Toasted coconut cake layers, luscious blackberry filling, coconut buttercream with a touch of almond, and an ombre coconut wrap around the entire thing… this cake is beyond what my wildest dreams of it were, and I can’t wait to be sharing it with you today!

Okay, okay. So I’m cheating on my next cookbook again. I can’t help it! I’ve been saving and hoarding dozens and dozens of recipes again and sometimes a couple of them… slip right out and onto the blog for you guys to enjoy. Oops! It would have been well worth the wait, but I think this one was just too amazing to hide away for another year. IT. IS. AMAZING!!!

This cake reminds me of summertime, berry season, coconut shaved ice, and everything I’m holding onto enjoying as the weather gets progressively warmer around here in Utah. School is almost out and my boys and I feel like we’re just one zoom meeting away from full-blown summer schedules in our house. Summer weather means summer cakes are on the horizon, and I have a few tricks up my sleeve for some new cakes that I can’t wait to share with you.

SOMETHING LOOKS FAMILIAR…

Hah! That’s because there are elements of it that are definitely reminiscent of my Cake Confidence cookbook’s Coconut Blackberry cupcakes. However, this one has a bit of a twist, and I think you’ll agree that it’s a whole new animal for what we’re working with on this cake!

I know we’d rather just stare longingly into those soft cake layers, oozing blackberry filling, and coconut ombre exterior, but let’s break down this beauty for a minute, shall we?

Toasted Coconut through and through

This cake not only has toasted coconut in the frosting and toasted on the outside, but I snuck the toasted coconut RIGHT into the cake layers! My gosh, why have I waited this long to do this? It’s divine! I never buy pre-toasted coconut. I really enjoy the toasting process in my kitchen. Why? The smell is absolutely worth it. It smells like heaven in coconut form. You’re going to need that toasted coconut for the cake layers AND the outside ombre coconut design. So let’s make sure we all know how to toast everything up correctly without lighting our kitchens on fire, haha. Trust me, I’ve toasted my coconut to a black powder before, and I know how to completely avoid it at all costs!

HOW TO TOAST SHREDDED COCONUT

  1. Purchase shredded coconut.


    Again, I don’t use pre-toasted coconut because it’s not easily accessible for everyone. But shredded coconut should be right in your baking aisles next to the chocolate chips and pudding mixes. If not, I would check your dried fruit section as well.

  2. Method #1: Oven Power!

    Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spread out coconut on a baking sheet in an even layer. Toast for only between 5-10 minutes, Stir the coconut to help everything toast up evenly. It will toast quickly, so keep an eye on it. Remove from the oven & set aside to cool completely before using on your cake.

  3. Method #2: Stovetop action!

    In a medium sized pan, heat coconut over medium-high heat. Stir often, and when coconut has toasted evenly, about 5 minutes or so, remove from the heat. Set aside to cool completely.

  4. How do I ombre the coconut?

    It’s simple! You use the methods above, but remove some of the coconut at different phases of baking/cooking it. That way some are white, some are light tan, tan, darker tan, and super toasted brown. Keep them separated. This will help you on the outside design.

For the toasted coconut on the inside, I just tossed it right into the cake batter. It created such a gorgeous toasted coconut studded batter, and added such a lovely nutty roasted flavor to my coconut cake. I also added a touch of almond extract, too. I told you this one was different than my cookbook one! 😉

Blackberry Goodness

I loved this blackberry filling so much, I sliced each of my 6″ cake rounds in two! That way I could have 6 layers slathered in blackberry, instead of just three. It was A BOMB MOVE for this cake. I think it just looks prettier that way, too.

Making the blackberry filling was quite simple. I recommend making it the same day as you bake your cake; that way it has enough time to set up and make a beautiful filling for your cake without causing you a oozing headache while stacking.

I always use fresh berries for fillings. Jam or jelly works great if you’re in a bind for time, but making it from scratch is a delicious way to go. I started off with fresh blackberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan. I let them bubble up together until they thicken, turn into a saucy liquid, and then let the blackberries reduce a bit.

PAUSE! Here’s the deal. If you don’t like blackberry seeds, strain it right now. If they don’t bother you (they don’t bother me, to be honest), then proceed.

Next, I add in the slurry (mixture of cornstarch and water) into the reduced blackberry liquid and stir until it’s thickened. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge overnight and it should be good to go for stacking/assembling your cake. If it’s too thin, you may need to heat it up in the microwave and add in a touch more sifted cornstarch to thicken it up.

Coconut Buttercream WIN

For the buttercream, I went with my classic coconut buttercream, which I love oh-so-much. It reminds my of my big sister because she’s a big fan of all things coconut. It starts with my vanilla buttercream base, and then I added in a touch of coconut extract and almond extract. You could also add in cream of coconut, or coconut cream, in place of the heavy cream in this recipe for an added coconut flavor. But I really think the extracts did the trick, so it’s totally up to you!

That’s it! If it weren’t for the toasted coconut, this cake would still be pretty darned good, but I think the toasted coconut really steals the show with this particular cake. It would be a perfect base for a Pina Colada cake (add in pineapple curd), a key lime coconut cake (add in my lime curd from my cookbook), or even a lovely lemon filling, too! (recipe for the lemon curd is in my cookbook, as well). The sky’s the limit with this lovely cake, and I can’t wait to see what you create with it.

As always, make sure to tag @bakingwithblondie #bakingwithblondie #cakeconfidence on Instagram so I can join in on the fun!

xo,

Mandy

Get the Recipe: Blackberry Toasted Coconut Cake

Tender toasted coconut almond cake layers, blackberry filling, coconut buttercream, and an ombre toasted coconut layer on the outside.
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Ingredients
 

Toasted Coconut Cake

  • 4 egg whites , room temperature
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk , room temperature
  • 2/3 cup sour cream, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon coconut emulsion
  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut, toasted
  • 1 box white cake mix, Duncan Hines is what I always use. But Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, etc, should be similar.

Blackberry Filling

  • 6 oz fresh blackberries
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 2 Tablespoons water

Coconut Almond Buttercream

  • 1 1/2 cup unsalted butter , sit out at room temp for 10 minutes
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 Tablespoon coconut emulsion
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream, add more if needed to thin consistency
  • 6-8 cups sifted powdered sugar

Ombre Toasted Coconut (see directions in recipe post)

Instructions
 

Toasted Coconut Cake

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees convect bake, or 350 traditional bake. Prep cake rounds (either three 6" cake pans, two 8" cake pans, or 24 cupcakes) with a swipe of shortening and dust of flour. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl with a whisk (no need for a stand mixer for this step), whisk together all the ingredients except for the cake mix until thoroughly combined. Sift in the cake mix and gently fold in the dry ingredients into the wet. Don't overmix! Split batter between prepared cake pans or cupcakes and bake for 25-27 minutes for cakes, and 12 minutes for cupcakes. Remove from the oven, let cool for 3 minutes, then remove from cake pan to cool on a wire rack. Carefully slice cake rounds in half to create more cake rounds (as shown in photo). Wrap in plastic wrap twice and freeze for easier stacking/assembly.

Blackberry Filling

  • In a small saucepan, stir together the blackberries, sugar, and lemon juice over medium high heat until blackberries have reduced into a sauce and are beginning to thicken, about 5-10 minutes. Strain if desired, or use an immersion blender to puree, then add back onto the heat for the slurry.
  • Create the slurry on the side in a small cup with the cornstarch and water until all the cornstarch is incorporated. Add to the blackberry sauce mixture and stir until it thickens. Add to a container with a tight fitting lid and let sit overnight to set up & thicken.

Coconut Buttercream

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip up the butter until it's light and fluffy.
  • Add in the salt, extracts & emulsions, and heavy cream and whip up to combine.
  • Slowly add in the powdered sugar, about a half cup at a time, until you've reached your desired consistency. Add in more heavy cream if needed.
  • Turn the mixer up to high speed for about 2 minutes to thicken and lighten buttercream.

Assembly

  • Stack each cake layer, adding on layer of buttercream and a dam around the rim to keep the filling inside, crumb coat, then freeze for 5 minutes.
  • Add on final layer of buttercream, then layer on the ombre toasted coconut (directions for the ombre toasted coconut in post) with the darker toasted coconut on the bottom and lighter on top.
  • Enjoy!
Course: Dessert