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.

I'm waiting for her cookbook!

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.

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 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.

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.

Kim Severson gets the byline - she wrote the article about Ms Miles and this is from that article.

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.

You NEED a scale for this. My measuring cup amounts were all WAY more in weight than the recipe called for so definitely go by weight! The only adjustment I made (is it really a NYT Cooking comment if you don’t make a change?!) was splitting the batter between 3 cake pans instead of 2, so 3 layers total not 4. Not only was it easier, it was less dense than the restaurant version which everyone actually really liked! Next time I’ll make extra icing, it didn’t make quite enough.

super delicious - definitely very sweet and I did half unsweetened half sweetened coconut flakes. doubled the filling and the frosting; had extra frosting. light and moist cake that everyone absolutely loved! highly recommend this recipe and honestly it didn’t feel like it was an insane amount of effort, of course it was more than a dump cake but this was easily made ahead with cake and filling made on day one and frosting and decorating done on day two.

Double the filling.

Double the filling to use up can of condensed milk and to create thicker layer

Used King Arthur Flour and Land of Lakes unsalted butter. I did not toast the nuts as the birthday girl does not like them that way. This cake was very moist and delicious. I also made a coconut butter cream as that was requested. I can see why it had a Chantilly frosting. The butter cream was almost too rich. I did not cut the cake layers. Next time I would just make three layers, as someone else suggested. The filling is very similar to what is in a German chocolate cake.

This cake is one of the best things I have put into my mouth. It looks gorgeous, cuts like a dream, and what I thought was going to be too sweet was just perfect. Thanks to all of your suggestions! Used three pans for instant layers. Definitely double the filling (can't imagine how it could be enough for 3 layers) and I made 1 1/2 times the chantilly cream and was happy I did. Added chopped pecans to the filling. Big success!

A little too sweet for my family. Won't do the simple syrup next time. Otherwise very good and will make again.

Yep, this cake is divine. I did cut the sugar in various ways because I couldn't fathom eating it as written. No simple syrup, half the amount of sugar for the icing and unsweetened coconut throughout. Anything more is gilding the lily! The advice in notes to double the filling and icing is spot-on as well.

This is maybe one of the best cakes I’ve ever made and it friggen better be because you could read war and peace more quickly than it takes to complete it!!

The amount of sugar in this initially made me nervous. I ended up slightly lowering the sugar content and it was delicious but might try with less next time. I used 350 grams of sugar in the cake batter, that includes the amount in with the pecans. I also used 1/2 unsweetened and 1/2 sweetened coconut for every time it called for shredded coconut. I might try using all unsweetened next time. I omitted the simple syrup completely and instead used the remaining coconut milk from the can.

This was a gooey hit. I baked 3 9-inch layers for almost 30 minutes. I made 1.5 times the filling, which was ample. Then I ran out of steam and put 1/2 in. of Dolly Parton butter cream frosting on top, with coconut sprinkled all over. The sides of the cake had a rustic look because the ample filling oozes slightly over the sides. The pecan flour adds a nuttiness that makes the cake taste less sugary. I constructed it on a cake plate, with an inserted chop stick to hold layers in place.

This cake is fancy. Nonetheless, it is screaming for liquor in the filling or frosting. I'm surprised Sam Sifton did not insert an aliquot.

I get this cake every time I visit Chez Fon Fon. It is sublime!

I went to the French Culinary Institute in NYC IN 1997 for the pastry program. One day one of the students asked the chef instructors if they were going to teach us any desserts, pastries that were low in fat, sugar, butter, cream. The response: “No, we are not going to teach recipes like that. These are desserts they have butter, fat, sugar in them. If you want to make those kinds of things you are in the wrong school.” I agree. Don’t look at cake recipes and get upset about sugar and fat.

Absolutely does NOT need the simple syrup. Sweet enough without it.