Mrs. Hughes

Retro Inspired Sewing

  • About
    • About Tanya
    • Featured
    • Contact Me
  • My Closet
  • Tutorials
You are here: Home / Recipes / {recipe} My Coconut Birthday Cake

{recipe} My Coconut Birthday Cake

05/14/2015

No, this hasn’t become a baking blog…

cake

I posted a photo of the birthday cake I made last week on Instagram and a few people wanted the recipe(s), so I’m posting it here.  And yes, I made my own b-day cake. This is the first time I’ve done this and it won’t be the last, as I make better cakes than anywhere in the vicinity.  I’m very picky about cakes and I really don’t care about how a cake looks as I prefer one that tastes good.  Most bakery cakes are dry and have too much sweet frosting.  I don’t want a dry cake nor do I want one that tastes like I’m eating a bunch of sugar.  Therefore, I guess I’d rather bake my own cake than eat one someone else made…. Yes, I’m a cake snob.

As these recipes aren’t mine, I’m just going to post the links here and let you know how I tweaked them and combined them for my cake.

Coconut Rum Cake with Coconut Custard Filling and Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

Both my cake and frosting recipes are by Anne Thornton.  The recipe is:  Coconut Cream Cake

I followed her recipe for the cake, although I did not separate the eggs and I added about a teaspoon of Malibu (coconut rum). I didn’t toast half the coconut as I was lazy… It would have tasted even better with toasted coconut.

As far as the frosting, it’s not too sweet, so it paired fine with my coconut custard filling.  My frosting was a little too “melted” — probably due to the temperature of my butter.  I would suggest putting that in the fridge for a little bit to harden it up before frosting the cake.  Also, if you were to fill the cake with custard rather than frosting the center layer, half this frosting recipe as it’s more than you need.  I also added about a teaspoon of Malibu to the frosting.

While the cakes were still in their pans, I drizzle some Malibu on them.  This cake is dense and takes the drizzle well.  I have a coconut bundt cake recipe that has a drizzle of a sweet syrup with coconut flavoring which is where I got the idea.  If you don’t want to use Malibu for any of this, coconut flavoring works, too.

The custard filling recipe that I used is by Bobby Flay.  The recipe is:  Coconut Custard.

I followed Bobby Flay’s recipe, although I added a little more Malibu.  I didn’t have any vanilla beans though, so I used vanilla extract. It still turned out to taste really good, although I’m sure that the vanilla bean would bring it up a notch.

After my cake had cooled and my custard had been set in the fridge, I spooned it over my first cake layer. If I were to do it again, I would spoon the custard and set that cake layer in the fridge to stiffen it up a little bit more before putting the top layer on.  I forgot to add some shredded coconut to the filling, but that would also help to keep that layer sturdy.  I then put the top layer over the bottom and frosted it and then spread shredded coconut over the whole thing before putting it in the fridge.

It does taste REALLY good but REALLY coconut-y.  So if you don’t like coconut A TON, I wouldn’t recommend this cake.  I’m also not a baker, just someone who likes to back occasionally and eat things that taste good.

That custard, btw, is awesome.  I’m thinking about using it to make a coconut custard pie!

Happy Baking!

signature

Share this:
  • Share via Email
  • Share via Facebook
  • Share via Pinterest
  • Share via Ravelry
  • Share via Twitter
  • Share via Google

Related

Filed Under: Recipes

« A Gingham Kim Dress
A Copacabana Felicity »

Comments

  1. Sylvie Epperson says

    May 19, 2015 at 3:13 pm

    Oh lordie. Yum.

  2. Sara A. says

    May 17, 2015 at 9:50 am

    Happy Birthday! This looks and sounds delicious! Come summer or the depths of winter, my favorite cake is lemon-coconut with coconut frosting. There’s a cupcake bakery here that does them and I love it, tastes like sunshine. It would be fun to do a coconut cake with a lemon curd filling…. Yum!

    • tanyamaile says

      May 19, 2015 at 10:14 am

      Lemon curd! That sounds like it would be fantastic!

  3. Alicia @ Pandora Sews says

    May 15, 2015 at 7:44 am

    In the not so far away past I was a caterer and professional cake baker. People were always so surprised that my cakes were both beautiful and tasty. People would tell me after their weddings that mine was the first yummy wedding cake they had ever had. I blame this on lazy bakers, but I won’t get in to that!

    The main reason I went in to that dissertation was to say that when you use a custard filling, if you put a ring of frosting around the edge of the cake layer (just put some frosting in a zip top bag and cut off the tip to use as a piping bag), it adds structure to the cake and keeps the custard from oozing out and the cakes edges from breaking down. Does that make sense?

    You picked some great recipes to combine here!!! Looks delish!

    • tanyamaile says

      May 19, 2015 at 10:15 am

      Thank you, Alicia! I’m used to filling cupcakes, which is quite different, so it’s good to know how to keep the filling in a cake!

  4. Christina Mano says

    May 14, 2015 at 3:29 pm

    I totally agree with you! If I want a proper and tasty cake, I bake it myself:-)

    • tanyamaile says

      May 19, 2015 at 10:15 am

      Exactly!!! 🙂

  5. Marike Smit says

    May 14, 2015 at 1:34 pm

    Happy Birthday!!! Oh dear…that cake looks amazing…did I mention that I have a whole pinterest board dedicated to cakes? Or that I get sudden urges to bake cupcakes 22:00 at night?

    • tanyamaile says

      May 19, 2015 at 10:16 am

      Thanks, Marike!! Man, I have the urge to eat them, but can’t bake that late as my husband is a light sleeper. Cake!!! 🙂

  6. Melissa Sugrue says

    May 14, 2015 at 1:10 pm

    Sewing AND baking!! Such Domestic Goddessness going on :o) I might just about be inclined to give this cake a whirl as coconut is my all-time favourite flavour too (add some chocolate and I’m in heaven!) And Happy Birthday!!

    • tanyamaile says

      May 19, 2015 at 10:16 am

      Thanks, Melissa! 🙂 Baking and sewing go well together, don’t they? Yes — Chocolate! Yum!

  7. Mother of Reinvention says

    May 14, 2015 at 11:46 am

    Happy Birthday! Hope that you had a fabulous time.
    OMG, this cake looks amazing. Coconut is one of my favourite flavours and Malibu is fabulous. I could drink a bucket of that with pineapple. Thanks for sharing this recipe. I am so going to make it, especially as the folks at home are not daft on coconut. All the more for me! 🙂 xx

    • tanyamaile says

      May 14, 2015 at 12:16 pm

      Thank you! 🙂 I used the leftover Malibu and cream of coconut with some pineapple juice and made some pina coladas!

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Subscribe to Blog via Email

My Favorites

  • The 1920’s Egyptian Revival Gown
  • The Embroidered Zig Zag Dress
  • The 1929 Pansy Dress
  • The 1930’s Silk Velvet Dress
  • Sailors are My Weakness [The Dorothy Lara Dress]
  • The California Poppy Blouse
  • The 1950’s Robin Hood Dress
  • The Broderie Anglaise Birthday Dress

Categories

Archives

“Dress Like Your Grandma” Host

Behind the Scenes on Instagram @tanyamaile

Rollie. #mythoughtsexactly Rollie. #mythoughtsexactly
A finished project! I used McCall 1247 (c. 1946) t A finished project! I used McCall 1247 (c. 1946) to create this blouse. It's made out of a rayon twill that I got from @lafinchfabrics. I started this project pre-pandemic and just finished it... I have been experiencing a lot of sewing lethargy, which isn't unusual considering our current circumstances here in the US. I'm trying to get my sew-jo back as I would just love to sit here all day sewing and watching TV. I have been embroidering and am finding escape in that. ❤️
.
#vintagesewing #mccall1247 #vintagepatterncollector #1940spattern #embroidery #handembroidery #1940speasantblouse
Sandor on the sloth. Sandor on the sloth.
My next embroidery project! I recently scored this My next embroidery project! I recently scored this 1938 State Flower Map embroidery transfer pattern and just spent many hours tracing it. It's going to be the focal point on a quilt that I'm planning to make with vintage handkerchiefs -- most of them from the same era. #embroidery #vintageembroidery #1930sembroidery #stateflowers #handkerchiefquilt #mccall609
My family recently received a new Purple Heart med My family recently received a new Purple Heart medal for my grandpa. My grandpa was a highly decorated and yet modest man and although he was proud to have received his service medals, he did not display them. I found most of them forgotten in a dusty box under his desk after he passed. Others I found in footlockers in the barn. I have yet to find the Purple Heart that he earned while being shot down over France during WWII. He had a bullet in his leg with remnants that remained for the rest of his life. Thankfully, we were able to apply for and receive another one. All Purple Hearts have the recipients name engraved on the back. The last photo was the last medal he received - the Prisoner of War medal (1987). He became a POW after his P-51D was shot down and he was captured by the Nazis. My grandpa and his military brothers and sisters are not "losers" or "suckers". They served the country that they love.
I don't know about you, but I need something to lo I don't know about you, but I need something to look forward to, so today I decorated for Halloween. It doesn't take me very long as I don't have very many Halloween decorations. Time to get spooky!
.
Cleo (and the other cats) just got a spooky castle from Target.
Just a friendly reminder that it is not an Etsy/eB Just a friendly reminder that it is not an Etsy/eBay seller or a small business's fault that a package is delayed due to the USPS being a political pawn. Please be patient. Contact your federal representatives. Don't be a Karen.
Getting a head start on Halloween decorating as I Getting a head start on Halloween decorating as I both love spooky things and I also need something to look forward to. I also find it amusing that the "Welcome" sign is an oxymoron as no one outside of my bubble is welcome inside. 🤣 Materials from Dollar Tree and Joann's and a repurposed grapevine wreath. 🎃🦇🕷️🕸️🦹
.
#halloween #halloweendiy #halloweenwreath #halloweendecor
Follow on Instagram
This error message is only visible to WordPress admins
Copyright 2012-2020. Tanya Maile Hughes. All rights reserved. Please do not copy or reproduce any content from this site without approval and credit. Sewing graphics by katieshoestring and California poppy graphics by DigitalDesignsAndArt

Mrs. Hughes: A retro inspired, vintage garment sewing and plus-size dressmaking blog by Tanya Maile Hughes.

  • About
  • My Closet
  • Tutorials

Copyright © 2021 · Adorn theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2021 · Adorn Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in