White Chocolate Coconut Cake Recipe with Coconut Frosting

Today we’re sharing a perfectly moist White Chocolate Coconut Cake that has quickly become a favorite. We’ve baked many coconut cakes over the years, but pairing coconut with white chocolate brought the flavors to a new, delicious level.

This light, tender cake is ideal for spring gatherings and celebrations. The batter blends coconut and white chocolate—white chocolate’s flavor is subtle but unmistakable, adding a delicate sweetness and a soft crumb. The filling and frosting are a luscious White Chocolate Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting that balances richness and bright coconut notes beautifully.

How to Make White Chocolate Coconut Cake

This recipe uses the conventional mixing method to produce a light, moist layer cake. Below is a clear, step-by-step overview; the full printable ingredient list and instructions appear further down.

• Preheat the oven to 325°F. Prepare three 8-inch pans by greasing, flouring, and lining the bottoms with parchment. The three layers are slightly thinner (about 1 inch each), giving you an extra layer of filling. If preferred, you can bake two 8-inch layers instead.
• Warm canned coconut milk gently on the stove or in the microwave—do not boil. Add finely chopped white baking chocolate, let it sit a couple of minutes, then stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature before using.
• Whisk together the dry ingredients to aerate and blend, then set aside.
• Cream softened unsalted butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4–5 minutes.
• Add eggs one at a time, mixing until each yolk is incorporated. Stir in vanilla and coconut extracts.
• Alternate additions of the flour mixture and the coconut milk–white chocolate mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix on medium speed only until just combined—avoid overmixing.
• Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake at 325°F for 22–25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs. Let layers cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert to cool completely.

Can White Chocolate Chips be Used Instead?

For best texture we recommend white baking chocolate bars rather than chips. We tested both and found that chips can yield a slightly denser, less tender crumb. That said, results can vary by brand, so if only chips are available, they will still work—expect a modest difference in texture.

White Chocolate Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

The frosting combines melted white chocolate with cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and coconut extract for a rich, tangy, coconut-forward finish. It spreads smoothly and can be chilled briefly if it becomes too soft.

1. Melt chopped white chocolate with a little milk until smooth, then cool to room temperature.
2. Beat softened butter and full-fat cream cheese until smooth, add the cooled white chocolate and coconut extract, then gradually blend in sifted powdered sugar until silky.
3. If the frosting is too soft to spread, chill briefly in the refrigerator until it firms to a good spreading consistency.

Assembling the White Chocolate Coconut Cake

Assembling is straightforward: place the first layer on a serving plate or cake stand, spread a generous layer of frosting, add the second layer and repeat. Frost the outside with an even coat, then press sweetened shredded coconut into the sides and top for a classic, textured finish. Coconut adds both flavor and attractive visual appeal, and it helps hide any minor imperfections in your frosting.

This cake looks lovely with a fluffy layer of shredded coconut and tastes even better. If you try the recipe, feel free to share a photo or a note about how it turned out.

More Coconut Cake

If you enjoy coconut cakes, consider trying other favorites such as Italian Cream Cake, Lemon Coconut Cake, Piña Colada Cake, and Pineapple Coconut Cake for a variety of coconut-forward flavors and textures.

White Chocolate Cakes

If white chocolate is a favorite, these cakes are delicious choices for holidays and special occasions—especially White Chocolate Cranberry Cake and White Chocolate Peppermint Cake for winter celebrations.

White Chocolate Coconut Cake

This homemade White Chocolate Coconut Cake is moist, flavorful, and perfect for celebrations. White chocolate and coconut make a delightful pairing.

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 4 ounces (113.5 g) white baking chocolate (baking bars recommended)
• 1 1/3 cups (303 g) canned coconut milk (not coconut cream)
• 2 1/2 cups (285 g) cake flour (see notes for substitution)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons (10 g) baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) salt
• 1 1/2 sticks (170 g) unsalted butter, slightly softened
• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon (4 g) vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon (4 g) coconut extract

For the White Chocolate Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 stick (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 (8 oz / 226 g) package full-fat cream cheese, softened
• 2 (4 oz / 113.5 g) white chocolate baking bars, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons (12 g) milk (for melting the white chocolate)
• 1 teaspoon (4 g) coconut extract
• 6 cups (690 g) powdered sugar, sifted
• One 14 oz (396 g) package sweetened shredded coconut, to press into the frosted cake

Instructions

For the Cake

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour three 8-inch pans and line the bottoms with parchment. (Alternatively use two 8-inch pans; baking time will differ.)
2. Warm the coconut milk and stir in the finely chopped white chocolate. Let sit, then whisk until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
4. Cream the butter, then slowly add sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4–5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each. Add vanilla and coconut extracts.
5. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk–white chocolate mixture, starting and ending with flour. Mix only until just combined.
6. Divide batter among pans and bake at 325°F for 22–25 minutes (three pans). If using two pans, bake at 350°F for 30–35 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Frosting

1. Chop white chocolate finely and melt with 3 tablespoons of milk in short bursts in the microwave, stirring between intervals until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
2. Beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the cooled melted white chocolate and coconut extract. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar on low speed until smooth and combined.
3. If frosting is too soft, chill briefly until spreadable.

Assembling the Cake

Layer and frost the cooled cake, pressing shredded coconut into the sides and top to cover. Serve and enjoy.

Notes

No Cake Flour? Substitution

• To make a cake-flour substitute, for each cup of all-purpose flour remove 2 tablespoons and replace with 2 tablespoons cornstarch. For this recipe, measure 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, remove 5 tablespoons, and add 5 tablespoons cornstarch; whisk to blend.
• Recipe yields approximately 6 cups of batter and works well for standard cupcakes (bake at 350°F for 18–20 minutes).

Thanks for stopping by! If you enjoy cake decorating, explore free tutorials and other cake and frosting recipes to broaden your skills and try new flavor combinations.