As most of you are aware, Miss Arabella has had a birthday. And while we did have a ‘Queen of the Desert’ party and while I did make a stiletto riding on top of a bus, birthday cake, there was still that issue of a more intimate family celebration.
Tropical Cake with Coconut Cream Frosting
The weather for Miss Arabella’s party was fairly dire with very wintry conditions but what a difference a couple of weeks can make! Sydney is now in the midst of a very summery heatwave and after a very cold winter that set in early and went on for too long, I’m not complaining.
Tropical fruits about to be whizzed
Next stop…the oven
A time to cool
Because the conditions are suddenly tropical, I’ve ‘gone troppo’ with this coconut frosted cake. It’s made from all those pina colada flavours including coconut cream and pineapple as well as other tropical favourites, vanilla, mangoes and bananas.
Start the assembly
Frost the bottom layer
Mango slices in the middle
Now…while I’ve tagged this as being vegan, it’s only the frosting that’s vegan; there are butter and eggs in the cake disqualifying the actual cake from vegan status.
Double layer cake
The cake is very easy to make; you just whizz up the mango, banana and pineapple in a food processor, pour into a bowl then add the remaining ingredients. Mix, then pour into cake tins, transfer to the oven for 35 minutes and Stage 1 is done. The frosting is no trouble at all but you do need to make sure you buy coconut cream that is the thick variety, (I used Ayam brand), and after cooling the tins in the fridge, (I put mine in the freezer while I prepared the cake mix), whip only the thick part of the cream. Add icing sugar, beans from a vanilla pod and that’s Stage 2 done.
A summery tropical cake
Stage 3 is the assembly. Just sandwich the two cake layers together with some of the frosting topped with a layer of fresh mango slices, then cover cake in the remaining frosting. Sprinkle the frosted cake with shredded coconut, top with the zest of a lime, prepare some fresh mango slices to serve on the side, then puff up your lungs and get ready to sing, ‘Happy birthday’. All done!
Sprinkled with shredded coconut and lime zest
The cake recipe was adapted from a recipe found on Taste however the frosting and cake assembly is a Hotly Spiced original.
A tropical cake
And don’t throw out the remaining coconut cream; it’s great poured into a morning tropical smoothie.
A cake with lots of texture
And if it’s not feeling like the tropics in your part of the world, it just might with this cake.
A birthday party cake
- 1 over-ripe banana
- 1 ripe mango
- 440g tin chopped pineapple, drained
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 cups self-raising flour
- 1 cup castor sugar
- 1 cup dessicated coconut
- 125g melted butter
- For the Frosting:
- 2 cups thick coconut cream, chilled (I chilled mine in the freezer for half an hour while I made the cake).
- ½ cup icing sugar, (more can be added to reach desired sweetness)
- 1 vanilla bean, pods scraped
- 1 firm mango, sliced
- shredded coconut, (about ½ cup)
- zest of 1 lime
- Preheat oven to 180C (375F).
- Grease and line 2 x 20cm cake tins with baking paper.
- Place banana, mango and pineapple in a food processor. Blast, but don't puree it; some texture is good. Pour into a large mixing bowl. Pour in remaining ingredients and stir gently until combined.
- Pour into prepared tins and place in oven for 35 minutes or until cooked.
- Leave in tins for 5 minutes then upturn onto a wire rack to cool.
- For the Frosting:
- Whip coconut cream in a Kitchen Aid or similar. Gradually add icing sugar. Add vanilla beans and mix until well combined.
- For the Assembly:
- Place one cake layer upside down on serving plate. Use a spatula to cover surface with some of the frosting. Arrange mango slices on top of coconut frosted bottom layer of cake. Place remaining cake layer on top of frosted cake. Cover cake with frosting. Cover top and sides of cake with shredded coconut. (I throw the coconut onto the cake and yes, it gets messy). Sprinkle lime zest on top of cake.
- Place in fridge until ready to serve.
- Serve with fresh mango if desired.
Go troppo with this tropical cake
Decadent and so moist… I wish I lived closer as I would quite fancy a slice with my afternoon cuppa.
how gorgeous does it look – and how simple must it have seemed to you after the stiletto!!!! It sounds a little like hummingbird cake but a bit lighter with the coconut frosting – which makes great sense with a tropical cake – hope you are not baking too much in the heat – I am told on Wednesday our balmy days will go as quickly as they came!
Definitely looks like a celebration cake. I have some organic coconut milk in my pantry and I’ve been wanting to try whipping the cream for ages. Glad your weather has warmed up, ours has become aggressively cool! This morning I woke up to only 6C at the cottage, and it’s not even winter yet! But this quick harsh cold produces the most beautiful fall colours on the leaves.
It’s really autumn here. We are doing the opposite of you: the days and especially nights are getting colder and colder. But the coconut cake would be delicious anyway, anywhere, any time! Tropical fruits are either never or always in season in our northern climate!
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Yum it looks lovely Charlie. I like that idea of whipping the coconut cream. Happy birthday again to arabella.
Moist and lovely with the pureed fruits. I love it. 🙂
What a delicious cake and I am glad you have the weather to match its tropical flavours after your cold winter! I love the icing in particular and am impressed with your creativity matching it with the cake as they sound perfectly paired.
You make it look and sound so easy Charlie. I’m only wish my cakes could look as pretty. 😉 Enjoy your heatwave! It’s unseasonably cold here. Missing summer already!
Yes finally some tropical weather. I am sure this cake went down well at your house Charlie , it looks delish x
This cake looks amazing! Perfect match for the tropical weather
It’s raining and in the low 50s here in Alabama tonight so a taste of the tropics would help warm things up. This looks delicious.
I’d be very happy with this cake for my birthday!! And I’d be happy to close my eyes and savor every bite while dreaming that it’s not cold and blustery outside!
I’m very excited about today’s weather! It’s just what I was hoping for for the long weekend. I love whipped coconut cream too. Such a great foil for tropical fruit!
What a beautiful birthday cake. Given a choice, I’d always have cake with fruit – it’s never dry. I’m glad she had a lovely warm family party.
This cake has all the tastes I love. I really think I could say that any coconut cake is going to be a favorite, but adding mangoes and giving this such a tropic twist is really perfecting on a coconut cake. There are so many special events between now and the end of the year I’m certain I’ll have the opportunity to make this! It’s a wonderful recipe! ox
Oh, such a pretty cake – Charlie – perfect 21st cake for the family celebration – love those flavours.
What a mouthwatering cake Charlie.
Have a happy week ahead.
🙂 Mandy xo
Happy birthday, Arabella! Again. What a beautiful cake that sounds delicious.
What a lovely cake – light and summery and apparently easy to make too 🙂
Two beautiful, delicious cakes?! Lucky girl! 😀 This would be gone in minutes at my place 😉
We’re also heading up in Canberra in the thirties Charlie, so bizarre for this time of year. What a delicious cake and prefect with the tropical fruits coming into season as well – yummo! Xo
DROOLING.
OMGOSH, I so much adore coconut!
You, Charlie, are a SUPER STAR!! xx
Well that’s been a huge birthday celebration and what a gorgeous cake!
I love coconut cake and frosting! I bet this one is very moist and flavorful with all the tropical fruits. I’ll have to see if I can make it gluten free!
Craving sweet & decadent, sugar & gluten loaded desserts. Gahhhhh! 🙂
This came looks so pretty. Have to try it! 🙂