This White Chocolate Coconut Bundt Cake tastes JUST like the famous Tom Cruise Cake. Actually, my white chocolate coconut cake tastes even better! And doesn’t cost over 130 bucks – like the famous Tom Cruise coconut cake from Doan’s bakery! If you love coconut and white chocolate, you have to try this cake asap.

Kayley says:  “My husband and FIL are lovers of all things coconut and they have declared this THE BEST coconut cake they have ever had. Follow the recipe exactly. Absolutely amazing.”

Coconut Cake Recipe

Like many pregnant women, during my last trimester, I went a little crazy with nesting. I was cleaning closets, organizing hallways, and rearranging our kitchen cabinets. 

One thing I noticed while I was organizing the kitchen? We had an INSANE amount of coconut!! And not just one variety: sweetened shredded coconut, flaked coconut, coconut oil, and coconut milk! 

Obviously, this was a sign from the universe to stop cleaning and bake a coconut cake instead, right? So I dropped everything – except the coconut – and got baking! 12 cakes later… I finally cracked the code on how to bake the best coconut cake ever.

Famous Tom Cruise Coconut Cake

My inspiration for this cake was the famous Tom Cruise cake! Legend has it he gifts all his famous friends a white chocolate coconut cake from Doan’s bakery. I’m lucky enough to have enjoyed this delicious cake – although it was not gifted from Tom lol. 

Honestly, the cake was delicious. But as a baker, I cannot say it was worth the hefty 130 dollar price tag. Like, are the chunks of white chocolate actually gold for that price?! So I decided to get to work creating my own famous white chocolate coconut bundt cake!

This recipe is stunning, delicious, and would make a wonderful gift for the coconut lover in your life. And luckily, the ingredients cost WAY less than 130 dollars. Closer to 20 bucks, which is much more reasonable if you ask me.

You’ll Love My White Coconut Bundt Cake

• Packed with rich coconut flavor… just one bite of will transport you to the tropics! But not so much so that you feel like you’re eating a bottle of sunscreen. 
• The cake batter comes together quickly and bakes inside a bundt pan. 
• Golden brown and moist, this cake crumb is melt-in-your-mouth buttery. 
• Covered in a thick robe of light and fluffy white chocolate frosting. The sweet buttercream coverers the tops and sides of the cake… making it quite the showstopper! 
• Stays moist and fresh for days on end! So it’s the perfect make-ahead dessert treat. Read my tips on how to store this coconut cake below.

For a rich cream cheese frosting, you can use the frosting from my raspberry surprise coconut snowball cake recipe!

Coconut Cake Do’s and Don’ts! 

• To ensure plenty of coconut flavor, you’ll use coconut extract, coconut milk, and coconut oil! This might sound like coconut overload, but it’s the perfect combination. 
• Copious amounts of cream cheese and butter give this coconut cake a lusciously smooth texture. And results in a golden crumb that’s moist, dense, and tender. For the best taste and texture, don’t sub sour cream for cream cheese. 
• In addition to the ingredients mentioned above, you’ll need eggs, vanilla extract, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Unlike a lot of coconut cakes that use only egg whites, this recipe uses whole eggs. 
• Be sure your eggs, butter, and cream cheese are all at room temperature before you begin baking! Cold ingredients don’t bond evenly.
• If you’re not a white chocolate fan, use your fave rich cream cheese frosting recipe.
• Don’t sub white chocolate chips for real white chocolate. However melting white chocolate will work fine. 
• You’ll need a stand mixer or electric mixer for this recipe! 
• For best results, use a digital kitchen scale to weight your dry ingredients! Never pack flour into a measuring cup when measuring it. Too much flour will give you a dry cake.
• Don’t reduce the powdered sugar called for in the buttercream or it won’t set properly.

Let’s Bake Coconut Bundt Cake 

1. Preheating your oven to 325 degrees (F). Do this at least 30 minutes before you plan on baking. You’ll bake the cake at a lower temperature so that the cake can bake fully through without burning. 
2. Spray the bundt pan with nonstick baking spray RIGHT before you add the cake batter so it doesn’t slip off the pan before you add the cake.
3. Scrape the cake batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top. Use a rubber spatula to help you scrape all the batter into the pan, you don’t want to leave any behind!
4. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean! This should be between 55 and 60 minutes, but use your senses and the toothpick method just to be sure!
5. Place the baked cake on a wire rack – IN THE PAN – for exactly 10 minutes. Then carefully invert the coconut cake onto a separate wire rack to cool completely! 

Let’s Decorate this Coconut Cake Recipe

1. Make the White Chocolate Buttercream: You can do this up to 2 hours in advance. Store the frosting, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature until needed. Don’t chill this frosting in the fridge. 
2. Frost the Cake: Slather the top of the tops and sides of the cake with frosting. Feel free to use whatever frosting method you like best. Don’t stress about perfect frosting swirls because the cake ends up covered in coconut anyway.
3. Decorate the Cake: You can use finely shredded coconut, sweetened shredded coconut, or coconut flakes! Toasted coconut flakes would also be delicious. 
4. Option: For a less sweet treat, use unsweetened coconut instead! Or skip the frosting and dust the whole cake with confectioners’ sugar and serve with fresh berries!

How to Store Coconut Cake

• Store this homemade cake at room temperature for up to 3 days. 
• To keep moist, cover the cake with plastic wrap and store in a cool area. If you’re storing cut cake, press plastic wrap directly against the cut ends of the cake, which helps retain moisture. 
• For even better coverage, place the wrapped cake in a cake keeper with a lid. Or place the plastic wrapped cake on a cake stand with a lid. Or you can place the cake on a large plate and place an inverted pot on top of it. 

Although cake is obviously a great choice for dessert, this coconut bundt cake could easily be a part of a brunch menu! In fact, I’ve requested my hubby bake me one for Mother’s day this year. It pairs great with fresh fruit, eggs, bacon, and of course – mimosas!