This recipe features three components—coconut cake, pastry cream and milk chocolate mascarpone frosting—from Zoë Bakes Cakes assembled together in a magical new way. That’s the fun of having a repertoire of recipes that you can mix and match, there are endless ways to create deliciousness.
The tender, rich coconut cake is matched with a spiced-up coconut pastry cream. I added cardamom and coffee to the creamy coconut filling because I have always loved those flavors together but never thought to create a cake with them.
The milk chocolate mascarpone is the perfect finish. It’s a lovely balance of sweet milk chocolate and just the slightest tang of the mascarpone so it doesn’t get too sweet.
Once I assembled the cake and added the shredded coconut to the top, my husband walked into the kitchen and pointed out that it looked like a coconut with a brown shell and white flesh. Happy accident.
Coconut Cake
- 2 cups / 200g loosely packed sweetened shredded coconut
- 8 Tbsp / 112g unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 1/4 cups / 450g granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup / 80ml mild-flavored oil such as vegetable oil
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp
pure coconut extract
- 4 eggs at room temperature
- 5 egg yolks at room temperature
- 2 1/3 cups / 280g all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup / 240ml unsweetened coconut milk at room temperature
Coconut Pastry Cream
- 1 cup / 100g loosely packed sweetened coconut flakes
- One 13.5-oz / 400ml can unsweetened coconut milk (not low fat)
- 1/2 cup / 100g granulated sugar divided
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- Seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean
or 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp coconut or almond extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom (optional)
- 1 tsp espresso powder (optional)
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 3 egg yolks at room temperature
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
Whipped Milk Chocolate Mascarpone Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups / 360ml heavy whipping cream (plus more if needed when whipping)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 12 oz / 340g milk chocolate finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups / 340g mascarpone cheese
Topping
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Coconut Cake
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Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Generously grease three 8-inch / 20cm cake pans, then line them with greased parchment paper.
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In a food processor, break up the long strands of shredded coconut by pulsing for about 30 seconds.*
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In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-high speed until creamy and smooth, about 1 minute.
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Turn the mixer speed to medium; add the sugar, oil, vanilla, and coconut extract; and beat for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is light in color and about double in volume.
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Turn the speed to medium-low and add the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, mixing each until incorporated before adding the next. Scrape the bowl after each addition.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
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Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix just until combined. Add half of the coconut milk, mixing until incorporated. Repeat with another one-third flour, the remaining coconut milk, and then finish with the final one-third flour, scraping the bowl and paddle after each addition. Fold in the shredded coconut.
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Pour the batter into the prepared pans and spread evenly using a small offset spatula. Gently tap the pans on the counter several times to release excess air bubbles.
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Bake until a tester comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let the cakes cool completely before removing from the pans. The cake layers can be made a day ahead, wrapped, and refrigerated.
Coconut Pastry Cream
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In a food processor, pulse the coconut flakes ten times to slightly break up the strands. Set aside.*
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In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the coconut milk, 1 ⁄4 cup / 50g of the sugar, salt, vanilla, coconut extract, cardamom, and espresso, and cook, stirring, until it simmers.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and remaining 1 ⁄4 cup / 50g sugar. Add the egg yolks and whisk into a smooth paste.
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Whisk enough of the hot milk, a little at a time, into the egg mixture until it is warm to the touch. Once the eggs are warm, pour the mixture back into the remaining milk in the pan.
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Return the saucepan to medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil; continuously whisk for 3 minutes more or the pastry cream will separate once it cools. After the 3 minutes, whisk in the butter and coconut flakes.
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Pour the pastry cream into a shallow container and cover with plastic wrap, pressed directly onto the surface, to prevent a skin from forming.
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In a large bowl, add enough ice cubes and cold water to create a bath for the container to sit in without the water breaching the sides.
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Set the container in the ice bath or place in the freezer until chilled, about 30 minutes before using. Or transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Whipped Milk Chocolate Mascarpone Frosting
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In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together the cream, vanilla, and salt and warm until simmering. Turn off the heat, add the choc- olate, and then swirl the pan until the chocolate is submerged in the hot cream. Let sit for about 3 minutes, then whisk gently until smooth. Add the mascarpone and whisk until smooth.
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Pour the mixture into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 1 day.** It won’t whip up well if it’s not fully chilled.
To assemble the cake
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Remove the parchment paper from the cake layer. Place a cake layer on a serving plate or an 8-inch cardboard round. Spread half of the pastry cream evenly over the cake. Repeat with another layer of cake and remaining pastry cream. Top with the final layer of cake. Wrap the cake in plastic and allow it to chill for at least 2 hours, this can be done a day ahead.***
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Once the cake layers are thoroughly refrigerated, In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the chilled milk chocolate mascarpone mixture on medium-low speed until it just starts to thicken and turns a bit paler, about 30 seconds. Remove the bowl from the mixer and continue to whip by hand, using the whisk attachment. Once the mascarpone is thick enough to spread, stop mixing. If the frosting seems to lose the smooth finish, stir in 1 Tbsp heavy cream. Repeat with more cream until smooth.
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Immediately decorate the top and sides of the cake. See my How to Decorate a Cake video for instructions. Top with shredded coconut.
*Breaking up the strands makes a nicer crumb in the cake. If you leave the coconut stands longer it still tastes great but you’ll notice the texture of the chewy strands.
**Chilling the mixture thoroughly is key. If you want it to chill faster use a large, shallow dish so the mixture is in a thin layer and will cool faster. Chilling overnight is really the best option.
***By chilling the cake and pastry cream they will set up and make the cake sturdier and easier to decorate and cut cleanly.