White German Chocolate Cake with Cheesecake Center

Discover the joy of baking with this delicious White German Chocolate Cake recipe with a cheesecake center. A symphony of rich, creamy coconut frosting nestled between layers of moist white chocolate cake. Perfect for celebrations or satisfying sweet cravings, this recipe is a heavenly indulgence. Delight your senses and impress guests with this decadent dessert marvel.

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White Chocolate Cake is a moist and tender cake with coconut and pecans that is topped with a creamy white chocolate cream cheese frosting.

Top it with more pecans and it’s like a white chocolate twist on a German Chocolate Cake.

This white chocolate cake is moist and flavorful with a soft and tender crumb.

You will love the frosting on this delicious cake.

Add this one to your must-make list!

Why I Love This Recipe

What I adore about this recipe is how effortlessly it combines two of the most delightful desserts: cake and cheesecake!

The silence in the room when I present this masterpiece is golden, with eyes widening and mouths watering in anticipation.

The blend of coconut and pecans creates a deliciously nutty and tropical vibe that complements the rich white chocolate frosting perfectly.

Each slice is a little slice of heaven that feels celebratory, but honestly, I whip it up just for myself sometimes too!

Ingredients & Substitutions

Let’s talk about the magic that goes into this fantastic cake!

Each ingredient plays a vital role in creating that heavenly taste and texture you’ll love.

• White Chocolate: Adds a creamy sweetness that makes the cake decadent. If you’re looking for a dairy-free option, consider using a vegan white chocolate alternative.
• Butter: Creates a rich base for the cake, ensuring it’s moist. If you need a substitute, you can use coconut oil for a tropical twist.
• Granulated Sugar: Balances the flavors and helps the cake rise. You can also experiment with brown sugar for a deeper flavor.
• Eggs: Essential for binding the ingredients together. For a vegan version, flax eggs can be an effective alternative.
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances all the flavors beautifully. You can always switch it up with almond extract for a nutty note.
• Baking Powder: Helps the cake rise, ensuring a light texture.
• Cake Flour: Gives the cake its tender crumb. If you can’t find cake flour, all-purpose flour works too, but the texture may be slightly different.
• Buttermilk: Adds moisture and a slight tang that cuts through the sweetness; regular milk with a splash of vinegar can be used as a substitute.
• Chopped Pecans: Provides a lovely crunch and flavor. If you’re nut-free, feel free to leave these out or replace them with sunflower seeds.
• Flaked Coconut: Adds a sweet, chewy texture that pairs beautifully with the other flavors.

How to Make White Chocolate Cake

Ready to get your bake on?

Follow these easy steps to create your very own White Chocolate Cake with Cheesecake Center!

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease three 9-inch cake pans.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter, sugar, and melted white chocolate together until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until everything is well combined.
4. In a separate bowl, sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt together.
5. Gradually add the dry mixture to the chocolate mixture, alternating with the buttermilk until just blended.
6. Gently fold in the chopped pecans and flaked coconut.
7. Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Key to Success #1 – Melt the White Chocolate Then Let it Cool

For this White Chocolate Cake, you’ll want to look for the white chocolate baking squares that are found in the baking section of your local supermarket.

I like Baker’s brand of baking chocolate but there are several other brands to choose from.

In a pinch, you can also use good quality white chocolate chips in this recipe.

Almond bark or white candy coating will not work though.

You can melt the white chocolate in a double boiler or you can melt it in the microwave on LOW heat (50% power) for 30 seconds at a time, stirring often.

For easier melting, be sure to chop the chocolate into small pieces before you begin melting.

Key to Success #2 – Use Cake Flour, Not All-Purpose Flour

Cake flour produces cakes that are super tender and fluffy with a fine crumb.

This is what we’re looking for in this White Chocolate Cake and the reason we’re using cake flour instead of all-purpose flour in this recipe.

You can find cake flour in the baking section of most good supermarkets.

I like the Softasilk brand cake flour but you can use any good cake flour in this recipe.

Softasilk is pre-sifted, but be sure you spoon the flour into your measuring cup then level the top with a knife.

This will ensure that you won’t have too much or too little flour in your White Chocolate Cake.

Key to Success #3 – Line Cake Pans with Parchment Paper

Lining your cake pans with parchment paper is one of the biggest keys to making any layer cake.

It’s literally the worst when you’ve spent all this time baking and cake and then you can’t get it out of the pan.

You can buy parchment paper rounds that will fit a 9-inch cake pan exactly.

If your local supermarket doesn’t have them, look in the baking section of Hobby Lobby or Michael’s.

Or you can get them online for just a few bucks.

You can make your own rounds from a roll of parchment paper though.

Tear off a piece of parchment that is slightly larger than 9 inches then use a pencil to draw around the outside of your cake pan and cut out with scissors.

No need to put parchment on the sides of your cake pan, just in the bottom of the pan.

It’s easy enough to run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan after the cake bakes.

Just be sure to grease the pan after you put in the parchment paper.

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting is not the original frosting that went with my grandmother’s White Chocolate Cake but it really is the perfect addition to this recipe.

The cream cheese frosting is elevated with melted white chocolate and loads of toasted pecans.

You really won’t want to miss this one. It’s as beautiful as it is delicious.

Recipe Variations

If you’re feeling adventurous, here are some fun variations to consider:

• Chocolate Variation: Swap out the white chocolate for dark chocolate in both the cake and frosting for a richer, chocolatey delight.
• Fruit-Filled Layers: Add a layer of fruit preserves between the cake layers—raspberry or apricot would work beautifully!
• Nutty Twist: Experiment with different nuts, like walnuts or macadamia nuts, for a unique texture and flavor profile.

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Frequently Asked Questions