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Tom Cruise Coconut Cake with thick white frosting and shredded coconut, sliced to show the moist vanilla cake crumb.

Easy Tom Cruise Coconut Cake

4 from 1 vote
Tom Cruise’s legendary coconut cake is Hollywood’s sweetest secret—ultra-light, packed with coconut flavor, and frosted like a cloud. Now you can make it at home!
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cooling & Frosting 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings: 12 Slice
Course: Cake, Dessert
Cuisine: American, Holiday Baking
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ¾ cups Cake flour Sifted
  • 1 cup Butter Softened
  • 2 cups Sugar Granulated
  • 4 large Eggs Room temperature
  • 1 cup Buttermilk Room temperature
  • 2 teaspoon Vanilla Pure extract
  • 1 teaspoon Baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • 1 ½ cups Fresh coconut Finely shredded
Frosting
  • 1 ½ cups Heavy cream Chilled
  • ¾ cup Cream of coconut Sweetened canned
  • 2 cups Powdered sugar Sifted
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • 1 cup Fresh coconut Finely shredded
Decoration
  • 1 cup Shredded coconut For topping
  • ½ cup White chocolate shavings Optional
  • ½ cup Coconut flakes For texture

Equipment

  • 9-inch cake pans Grease and line with parchment
  • Stand mixer Or hand mixer
  • Measuring cups Dry and liquid
  • Measuring spoons For accurate ingredient portions
  • Offset spatula For smooth frosting application
  • Cooling rack To cool layers evenly
  • Cake turntable Optional, for even frosting

Method
 

  1. Prep Ingredients – Bring butter, eggs, and buttermilk to room temperature.
  2. Prepare Cake Pans – Grease and line three 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
  3. Mix the Batter – Cream butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time. Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk. Fold in fresh coconut and vanilla.
  4. Bake the Cake – Divide batter evenly into pans, tap to remove air bubbles, and bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes.
  5. Cool the Cake Layers – Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
  6. Make the Frosting – Whip heavy cream until soft peaks form, add cream of coconut, powdered sugar, and vanilla, and whip until fluffy. Keep chilled.
  7. Assemble the Cake – Layer cake rounds with frosting in between, then frost the outside and press shredded coconut onto the sides.
  8. Decorate & Serve – Sprinkle white chocolate shavings and extra coconut on top. Chill for 30 minutes before slicing.