A layered coconut cake with Malibu cream cheese frosting, caramelized pineapple filling, and crunchy coconut slices.

• Cake size: 1 cake, 18 cm diameter
• Total preparation time: ~5 to 6 hours
  (plus 12 hours chilling)
• Servings: 10 to 12 slices

Coconut Sponge

Ingredients

• 200 g butter (82%)
• 100 g virgin coconut oil
• 200 g icing sugar
• 360 g whole eggs
• 4 g sea salt
• 200 g all-purpose flour
• 60 g desiccated coconut
• 200 g almond powder
• 16 g baking powder

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160°C / 320°F. Prepare a baking tray with a 40 × 60 cm silicone mat.
2. Whip the softened butter and coconut oil together. Add icing sugar and salt. Continue whipping until pale and fluffy.
3. Gradually add eggs warmed to 25°C / 77°F, mixing until smooth and glossy.

Tip: Butter, coconut oil, and eggs should all be at similar temperatures for a stable batter.

4. Mix flour, baking powder, almond powder, and desiccated coconut separately.
5. Fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture using a spatula.
6. Spread evenly onto the prepared tray.
7. Bake for about 25 minutes. The sponge should spring back lightly when pressed.
8. Cool at room temperature for about 1 hour.
9. Remove the top crust with a serrated knife and cut out 6 cake layers using a 16 cm ring.

Caramelized Pineapple

Ingredients

• 400 g diced pineapple
• 30 g glucose or corn syrup
• 40 g sugar
• 10 g sugar
• 3 g pectin NH
• 20 g lime juice
• ½ vanilla pod

Instructions

1. Split the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds.
2. Mix the second sugar portion with pectin NH.
3. Heat the first sugar portion, glucose syrup, and lime juice in a saucepan to 110°C / 230°F until dissolved.
4. Add pineapple cubes and vanilla seeds. Stir gently.
5. Sprinkle in the sugar-pectin mixture while stirring continuously.
6. Simmer about 10 minutes until thickened.
7. Transfer to a bowl and cover with cling film touching the surface.
8. Cool completely.

Malibu Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 300 g butter (82%)
• 100 g virgin coconut oil
• 150 g icing sugar
• 50 g Malibu liqueur
• 1100 g cream cheese (65%)

Instructions

1. Whip butter and coconut oil for 1 to 2 minutes.
2. Add icing sugar gradually and whip until very light and fluffy.
3. Switch to a paddle attachment. Slowly add cream cheese in small portions while mixing on medium speed.

Tip: If frosting becomes soft, chill for 20 to 30 minutes before whipping again.

4. Add Malibu liqueur and mix until smooth.
5. Use immediately.

Coconut Slices

Ingredients

• 3 coconuts
• 260 g sugar
• 200 g water

Instructions

1. Remove coconut shells and peel the brown skin.
2. Slice very thinly using a mandoline slicer.
3. Boil sugar and water until dissolved to make syrup.
4. Pour hot syrup over coconut slices. Cover and let soak for 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 60°C / 140°F.
6. Drain coconut slices and arrange on a baking tray.
7. Dry in oven for about 2 hours until crisp.
8. Toast 50 g of the dried slices at 150°C / 302°F until lightly golden.
9. Cool completely.

Cake Assembly

Ingredients

• Coconut sponge layers
• Caramelized pineapple
• Malibu cream cheese frosting (~1080 g)

Instructions

1. Transfer frosting into a piping bag with a 10 mm round tip.
2. Secure the first sponge layer onto a cake board with a small amount of frosting.
3. Pipe about 180 g frosting in a spiral over the layer and smooth evenly.
4. Add caramelized pineapple pieces. Repeat layering until complete.
5. Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting over the cake.
6. Wrap with acetate film and secure with an adjustable cake ring.
7. Refrigerate for 12 hours to stabilize.

Tip: Save leftover frosting for final coating.

Coating & Decoration

Ingredients

• Assembled chilled cake
• Remaining Malibu cream cheese frosting
• 250 g dried coconut slices
• 50 g toasted coconut slices

Instructions

1. Remove cake ring and acetate film.
2. Frost the top and sides smoothly using an offset spatula and scraper.
3. Cover completely with dried coconut slices. Add toasted slices for color contrast.
4. Refrigerate up to 72 hours.

Finished Cake

A snowy coconut fortress with creamy tropical layers and pockets of caramelized pineapple hidden inside like little edible sunbursts