaining frosting on top of the third cake layer.

White Chocolate Ganache:

• Chop white baking chocolate and place it into a small bowl.
• Bring heavy cream to simmer, be careful not to let it actually boil or it will raise.
• Pour ¼ cup of boiling cream over the chopped white chocolate and stir with a whisk until melted and smooth. (If you notice your chocolate is not melting as well, pop it into the microwave for 15 seconds on half the power. Whisk until smooth.)
• Pour white chocolate ganache over the cake and let it drip down the sides.
• Sprinkle coconut flakes over the top of the cake.
• I recommend putting the cake in the fridge for about 2 hours to settle. (To secure the layers, you can stick a long wooden skewer in the center of the cake.

Nutrition

Calories: 1000kcal | Carbohydrates: 96g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 67g | Saturated Fat: 43g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 196mg | Sodium: 281mg | Potassium: 366mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 64g | Vitamin A: 1776IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 165mg | Iron: 2mg

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