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Halekulani Coconut Cake

This dreamy dessert is a soft, moist cake layered with luscious coconut cream and topped with fluffy whipped frosting, complemented by a tangy raspberry coulis.
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Prep Time:1 hour
Cook Time:30 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

Sponge Cake

  • 3/4 cup Cake flour
  • 1/3 cup + 1/4 cup Sugar (divided)
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Baking powder
  • 2 Tbsp Oil
  • 1 Egg
  • 1/3 cup Water
  • 4 Egg whites
  • 1/4 tsp Cream of tartar

Pastry Cream

  • 1 3/4 + 1/4 cup Milk (divided)
  • 3 oz Sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract or vanilla bean
  • 2 oz Cornstarch
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 oz Butter
  • 1 1/4 cups Coconut Flakes
  • 1/2 cup Amaretto

Whipped Cream

  • 3 cups Heavy Cream
  • 3 Tbsp Sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups Coconut Flakes (for assembly)

Raspberry Coulis

  • 1 pint Raspberries
  • 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Water

Crème Anglaise

  • Good quality vanilla ice cream melted

Instructions

Sponge Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Sift together in a small bowl, cake flour, sugar, salt and baking powder then set aside.
  • In a separate bowl combine the oil, egg, and water then add the mixture to the sifted ingredients. Mix batter until smooth.
  • In another bowl, whip egg whites and cream of tartar. Gradually add the sugar, continue to whip until it forms a stiff meringue.
  • Fold batter into the meringue only until just combined, do not over mix!
  • Pour the batter into an ungreased 9" cake pan and bake for approximately 30 minutes
  • Invert the cake onto a flat surface lined with parchment paper. Set aside to cool.

Pastry Cream

  • Combine the 1 3/4 cups milk, sugar, salt and the vanilla into a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Mix together the 1/4 cup milk with the cornstarch until combined, then add the eggs and beat several times.
  • When the milk boils, temper the cornstarch mixture into the hot milk by pouring about 1/2 cup of the hot liquid into the cornstarch and mixing well, then pouring it back into the main pot.
  • Stir constantly until thick.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in the butter.
  • Remove the custard from the saucepan and place in a bowl.
  • Cover the custard with plastic wrap so it touches the custard. This will help prevent a skin from forming on the custard.
  • Place over an ice bath to cool quickly. Store in the refrigerator.
  • After the pastry cream has cooled to the touch, fold in the coconut flakes, amaretto and whipped cream. Combined well and store in the refrigerator.

Whipped Cream

  • Combine the heavy cream and the sugar together in a mixing bowl and whip until stiff peaks form.
  • Add about 1 cup of the whipped cream to the pastry cream. Set aside the remaining whipped cream to frost the cake

Raspberry Coulis

  • Bring sugar and water to a boil and reduce for 5 minutes. (makes about 1/4 cup of simple syrup)
  • Chill the simple syrup over an iced water bath until cold.
  • Pulverize the raspberries and the simple syrup together in a blender and strain through a chinois.
  • Chill until ready to use.

Cake Assembly

  • When the cake is completely cooled, cut the cake into three layers using a serrated knife.
  • Place the bottom layer on a 9" cake board or serving plate.
  • Place half the pastry cream on the first layer of cake and spread to the edge of the cake evenly.
  • Place the second layer of cake on top of the coconut cream and repeat this process, ending with the last layer of cake.
  • Frost the entire cake with the remaining whipped cream and gently press the coconut flakes into the sides and top of cake.
  • To serve, cut into slices and serve with the raspberry coulis.

Notes

Vanilla ice cream is essentially crème anglaise that’s been frozen. Melt vanilla ice cream and drizzle on the plate for serving to truly experience the signature coconut cake.