This Coconut Pound Cake is made with coconut milk, coconut oil, and white chocolate, resulting in a subtly sweet coconut flavor with a touch of vanilla from the white chocolate. I tested this recipe several times to achieve the perfect balance of these ingredients, ensuring a moist, tender cake bursting with flavor. To complement it, I created a creamy coconut lime frosting that adds the perfect level of sweetness and enhances the cake’s rich flavor.
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Coconut cake is a favorite in my family, and growing up, my mom always made an amazing coconut cake every Easter. I created this homemade coconut pound cake to celebrate springtime and family memories.
What Makes this Coconut Pound Cake Stand Out
- Butter + Virgin Coconut Oil: I tested this recipe four times to get the flavor and texture just right. I landed on a combo of butter and virgin coconut oil in a 1:1 ratio. The butter adds richness, and the coconut oil adds that coconut flavor.
- Full-Fat Coconut Milk: I added coconut milk to keep the cake moist and add even more coconut flavor.
- White Chocolate: White chocolate adds a creamy vanilla note and complements the coconut flavor. One of the biggest challenges in making this was balancing the fat content from both the white chocolate and the coconut milk. After a few tweaks, I figured out the perfect balance of fat and sugar to create a soft, moist crumb with white chocolate and coconut flavor in every bite.
- Creamy Coconut Lime Frosting: This coconut frosting is so good it makes you want to skip the cake and grab a spoon. I could easily eat this frosting by itself. It's tasty, light, fluffy, and full of tropical flavor thanks to a blend of coconut milk, butter, coconut oil, and a bright zing from the lime zest and juice.
Can’t get enough coconut and coconut desserts? Try my Coconut Layer Cake, Coconut Cupcakes, or my Toasted Coconut Doughnuts for even more coconut delights.
Key Tips for This Cake
- Watch the Coconut Milk: Make sure you're using full-fat canned coconut milk. Check the nutrition label; mine has 11g of fat per 1/4 cup. That fat helps keep the cake moist, but if your milk has significantly less fat, the texture might not be the same.
- Don't Overdo the Fat: With butter, coconut oil, coconut milk, and white chocolate in the mix, it's easy to go overboard. Too much fat and the center of the cake will feel slightly underbaked, even if the internal temperature reads 213°F. I adjusted the amounts carefully to avoid that.
Key Ingredients for This Coconut Pound Cake
This easy coconut pound cake is made with just a few ingredients. Below, I talk about the key ingredients that give it an abundance of flavor.
- Virgin Coconut Oil. Make sure to use virgin coconut oil and not refined coconut oil. Refined coconut oil does not have a coconut flavor. The coconut oil should be creamy and at room temperature (68-70°F) when it’s added.
- Full-Fat Coconut Milk. This is my secret to a natural coconut flavor and a moist, tender cake. My pro tip is to pay attention to the type of coconut milk you use. Do not use reduced-fat or coconut cream. The fat content won't match what I used for this recipe. I'm a big fan of Trader Joe's coconut milk, but the recipe will work as long as you use a brand with a similar fat content. See the recipe card for more information on the fat content.
- Unsweetened Shredded Coconut. I used unsweetened shredded coconut to top the cake because the cake and frosting are plenty sweet. But if you want that extra sweetness from sweetened shredded coconut, go ahead and use it.
- White Chocolate. The white chocolate amplifies the rich, creamy vanilla flavor in the cake. Look for bars, not chips, with real cocoa butter for the best flavor and melt. I used Ghirardelli white chocolate baking bars. The chocolate is creamy and has a delicious milky vanilla flavor. I recommend using high-quality white chocolate, like Ghirardelli baking bars.
Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Coconut Pound Cake
Prep all your ingredients. Make sure the eggs and butter are at room temperature.
Step 1: Melt the white chocolate in a microwave, stirring it every 15 seconds until smooth and creamy.
Step 2: Place the sugar, butter, and coconut oil in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix with the paddle attachment on medium until creamy.
Step 3: Mix in each egg one at a time until fully incorporated.
Step 4: Alternate the addition of the flour mixture and the coconut milk. Mix in the flour on low speed.
Step 5: Mix in the melted white chocolate and mix until incorporated. The batter should be thick and creamy.
Step 6: Prep your bundt pan and spoon the batter into the pan, and use an offset spatula to smooth the batter so it’s level.
Step 7: Bake the cake for 55-65 minutes until it is risen, golden brown, and the internal temperature is 213°F.
Step 8: Take the cake out of the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Place the parchment paper on top and flip it onto the rack.
Make the Coconut Frosting
To finish the cake, I make a simple frosting with powdered sugar, butter, coconut oil, and lime juice. The lime adds brightness and a little zing that balances the sweetness of the cake. A little lime zest on top gives it a fresh pop of color and flavor.
It has the perfect level of sweetness, just enough to complement the cake.
Step 9: Place the butter, coconut oil, and coconut milk in a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until creamy.
Step 10: Mix in the lime zest and lime juice.
Step 11: Add the powdered sugar and mix until thoroughly combined.
How to Store This Cake
Unfrosted cake: You can easily store the unfrosted bundt at room temperature in a cake container for up to 4 days.
Frosted cake: Once the frosting is added, you can store it at room temperature for up to 1 day. To refrigerate it, place it in an airtight container or wrap it in plastic wrap and store it for up to 5 days.
More Bundt Cakes You Will Love
Bundt cakes make amazing gifts, dinner party desserts, or celebration cakes. I think you’ll love these flavor options.
If you make this incredible coconut pound cake, please leave a rating and a comment below.
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Easy Coconut Pound Cake (Made with Coconut Milk)
Equipment
- 10-cup Nordic Ware Bundt Pan
- Wire Cooling Rack
Ingredients
Pan Prep
- Baker's Joy Baking Spray
Coconut Pound Cake
- 3 cups (375 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1-1/4 teaspoons Diamond kosher salt
- 1 3/4 cups (350 grams) granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter room temperature (65-68°F)
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams) virgin coconut oil room temperature (68-70°F)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 4 large (200 grams) eggs
- 1-1/4 cups (300 ml) full-fat coconut milk
- 95 grams white chocolate Ghirardelli baking bar recommended
Coconut Frosting
- 8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter room temperature (65-68°F)
- 3 tablespoons (42 grams) virgin coconut oil room temperature (68-70°F)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) full-fat coconut milk
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- Lime zest
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- 1-1/2 cups (180 grams) powdered sugar sifted
- 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).
Mise en Place
- Sift the flour into a bowl. Add the baking powder and salt and whisk the ingredients together. Crack the eggs into a small bowl. Measure the coconut milk into a glass measuring cup, add the vanilla extract to the milk and stir together.
Melt the Chocolate
- Break or chop the chocolate bar into small pieces and place it in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave the chocolate on high, and stir the chocolate every 15 seconds until completely melted. When most of the chocolate is melted with just a couple of pieces unmelted, stir the chocolate until it is smooth.
Make the Coconut Pound Cake
- Place the sugar, butter, and coconut oil in the bowl of a stand mixer. With the paddle attachment mix the ingredients on medium speed until creamy and fluffy, about 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Mix in each egg one at a time on medium speed until thoroughly incorporated. Scrape the bottom of the bowl after the second egg. After all the eggs are mixed in scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Add 1/3 of the flour mixture. Mix on low speed until the flour is incorporated. Add half of the coconut milk and mix on low until incorporated. Continue to alternate the flour and coconut milk, ending with the flour.
- Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the melted chocolate and mix on medium speed until incorporated about 15 seconds. Remove the bowl from the stand and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Bake the Cake
- Spray the bundt pan with baking spray, Baker’s Joy recommended.
- Spoon or pour the batter into the pan. Use an offset spatula to smooth the batter so it’s level. Tap the pan against the counter 3 times.
- Bake the cake for 55-65 minutes until it is risen, golden brown, and the middle is firm when tapped with your finger or an instant-read thermometer reads an internal temperature of 213°F.
- Remove the cake the from oven. Cool it on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the cake and invert it onto the wire rack.
- Let the cake cool completely (about 3 hours) before adding a glaze or frosting.
Make the Coconut Lime Frosting
- Place the butter, coconut oil, coconut milk, and salt in a mixing bowl and mix on medium speed with a handheld mixer until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Zest half a small lime into the mixture. Juice the lime and add 1 teaspoon of lime juice. Mix on medium speed until thoroughly mixed.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed for 10 seconds, then increase the speed to medium and mix until the powdered sugar is incorporated and the frosting is creamy.
- Add the frosting to the cake and spread it around with the back of a spoon or an offset spatula. Top the cake with unsweetened shredded coconut.
Storing the Cake
- The unfrosted cake can be stored at room temperature in a cake container for up to 4 days. Once the frosting is added it can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 day.
- To refrigerate it, place it in an airtight container or wrap it in plastic wrap and store for up to 5 days. When ready to serve, let it sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours so the frosting softens.
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