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White Chocolate Coconut Cake

White Chocolate Coconut Cake

This White Chocolate Coconut Cake combines moist coconut layers with rich white chocolate frosting for a decadent dessert. Perfect for any occasion, it delivers a delightful blend of tropical flavors and sweetness!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

FOR THE CAKE

  • 4 ounces 113.5g white baking chocolate (I used Ghirardelli Premium Baking Bar and Bakers Premium Baking Bar to test the recipe)
  • 1 ⅓ cup 303g canned Coconut Milk (not coconut cream)
  • 2 ½ cups 285g cake flour * if you do not have cake flour see Note below for substitution
  • 2 ½ teaspoons 10g baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon 3g salt
  • 1 ½ sticks 170g unsalted butter, slightly softened (do not soften in the microwave)
  • 1 ½ cups 300g sugar
  • 2 large eggs room temperature ( if in a hurry you can warm the eggs in a bowl of hot (not boiling) water for 5 minutes)
  • 1 teaspoon 4g vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon 4g coconut extract

FOR THE WHITE CHOCOLATE COCONUT CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

  • 1 stick 113 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 package 8oz ((226g) full fat cream cheese - it must be full fat, reduced fat or cream cheese in a tub will be too soft for the recipe.
  • 2 4oz (113.5g) white chocolate baking bars - I used Ghirardelli
  • 3 Tablespoons 12g milk — for melting the white chocolate
  • 1 teaspoon 4g coconut extract
  • 6 cups 690g powdered sugar (sift then measure)
  • **One 14oz package 396g Sweetened Shredded Coconut (to press into the frosted cake)

Instructions
 

FOR THE CAKE

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F
  • Grease and flour your pans & also add circles of parchment to the bottom of your pans. We used three 8 inch cake pans. You could also use two 8 inch round pans. *The baked layers using 3 pans are a little thinner than our usual--about 1 inch thickness...but we wanted the extra layer of filling that three layers gives us!
  • Heat the coconut milk in the microwave or on the stove top, do not let it boil. Add the white chocolate that has been cut into very small pieces, the smaller the pieces the easier it will melt. Let it sit for a couple of minutes to soften, then stir until melted and smooth. Allow to cool down before using.
  • Combine the flour, baking powder and salt, whisk for 30 seconds to blend and set aside.
  • In the bowl of your mixer, mix the butter until smooth. Slowly add the sugar and mix on medium speed 4 to 5 minutes, until the mixture lightens in color and becomes fluffy
  • Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each until the yellow is blended in.
  • Add the vanilla and coconut extracts.
  • Alternately add the flour mixture and the milk/chocolate mixture, beginning and ending with the flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk mixture).
  • Mix until just combined, do not over mix and do not mix above medium speed.
  • Pour batter into prepared pans- if baking in three 8 inch pans, bake at 325 for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. If using two 8 inch pans, bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pans on a cooling rack and flip out.

FOR THE WHITE CHOCOLATE COCONUT CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

  • First, cut/chop the white chocolate into very small pieces. This will ensure easy melting. Put into a microwave safe bowl and add 3 Tablespoons milk. Microwave for 15 seconds— let sit for a minute or two, stir and microwave again for 10 seconds, letting it sit again to soften further. Stir. Be careful not to overheat the white chocolate. The chocolate will continue to melt as it is stirred so stir for several minutes until it is completely melted. Let it cool to before using. Do not refrigerate to cool because it would firm up quickly.
  • In the bowl of your mixer add the softened butter and cream cheese. Mix on medium speed until smooth. Add the white chocolate mixing until combined. Add the coconut extract. Gradually add powdered sugar mixing on low sped until combined and smooth.
  • The frosting may be too soft at the point so chill in the refrigerator a short while until it is the consistency you like for spreading.

ASSEMBLING THE CAKE

  • Place first cake layer on the pedestal. Spread with a layer of white chocolate coconut cream cheese frosting. Repeat for the next layer and top with final layer. Frost the cake and press shredded coconut into the frosting, covering the entire cake. Enjoy!

Notes

NO CAKE FLOUR? HERE'S A SUBSTITUTION

  • If you do not have cake flour, you can use all purpose flour and the following substitution: for each cup of flour in the recipe, remove 2 Tablespoons and replace with 2 Tablespoons cornstarch. For this recipe measure out 2 ½ cups all purpose flour, remove 5 Tablespoons and replace with 5 Tablespoons cornstarch. Whisk to blend.
  • Makes 6 cups of batter
  • Works well for cupcakes - Bake standard size cupcakes at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes.