Coconut lovers go crazy over this stunning white chocolate coconut pound cake! Baked in a bundt pan, this cake is covered in sweet white chocolate frosting, shredded coconut, and flaked coconut. Dense yet light and fluffy, with plenty of coconut flavor!
Coconut Pound Cake Recipe
Like many pregnant women, during my last trimester, I went a little crazy nesting. I was cleaning closets, organizing hallways, and rearranging our kitchen cabinets day and night. One of the things I noticed when organizing the kitchen was that we had an INSANE amount of coconut!!! Like, so much! And not just one variety: There was sweetened coconut, shredded coconut, flaked coconut, coconut oil, and coconut milk galore!
Combine our overabundance of coconut products with my insatiable sweet tooth… and it’s probably no surprise a coconut cake recipe was born! And not just any coconut cake, but the best darn coconut bundt cake I’ve ever had! It’s perfectly golden, dense, and moist. The crumb melts in your mouth and is loaded with coconut flavor! And it’s covered in a thick robe of sweet white chocolate frosting and shredded coconut! I served this with coconut ice cream and it was INSANE!
Make the Batter
To ensure this cake has plenty of coconut flavor, you’ll use coconut extract, coconut milk, and coconut oil! This might sound like coconut overload, but I promise it’s the perfect combination for just the right coconut flavor. You’ll also use copious amounts of butter and cream cheese, which gives the cake batter a lusciously smooth texture and results in a golden crumb that’s moist, dense, and tender. Don’t skimp on these ingredients, this is not the place to try and cut back on saturated fat! If you do, your cake will be dry and you’ll definitely regret it!
In addition to the ingredients mentioned above, you’ll need eggs, vanilla, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Be sure your eggs, butter, and cream cheese are all at room temperature before you begin baking! And for best results, use a digital kitchen scale to weight your dry ingredients!
Bake the Cake
The first step is preheating your oven to 325 degrees (F). This slightly lower baking temperature allows the cake to bake longer, ensuring it stays moist but gets cooked all the way through. Next you’ll scrape your batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Be sure to VERY GENEROUSLY spray your bundt pan with nonstick baking spray!!! There’s too much batter for a loaf pan, so resist the temptation to use that instead!
Finally, bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean! This should be between 55 and 60 minutes if your oven runs at the correct temperature! But use your senses and the toothpick method just to be sure!
Once the cake has baked, you’ll want to place it on a wire rack – IN THE PAN – for exactly 10 minutes before inverting onto a separate wire rack to cool completely! It’s key to set a timer here as letting it cool too long in the pan can lead to it sticking!
Decorate your Heart Out
Slather the top of the cake (and all of the sides!) with creamy white chocolate frosting! Then decorate with TONS of coconut! You can use just one variety, or go crazy like me and use a combination of finely shredded, sweetened coconut, and coconut flakes! There’s no right or wrong here, really just a matter of preference! If you prefer a less sweet treat, feel free to use unsweetened coconut instead! Or skip the frosting all together and simply dust the whole cake with confectioners’ sugar and serve with fresh berries!
More Pound Cake Recipes:
- Almond Amaretto Pound Cake
- Lemon Pound Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Blood Orange Pound Cake
- Marble Pound Cake
- Cranberry Orange Ricotta Pound Cake
White Chocolate Coconut Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 8 ounces (227 g) full-fat cream cheese room temperature
- 2 cups (397 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon coconut extract
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup (113 ml) Thai Kitchen (or similar) unsweetened coconut milk well combined
- 1/4 cup (57 ml) unrefined coconut oil melted and slightly cooled
For the White Chocolate Buttercream
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 and 1/2 cups (283 g) confectioners' sugar sifted
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 and 1/2 Tablespoons (49 ml) Thai Kitchen (or similar) unsweetened coconut milk well combined
- 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract
- 4 ounces (170 g) quality white chocolate melted and cooled for 10 minutes
- 2 cups coconut sweetened shredded, finely shredded, or flaked
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together until well combined. Set aside until needed.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add in the sugar, then increase the speed to medium-high and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract and coconut extract.
- Reduce the speed to medium-low, then add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the coconut milk and coconut oil.
- Reduce the speed to low and add in the flour mixture, mixing just until combined.
- Generously grease a 10-inch (12-cup) bundt pan, being sure to coat all of the nooks and crannies. I suggest using a non-stick baking spray that has flour in it. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown AND a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan, set on a wire rack, for 10 minutes. Then invert the cake onto the rack and cool completely, about 2 and ½ hours.
For the White Chocolate Buttercream
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter on medium-speed until completely smooth. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add in the confectioners' sugar, beating until all of the sugar is completely combined. Add in the salt, coconut milk, and coconut extract and beat smooth. Add in the white chocolate and beat smooth. Once all of the ingredients have been incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and beat for a minute.
- Spread frosting on the top and sides of the cooled cake. Then completely coat the cake in the coconut. Allow the frosting to set for 20 minutes, then slice and serve!
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