Classic Coconut White Cake (Printable version)

Tender white cake with creamy coconut filling and billowy seven-minute meringue frosting, perfect for celebrations.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake Layers

01 - 2 1/2 cups cake flour
02 - 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
05 - 2 cups granulated sugar
06 - 4 large egg whites, room temperature
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature

→ Coconut Filling

09 - 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
10 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
11 - 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

→ Seven-Minute Frosting

12 - 3 large egg whites
13 - 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
14 - 1/4 cup water
15 - 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
16 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Decoration

17 - 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, toasted or plain

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans.
02 - Whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
03 - Using an electric mixer, cream unsalted butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add egg whites one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
05 - Alternately add the flour mixture and whole milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
06 - Divide batter evenly among prepared pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
08 - In a small saucepan, combine coconut milk and sugar. Simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and stir in shredded coconut. Cool to room temperature until thick but spreadable.
09 - Whisk egg whites, sugar, water, and cream of tartar in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Beat on high with a hand mixer until stiff and glossy peaks form, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat, add vanilla, and beat for 2 more minutes.
10 - Place one cake layer on a serving platter. Spread half of the coconut filling evenly on top. Add the second layer and spread with remaining filling. Top with the third layer.
11 - Frost the entire cake with the seven-minute frosting. Press shredded coconut onto the sides and top for decoration.
12 - Allow the cake to set for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cake layers stay incredibly moist because you're alternating milk and flour in a specific way that sounds technical but feels like second nature once you try it.
  • Seven-minute frosting is glossy, billowy, and forgiving in a way that regular buttercream sometimes isn't—it's showstopping without requiring a pastry degree.
  • It's the kind of dessert that tastes like it took all day, but the actual hands-on time is shockingly reasonable.
02 -
  • Seven-minute frosting is best served the day it's made; it holds for a few hours but starts to weep and lose its billowy texture if left overnight, so plan accordingly.
  • Room-temperature ingredients aren't a suggestion—cold butter won't cream properly, and cold egg whites won't whip to full volume, which directly affects the cake's final texture.
03 -
  • If you find your seven-minute frosting is looking grainy or broken during beating, stop immediately, remove from heat, and let it cool for a minute before resuming—sometimes a brief pause fixes the texture completely.
  • The secret to perfect layers is using an offset spatula and taking your time; rushing the frosting stage is where most people end up with crumbs in the frosting, so go slowly and let the spatula do the work.
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