Dolester Miles’ Coconut Pecan Cake Recipe (2024)

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I would think so - it doesn't make sense that 2 cakes could be split, filled and assembled in one standard cake pan. I would use the ring of a springform pan set right on top of my presentation plate - wouldn't need to flip the cake, just run a knife around the inside of the ring, unclip it and you're ready to frost.

The recipe calls for Cream of Coconut which would be something such as Coco Lopez or Coco Réal. This is altogether different from coconut cream or coconut milk found in the International food isles usually used for Thai cooking. Cream of Coconut contains allot of sugar as well as coconut oil while coconut cream is the processed pulp of coconuts and not nearly as sweet. Cream of Coconut is found in the liquor and wine section of most supermarkets and is used primarily as a mixer for drinks.

I’m a Home Ec teacher and I made this today. The taste is fabulous! Here are my tips: Do not use a high fat European butter. Stick to American style of butter. Don’t use White Lily flour. It’s too delicate. Use Gold Medal, King Arthur or Pillsbury. Absolutely use parchment paper in the bottom of the pans. It does take some time but it’s not difficult.

You can use 3 cake pans to avoid having to split layers. Freezing the layers makes it much easier to add the filling and icing as well.

I’m with the ease up crowd...you want a health treat dont be looking to cakes...at least any one that I’d want to eat!

Coconut milk, coconut cream & cream of coconut are 3 different things. Coconut milk & coconut cream are infusions of shredded coconut boiled in water; the higher the concentration of coconut to water, the closer to coconut cream. No sugar is added. Neither is commonly used in western desserts.Cream of coconut is coconut cream infused with sugar; sort of like condensed milk. It is commonly used in frothy drinks and desserts, and is the ingredient called for in this recipe.

Take care with cocoanut cream. I have found there are two kinds, one sold for Hispanic cookery (Goya, for example) which is rather sweetened, and another for Asian cooking (Thai Kitchens, for example) that is not sweet. This recipe is not explicit in this regard, so I suggest the unsweetened, since it is much easier to sweeten to taste than vice-versa.

Great recipe, great cake, but not for the beginner. Don't waste money on pecan halves, since you grind them anyway. Use pecan pieces.

I made this cake with Coco Lopez sweet coconut cream and the Thai unsweet coconut milk it was a delicious I also did something different I found condensed coconut milk and I used it and it came out divine it’s a beautiful cake everybody raved about it. It is lovely and light really really nice the one thing I would suggest is to get the coconut extract that makes a difference but the cake is fabulous.

I can't wait to make this cake this weekend. I love the cream icing, which my Southern mother always used for her fabulous coconut cake. And a traditional Southern coconut cake should always be made with sweetened coconut, as it is here. It's so exciting to have a highly skilled Alabama pastry chef as this year's winner. Far too few people understand the long and rich tradition of Alabama cakes, which are even more important there than elsewhere In the South.

I'm waiting for her cookbook!

Does one use cream of coconut such as Coco Lopez or coconut cream available canned and used in Thai cooking...as differentiated from coconut milk also used in Thai cooking?I know this isn't a comment but would like to get the correct ingredients. Any help is appreciated.

I made this cake and it is absolutely the best cake and filling I've tasted in ages, if not ever. I did not use pan liners and want to save bakers from my mistake - LINE YOUR PANS. My cakes broke because they stuck, even though I had buttered and flour-dusted my pans. I turned the cake layers into trifles by layering the cake, filling, and whipped cream instead of the frosting. Delicious.

The cake layers are delicious just as written. I used TJ's full-fat coconut milk, Coco Perez coconut cream, and I omitted the 1/4 t coconut extract. Southern cakes can be unbearably sweet to the Northern palate, so I simply filled and topped with unsweetened whipped cream without splitting the layers. You need a total of a pint of heavy cream.

I swapped the sweetened for unsweetened coconut in the filling because the client I was making it for isn’t a fan of too sweet desserts, and I suspected the filling would be the area that the cake tipped into that category. Top marks all around!

This cake is legendary. I used all of the ingredients exactly as written and followed the recipe as written with these exceptions: 1) used two 8" cake pans as I did not have 9" 2) built the cake in an 8" springform pan which was the perfect size. I lined the springform pan with plastic wrap (enough to folder over the "top" of the cake) before assembling 3) after refrigerating overnight, I flipped the cake onto a cake disc and removed the plastic wrap. The guests at dinner loved it!

moist, deish and easy to assemble!

Note this isn’t a cake that can sit out at a picnic, for example. Any warmth and the icing melts and slides off.

I just made the cake, not the filling or icing. I LOVE THIS CAKE. I used sweetened coconut but I toasted it gently first before adding to the cake to bring out flavour of the coconut. I also used, as others suggested, just one and a quarter cups sugar. I truly loved the flavour of the cake, I love coconut flavour. I used vanilla paste instead of the coconut flavouring.

I cannot get sweetened shredded coconut where I live. Should I substitute with unsweetened coconut rasps instead, and would it make a difference?

Where in the world does one buy shredded coconut -- the kind with the think shreds? The fat shreds are what is available and also difficult to find.

SOOOO yummy my family loved it!

I might be missing something but if you are going to grind the coconut finely, why does the recipe specify shredded coconut? In Australia we have condensed coconut milk, which I believe you could use as a substitute for cream of coconut.

My adjustments—Couldn’t find coconut extract so used vanilla in the custard and almond in the frosting, both in the cake. Doubled the custard filling and added cornstarch because I only had enough shredded coconut for the outside of cake. Used unsweetened coconut & TJ’s creme.Used springform pan fully lined w parchment on bottom and sides. Only have one so cooked in two batches, one came out thinner than other so only cut one. Used honey to secure bottom layer and assembled in cake dome. Easy!

Way too much sugar, likely to hide subtle flavor. I'd use only maple sugar, ditch the coco extract, use unsweetened shredded coconut, heat the pecans in a pan with maple syrup and cool until the coating gets hard like candy, chop the coated pecans coarsely but not grind them up (ok, maybe half and half), ditch the icing, maybe also ditch the filling. Those cakes would be great with good vanilla ice cream or simple, not-too-sweet whipped cream. Thank you for this great recipe!

Cakes took a lot longer than 35 minutes — over an hour apiece.It was a pretty good cake. Lots of textures.

I have eaten this cake at Highland’s and was so happy to see this recipe, as it is delicious.

I have made this twice, the second time I skipped the simple syrup and used unsweetened coconut. We liked it better that way as it wasn’t overwhelmingly sweet and the coconut flavor was stronger.

Cut the sugar down by half.