Piña Colada Cake
This cake added to Tommy Bahama’s reputation as a place to go for indulgent desserts with “tropical vacation” in their DNA. It consists of four layers of tender cake moistened with dark rum and filled with white chocolate mousse, crushed pineapple, and toasted coconut, then frosted with more mousse and coconut.
MAKES 8–10 SERVINGS
CAKE
¾ cup/170 g unsalted butter, at
room temperature
1 ½ cups/300 g granulated sugar
2 cups/225 g cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp fine sea salt
6 large egg whites
¾ cup/180 ml buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla extract
7-oz./200-g bag sweetened coconut
flakes
Two 20-oz./570-g cans crushed
pineapple in juice
WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
3 cups/720 ml heavy cream
10 oz./280 g white chocolate,
coarsely chopped,
or 1 2/3 cups/280 g
white chocolate chips
¼ cup/25 g confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 Tbsp/60 ml dark rum, such as
Myers’s
Instructions
1
To make the cake: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Butter two 9-by-1 ½-in./23-by-4-cm round cake pans. Line the bottom of the pans with waxed paper. Coat the pans with flour and tap out the excess flour.
2
Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on higher speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar and continue beating, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a flexible spatula, until the mixture is light in color and texture, about 3 minutes.
3
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk the egg whites, buttermilk, and vanilla together in a medium bowl to combine them. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with two equal additions of the buttermilk mixture, and mix, scraping down the bowl as needed, just until the batter is smooth. Divide the batter evenly among the cake pans and smooth the tops.
4
Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven but keep the oven on. Let the cakes cool in the pan on wire racks for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the inside of the pans and invert to unmold the cakes onto the racks. Remove the paper and let cool completely.
5
Meanwhile, spread the coconut on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, until the coconut is toasted to golden brown, 12–15 minutes. Let cool completely.
6
Drain the pineapple well in a sieve. Squeeze the pineapple gently to remove its excess juice—you should have about 1 ½ cups/225 g of pineapple.
7
To make the mousse: Heat 1 cup/240 ml of the cream into a small saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Put the white chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. Pour in the hot cream. Let the mixture stand for 3 minutes to soften the white chocolate and whisk until smooth. Let stand at room temperature until cool and thickened but still liquid, about 1 hour.
8
Chill a large bowl in the freezer or refrigerator. Add the remaining 2 cups/480 ml of cream with the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Whip with an electric mixer on high speed until the mixture forms soft peaks. Add the cooled white chocolate mixture. Using a large whisk (do not use the mixer), whip just until the mousse is combined and forms soft peaks again—do not overmix. The mousse will be soft but spreadable. Set aside 1 ½ cups/360 ml of mousse in a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate until serving.
9
Using a long, serrated knife, cut each cake layer in half horizontally. Place one cake half, browned side down, on a cake platter. Slip strips of waxed paper under the cake to protect the platter during icing. Brush and drizzle 1 Tbsp of the rum over the cake. Spread with about ¾ cup/180 ml of the mousse, and evenly scatter about ½ cup/75 g of the pineapple on top. Repeat with 2 of the remaining cake layers. Top with the remaining cake layer, cut side up, brush with the remaining 1 Tbsp of rum, and top with the remaining mousse. Using and icing spatula, frost the top and sides of the cake with the mousse. Don’t worry if the mousse doesn’t mask the cake completely, as it will be covered with coconut later. Refrigerate the cake until the mousse is cool and firm, at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
10
Working over a rimmed baking sheet, pat the coconut all over the top and sides of the cake, letting the excess coconut fall onto the baking sheet so it can be reapplied where necessary. Cover the cake loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 1 day.
11
Let the cake stand at room temperature for about 1 hour before serving. Remove the waxed paper strips. Transfer the reserved mousse to a pastry bag fitted with a ½-in./12-mm star tip. Using a sharp knife, slice the cake. Pipe a large rosette of mousse next to each slice and serve.
Piña Colada Cake
This cake added to Tommy Bahama’s reputation as a place to go for indulgent desserts with “tropical vacation” in their DNA. It consists of four layers of tender cake moistened with dark rum and filled with white chocolate mousse, crushed pineapple, and toasted coconut, then frosted with more mousse and coconut.
MAKES 8–10 SERVINGS
CAKE
¾ cup/170 g unsalted butter, at
room temperature
1 ½ cups/300 g granulated sugar
2 cups/225 g cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp fine sea salt
6 large egg whites
¾ cup/180 ml buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla extract
7-oz./200-g bag sweetened coconut
flakes
Two 20-oz./570-g cans crushed
pineapple in juice
WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
3 cups/720 ml heavy cream
10 oz./280 g white chocolate,
coarsely chopped,
or 1 2/3 cups/280 g
white chocolate chips
¼ cup/25 g confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 Tbsp/60 ml dark rum, such as
Myers’s
Instructions
1
To make the cake: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Butter two 9-by-1 ½-in./23-by-4-cm round cake pans. Line the bottom of the pans with waxed paper. Coat the pans with flour and tap out the excess flour.
2
Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on higher speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar and continue beating, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a flexible spatula, until the mixture is light in color and texture, about 3 minutes.
3
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk the egg whites, buttermilk, and vanilla together in a medium bowl to combine them. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with two equal additions of the buttermilk mixture, and mix, scraping down the bowl as needed, just until the batter is smooth. Divide the batter evenly among the cake pans and smooth the tops.
4
Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven but keep the oven on. Let the cakes cool in the pan on wire racks for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the inside of the pans and invert to unmold the cakes onto the racks. Remove the paper and let cool completely.
5
Meanwhile, spread the coconut on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, until the coconut is toasted to golden brown, 12–15 minutes. Let cool completely.
6
Drain the pineapple well in a sieve. Squeeze the pineapple gently to remove its excess juice—you should have about 1 ½ cups/225 g of pineapple.
7
To make the mousse: Heat 1 cup/240 ml of the cream into a small saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Put the white chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. Pour in the hot cream. Let the mixture stand for 3 minutes to soften the white chocolate and whisk until smooth. Let stand at room temperature until cool and thickened but still liquid, about 1 hour.
8
Chill a large bowl in the freezer or refrigerator. Add the remaining 2 cups/480 ml of cream with the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Whip with an electric mixer on high speed until the mixture forms soft peaks. Add the cooled white chocolate mixture. Using a large whisk (do not use the mixer), whip just until the mousse is combined and forms soft peaks again—do not overmix. The mousse will be soft but spreadable. Set aside 1 ½ cups/360 ml of mousse in a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate until serving.
9
Using a long, serrated knife, cut each cake layer in half horizontally. Place one cake half, browned side down, on a cake platter. Slip strips of waxed paper under the cake to protect the platter during icing. Brush and drizzle 1 Tbsp of the rum over the cake. Spread with about ¾ cup/180 ml of the mousse, and evenly scatter about ½ cup/75 g of the pineapple on top. Repeat with 2 of the remaining cake layers. Top with the remaining cake layer, cut side up, brush with the remaining 1 Tbsp of rum, and top with the remaining mousse. Using and icing spatula, frost the top and sides of the cake with the mousse. Don’t worry if the mousse doesn’t mask the cake completely, as it will be covered with coconut later. Refrigerate the cake until the mousse is cool and firm, at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
10
Working over a rimmed baking sheet, pat the coconut all over the top and sides of the cake, letting the excess coconut fall onto the baking sheet so it can be reapplied where necessary. Cover the cake loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 1 day.
11
Let the cake stand at room temperature for about 1 hour before serving. Remove the waxed paper strips. Transfer the reserved mousse to a pastry bag fitted with a ½-in./12-mm star tip. Using a sharp knife, slice the cake. Pipe a large rosette of mousse next to each slice and serve.
Piña Colada Cake
This cake added to Tommy Bahama’s reputation as a place to go for indulgent desserts with “tropical vacation” in their DNA. It consists of four layers of tender cake moistened with dark rum and filled with white chocolate mousse, crushed pineapple, and toasted coconut, then frosted with more mousse and coconut.
MAKES 8–10 SERVINGS
CAKE
¾ cup/170 g unsalted butter, at
room temperature
1 ½ cups/300 g granulated sugar
2 cups/225 g cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp fine sea salt
6 large egg whites
¾ cup/180 ml buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla extract
7-oz./200-g bag sweetened coconut
flakes
Two 20-oz./570-g cans
crushed pineapple in juice
WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
3 cups/720 ml heavy cream
10 oz./280 g white chocolate,
coarsely chopped,
or 1 2/3 cups/280 g
white chocolate chips
¼ cup/25 g confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 Tbsp/60 ml dark rum, such as
Myers’s
Instructions
1
To make the cake: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Butter two 9-by-1 ½-in./23-by-4-cm round cake pans. Line the bottom of the pans with waxed paper. Coat the pans with flour and tap out the excess flour.
2
Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on higher speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar and continue beating, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a flexible spatula, until the mixture is light in color and texture, about 3 minutes.
3
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk the egg whites, buttermilk, and vanilla together in a medium bowl to combine them. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with two equal additions of the buttermilk mixture, and mix, scraping down the bowl as needed, just until the batter is smooth. Divide the batter evenly among the cake pans and smooth the tops.
4
Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven but keep the oven on. Let the cakes cool in the pan on wire racks for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the inside of the pans and invert to unmold the cakes onto the racks. Remove the paper and let cool completely.
5
Meanwhile, spread the coconut on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, until the coconut is toasted to golden brown, 12–15 minutes. Let cool completely.
6
Drain the pineapple well in a sieve. Squeeze the pineapple gently to remove its excess juice—you should have about 1 ½ cups/225 g of pineapple.
7
To make the mousse: Heat 1 cup/240 ml of the cream into a small saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Put the white chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. Pour in the hot cream. Let the mixture stand for 3 minutes to soften the white chocolate and whisk until smooth. Let stand at room temperature until cool and thickened but still liquid, about 1 hour.
8
Chill a large bowl in the freezer or refrigerator. Add the remaining 2 cups/480 ml of cream with the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Whip with an electric mixer on high speed until the mixture forms soft peaks. Add the cooled white chocolate mixture. Using a large whisk (do not use the mixer), whip just until the mousse is combined and forms soft peaks again—do not overmix. The mousse will be soft but spreadable. Set aside 1 ½ cups/360 ml of mousse in a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate until serving.
9
Using a long, serrated knife, cut each cake layer in half horizontally. Place one cake half, browned side down, on a cake platter. Slip strips of waxed paper under the cake to protect the platter during icing. Brush and drizzle 1 Tbsp of the rum over the cake. Spread with about ¾ cup/180 ml of the mousse, and evenly scatter about ½ cup/75 g of the pineapple on top. Repeat with 2 of the remaining cake layers. Top with the remaining cake layer, cut side up, brush with the remaining 1 Tbsp of rum, and top with the remaining mousse. Using and icing spatula, frost the top and sides of the cake with the mousse. Don’t worry if the mousse doesn’t mask the cake completely, as it will be covered with coconut later. Refrigerate the cake until the mousse is cool and firm, at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
10
Working over a rimmed baking sheet, pat the coconut all over the top and sides of the cake, letting the excess coconut fall onto the baking sheet so it can be reapplied where necessary. Cover the cake loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 1 day.
11
Let the cake stand at room temperature for about 1 hour before serving. Remove the waxed paper strips. Transfer the reserved mousse to a pastry bag fitted with a ½-in./12-mm star tip. Using a sharp knife, slice the cake. Pipe a large rosette of mousse next to each slice and serve.