I’m so excited to be able to share this Fresh Coconut Dream Cake with you. I had many ideas for the name of this cake (coconut avalanche cake, coconut best cake ever, coconut cake of my dreams…) but decided on Fresh Coconut Dream Cake because this cake is what I dream of when I think of coconut.
I’m gonna tell you a little secret about me, I like coconut but I don’t love coconut. My mom always tells the story of how she craved fresh coconut when she was pregnant with me, I don’t think she ever lost the craving, it’s still her favorite. As a child I didn’t like coconut and as I got into my thirties I started to only like it.
But then this cake came along, this amazing, fresh, creamy, dreamy, melt in your mouth cake and everything changed. It all started when I stumbled upon a food article from a writer at Vogue. The author explained that he didn’t much care for cake (I can’t imagine). One night he was at dinner with friends and they all shared a piece of cake (this coconut cake) and he was in love. After calling the chef numerous times he got the recipe, it was from Chef Prudhommes Family Cookbook.
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The cookbook is an oldie so I ordered it online used for $0.10 (shipping was $5, lol). To my heartbreak and dismay there were no pictures, a cook book with no pictures, should I repeat it again, no pictures. Putting that aside I immediately go to the coconut cake recipe. To be honest I was thinking, “thank goodness I only paid $0.10 for this book”, not only were there no pictures but the recipe was multi step. On top of that it called for fresh coconut! What?! Not just fresh coconut but cups of fresh minced coconut meat. You mean I have to get out the power tools, drill and hammer just to open coconuts and then peel the coconut meat out, which if you’ve never done this it’s a challenge. I don’t even love coconut….
Curiousity got the best of me. I reserved the coconut water, cut out the fresh coconut meat with only a few scratches, minced it. Then proceeded with the steps for each component. Each part tasted good on it’s own but I still wasn’t convinced but I was in it this far I had to keep going. I assembled the cake per the instructions and let it sit until dinner that night when I was having family over.
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The first bite sealed the deal! Fresh creamy coconut filling, that still had a bit of crunch which adds a delightful texture. Coconut water syrup soaked cake layers. Tangy sweet cream cheese icing and a coating of coconut flakes. It is worth the effort to use fresh coconut if you can. I hear there are grocery stores that sell fresh coconut meat already cleaned and ready, if you have this option go for it!
After making this cake three times and getting rave reviews, even from myself, I am sharing it with you. I’ve made a few alterations but not many, mostly to the quantities, the first time I made the recipe I had a lot of leftover coconut filling, coconut syrup and frosting.
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This cake is a labor of love, whether its for the love of coconut, love for someone who loves coconut or love for yourself this cake is the best of it’s kind. It is worth every moment in the kitchen.
Enjoy!
Stacey
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Fresh Coconut Dream Cake
Ingredients
- COCONUT FILLING:
- 2 cups minced coconut meat
- 1 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 stick butter or 8 Tbsps
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- COCONUT WATER GLAZE:
- 1 1/2 cup coconut water
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- CAKE:
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 1/2 sticks butter or 1 1/4 cups
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 2 Tbsp vanilla extract
- CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- 1- 8 oz pkg Philadelphia cream cheese
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- GARNISH:
- 2 cups coconut flakes optional
Instructions
- COCONUT FILLING:
- In sauce pan, heat together cream, sugar and butter over medium heat until boiling, stir often.
- Add minced coconut, stirring constantly, cook 15 minutes until mixture reduces.
- Remove from heat and stir in cornstarch. Place pan on high heat, bring to a boil, stir constantly.
- Add in vanilla, continue to cook and stir about 1 minute.
- Remove from heat, cool slightly, then chill in refrigerator until well chilled.
- Cover with plastic wrap, laying it on filling.
- *NOTE: Filling may decrease in volume as it cools.
- COCONUT WATER SIMPLE SYRUP:
- In sauce pan add coconut water, sugar and vanilla. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Continue boiling until reduced to 1 cup, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and cool.
- Refrigerate until ready to use.
- CAKE:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 2- 7 inch cake pans.
- Oil pans, lay parchment in the bottom of each and oil and flour parchment and sides.
- *Note: standard 9 inch pans can be used but the cake will not be as tall, adjust baking time as needed.
- In medium bowl sift flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In large bowl of electric mixer combine sugar and eggs, beat on low speed until smooth. Scrape sides of bowl with spatula.
- Add butter, beat on low until mixture is creamy and light colored, about 3 minutes.
- Beat in milk and vanilla.
- Gradually add in the flour mixture, about 1 cup at a time, beating after each addition just until smooth and pushing sides down with spatula as needed.
- Beat on high speed one minute, scraping down the sides with spatula as needed.
- Pour evenly into prepared pans.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- In large bowl of mixer mix together cream cheese, butter and vanilla until creamed and well blended, about 2 minutes.
- Gradually add in the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time and beat well after each addition. Once all the sugar is added blend for a minute to make sure all is mixed well.
- ASSEMBLY:
- If needed cut off any mounded cake tops. If cake browned on edges that can be cut off to.
- Take cakes and cut horizontally to yield a total of 4 cake layers.
- Poke each layer with a fork and with a pastry brush generously brush with the coconut syrup.
- Start by putting first/bottom layer on cake board or plate, coconut syrup side up.
- Spoon generous amount of coconut filling and spread evenly, keep a 1/4 inch border free of filling as it will spread a little on its own when you add the next layers. Repeat with layers 2 &3.
- Add the fourth layer of cake, coconut syrup side down.
- Coat entire cake in cream cheese frosting, while frosting is still wet press in flaked coconut (optional).
- Let sit in cool place until ready to serve.
Notes
* To open coconut I bought the easy crack ones that are perforated and hit with hammer per instructions until it cracked.
*To extract the coconut meat I used a small paring knife (very carefully). I scored the meat and slid knife and separated from shell, I then took vegetable peeler to remove thin shell lining.
*To mince the meat you can cut finely by hand or use food processor.
*Cake - this cake recipe provides a firm cake which can handle the weight of the syrup and filling layers nicely.
* you can use 9 in pans but cake will not be as high, adjust baking time accordingly.
* Assembly can be messy but thats ok.
*This cake tastes great the second day if not better as the cake layers soften from the moisture of the syrup and coconut filling.
*Coconut filling will still be a bit runny, it will thicken when cooked but will not be very thick itself. This is normal.
I love coconut and this sounds AWSOME. Will try making this cake over the weekend. Will let you know how I did.
Hi Carl,
I can’t wait to hear how it turns out!
Stacey
That looks awesome! Love that it uses coconut meat, that is very fresh indeed 🙂
Thanks, the fresh coconut makes all the difference!
How much butter goes into the coconut filling?
Hi Alison,
How could I forget the butter? So sorry about that and thanks for bringing it to my attention. To answer your question it is 1 stick of butter (or 8 Tbsp). I have also updated the post. Thanks again.
Stacey
Hi….this look sooooo good can’t wait to try. Question. How many coconuts did it take you to make this? I’m guessing about 2 to 3
Hi Mara, I bought 2 coconuts for this recipe and ended up using 1-1/2.Take care.
Stacey
Hi, do I need to bake the coconut before mincing it? If so, what does that process look like?
Hi Kimberly,
You do not need to bake the coconut before mincing it. Take care.
Stacey
Hi one quick question I forgot to ask…sorry. I don’t have a 7 inch pan….can I do this with an 8 inch pan?
Hi Mara,
8 inch pan would be fine, you may need to adjust your baking time accordingly. Also the cake might be slightly shorter.
Stacey
I don’t understand #7. “Cover with plastic wrap. Laying it on filling.” Am I leaving it in the sauce pan then laying the plastic wrap on top touching the filling or am I scooping it out onto plastic wrap and wrapping?
Hi Amy, #7 means that when you cover the filling with plastic wrap to chill (you can leave it in the pan or transfer it to a bowl), the plastic wrap will be laid directly on top of the filling (touching it) so a skin does form on the filling as it chills. I hope this helps to better explain it and that you love the cake as much as I do. Take care.
Stacey, your Fresh Coconut Dream Cake is to die for!!
I love coconut! My Mother used to grate fresh coconut to make Easter candy. I bought a coconut one day and had no idea what I was going to do with it. Then I found your cake recipe!
Just preparing the coconut was time consuming and with all the other ingredients I was worried, if this cake flops I’m out a lot of time and money. But, it didn’t!
IT was worth every penny, the time, and ingredients! It is a ‘labor of love’ for us who don’t often make cakes from scratch, and although it’s not an everyday cake, this is the most perfect special occasion cake I have ever tasted. (It even tops my all time favorite, the Melrose Diner Butter Cream Cake’ in South Philly!
I can’t wait to share it with my Family and Friends!
Thanks,
Holly
Hi Holly! I am so thrilled you loved this cake as much as I do!! No one can appreciate the extra steps for this cake until they take the first bite! And I know your family and friends will love it to! Take care 😉 .
Hi! Can you tell me what kind of heavy cream? 35% whipping cream? 35% cooking cream? 18% cream? Trying to make this cake for the following weekend! Thank you.
Hi Nida, This is one of my all time favorite cakes. My heavy whipping cream is listed at 36% milkfat. So if yours states 35% you should be fine, I wouldn’t go any less than that. Happing baking 🙂 . Take care.
If you use fresh frozen coconut- can you just buy coconut water?
Hi Sarah, that should be fine. I would just be sure it is as natural as possible, meaning no added water/sugar, etc. Happy baking! Take care. 🙂
This cake sounds delicious! You mention it tastes even better on the second day. Should it be stored in the fridge overnight?