This White Chocolate Coconut Cake has light white sponge cake layers divided by a rich tropical coconut mousse filling.
We did it again!
As mentioned before, my husband and I love going out for coffee and cake. Especially chocolate cake. Have I mentioned, my husband and I love chocolate? Yes, I think, at some point, that was covered before!
This time around the cake (and chocolate, of course) of choice was a white chocolate cake with coconut filling that we had at Relax Coffee and Restaurant in Krabi Town.
If you haven’t noticed yet, something my husband and I quite enjoy is trying out new cafes or restaurants to see if their coffee or desserts are any good. It’s fun, to go somewhere new, try new things and get new ideas from what we try! Plus, isn’t is great just to try new things, especially when those things are coffee and desserts? What could be better, honestly?
This place it truly a hidden gem. It is THEEE place to go in Krabi Town for delicious, quality coffee, awesome and affordable Western breakfast and for both Thai and Western lunch options. My husband and I were impressed with this coffee and food spot since the very first time we tried it. Needless to say, we frequent it every chance we get! The staff is friendly and attentive and will always greet you cheerfully in unison. Better yet, the restaurant is clean, well-managed and we’re always impressed with the food and coffee.
The same management of Relax Coffee and Restaurant has now also opened another cafe, called Easy Cafe, just down the street and around the corner. Easy Café is open for dinner options. If the first location is anything to go off of, I’m sure the second location will be a place we’re also pleased to eat at!
We had this cake after a generous lunch meal, so we were looking for something lighter than our usual rich chocolate cake. This white chocolate cake with coconut was just right for that. I always love desserts with coconut used in them because the coconut can be tantalizing sweet and satisfying without being too heavy or rich, like you oftentimes experience with chocolate.
The cake was a little dense, but the coconut mousse was wonderfully light and airy. With the use of high quality, fine white chocolate this cake could have been even better. Like I said, if I had my own personal choice (and didn’t live in such a tropical place, where chocolate melts immediately) I would try to make the cake with a high quality, fine, white chocolate. I think the cake was quite good but it could be exquisite with finer white chocolate, in my opinion.
Maybe you want to try your own version of a white chocolate coconut cake? If so, please share your thoughts, suggestions or results with me! I always love hearing what my readers try and what they like!
The following recipe is adapted from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s White Chocolate Whisper Cake from The Cake Bible and from a Coconut Filling from Marthastewart.com.
Make sure to use fine white chocolate.
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Recipe
White Chocolate Coconut Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 6.0 oz 170 gr fine white chocolate
- 3 medium eggs
- 1 cup 250 ml milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean powder or 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups 300 gr sifted cake flour
- 1 cup + 3 tbsp 240 gr sugar
- 1 tablespoon + 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup 1 stick + 1 tablespoon (125 gr) unsalted butter, softened
Filling:
- 2.5 cups 625 ml heavy cream
- 1.5 c 300 gr sugar
- 1 cup 2 sticks or 225 gr unsalted butter
- 1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla bean powder or ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4.5 cups 400 gr shredded sweetened coconut
Instructions
White Chocolate Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Melt chocolate in a double boiler over hot water; stir frequently. Take off heat. Lightly mix eggs, ¼ cup milk, and vanilla in a bowl. In a large mixing bowl mix dry ingredients on low speed for 30 seconds to combine. Add butter and remaining milk. Mix on low speed until dry ingredients are moistened. Now beat on medium speed for 1 ½ minutes; scrape down sides. Add egg mixture in 3 parts, beat for 20 seconds after each part; scrape down sides. Add melted chocolate and beat to incorporate.
- Grease, line and flour three 9” round cake pans or bake in one and level later. Fill batter into pans. Bake for 25-35 minutes (more for 1 pan). Cakes are ready when an inserted cake tester (tooth pick) comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pan for 10 minutes, then loosen the sides with a small metal spatula and invert onto greased wire racks.
Coconut Filling:
- Combine cream, sugar, and butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Stir occasionally until sugar is dissolved.
- In a small bowl, mix together cornstarch, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon cold water until cornstarch is fully dissolved. Add to cream mix, bring to a boil, and simmer until thickened, about 1 minute.
- Place coconut in a food processor. Pulse until coconut is finely chopped. Remove cream mixture from heat and stir in coconut until well combined. Transfer to a large baking dish; let cool.
- Cover filling with plastic wrap and chill in fridge overnight. Just before using, place mixture in the bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment. Beat until smooth and creamy, 4 to 5 minutes.
Assembly:
- Level cake into three even layers. Place first layer in a spring form pan. Spread about ¼ of coconut filling. Place second cake layer on top. Spread another ¼ of the filling and finish with the last cake layer. Spread remaining filling on top and let it also flow down the sides.
- Chill for a couple hours. Before removing from spring form, run a knife along the edge to loosen from pan.
- Decorate with white chocolate curls.
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Common Questions
Coconut cake is typically made with ingredients such as shredded coconut, flour, sugar, eggs, and coconut milk or extract. These components come together to create a flavorful and moist cake with a delightful tropical taste.
The key ingredient in coconut cake is, of course, coconut itself. Whether it's in the form of shredded coconut, coconut milk, or coconut extract, this ingredient is what gives the cake its distinctive flavor and texture.
Coconut is incorporated into the cake batter by adding shredded coconut or coconut milk directly into the mixture. This allows the coconut flavor to infuse the entire cake, providing a rich and tropical taste throughout.
While traditional coconut cake relies on the use of actual coconut, there are variations that use coconut flavoring or extracts to achieve a similar taste without the texture of shredded coconut. This can be a suitable option for those who prefer a smoother texture.
The tropical flavor of coconut cake primarily comes from the inclusion of coconut-based ingredients, such as shredded coconut or coconut milk. These elements infuse the cake with a distinctively sweet and nutty taste, reminiscent of tropical regions where coconuts are commonly found.
Jacquee
I will be trying this pretty soon. The combination of white chocolate and coconut speaks to me. Do you think I can replace the shredded coconut with cream of coconut? It looks divine!
Regina
Jacquee, I just read about your aversion to the texture of coconut 🙂 I wonder if you could replace some of the heavy cream and sugar in the recipe with cream of coconut (thats the sweetened kind, right? Always confuse it with coconut cream/milk). I am not sure how it will effect the ability to whip it to a smooth cream though. Definitely let me know if you try 🙂