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Coconut and Vanilla Naked Cake with Mascarpone Frosting
5 from 10 votes

Coconut and Vanilla Naked Cake with Mascarpone Frosting

This Coconut and Vanilla Naked Cake features layers of moist cake flavored with coconut milk, vanilla, and coconut extract, complemented by a mascarpone and cream frosting infused with the same coconut and vanilla notes. The cake layers are lightened by cornflour, and desiccated coconut is optionally included for texture. Its naked layering style allows the mascarpone frosting and decorations like mini eggs and flowers to be visible.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 702 kcal
Course: Cake
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

For the cake
  • 350 g caster sugar 12.4 ounces
  • 220 g plain flour 7.7 ounces
  • 30 g cornflour aka cornstarch; 1 ounce
  • 170 g unsalted butter cubed, 6 ounces; 1 1/2 sticks
  • 240 ml coconut milk or whole milk, 8.4 fluid ounces; 1 cup
  • 180 ml egg or use the egg whites from 6 eggs, liquid whites; 6.3 fluid ounces; 3/4 cup
  • 2 tsp coconut extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp desiccated coconut optional
  • 4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Food Coloring pink, purple, blue, optional, assorted gel or paste
  • flour or cake release spray, to grease the cake tins
  • butter or cake release spray, to grease the cake tins
For the frosting
  • 300 g mascarpone cheese full-fat; 10.5 ounces
  • 300 g icing sugar 10.5 ounces
  • 250 ml double cream 8.5 fluid ounces
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp coconut extract
To decorate
  • mini eggs
  • chocolate eggs
  • almonds sugared
  • fresh flowers make sure they are not sprayed or use edible flowers
  • Sprinkles pastel
  • Macarons

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Put the (empty) bowl of your stand mixer on the scales and make a note of the weight.
  2. Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease 4 x15cm/6in cake tins (or 3x20cm/8in tins) and line with greased baking parchment. Dust with flour, shaking out any excess.
  3. Put the flour, cornflour, sugar, desiccated coconut, baking powder and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer and briefly whisk together on low speed to combine.
  4. Add the cubed butter and mix on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
  5. In a measuring jug, mix together the milk, egg whites, coconut and vanilla extracts.
  6. Add the egg white mixture into the batter, in three stages, mixing well on low speed after each addition. Increase the speed and mix for a couple of minutes until batter is smooth.
  7. Weigh your (full) mixing bowl again and subtract the weight of the empty bowl. Divide the weight of the batter into 3 or 4 depending on how many cake tins you are using.
  8. Pour equal amounts of batter into 3 (or 4) separate bowls and add food colouring. It is best to start with a very small amount of food colouring on the tip of a skewer, mix well, and then increase the quantity of food colouring gradually to intensify the colour.
  9. Pour the batter into the prepared tins and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cakes are well risen, firm on top and coming away from the sides of the tin. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean.
  10. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes and then carefully turn out on a wire rack lined with baking paper (the cake layers are quite sticky). Cool completely before frosting and level if necessary.
  11. To make the frosting, put the mascarpone, icing sugar, double cream and vanilla extract in the bowl of your stand mixer. Start mixing on low speed to combine, then increase the speed to highest setting until you have firm peaks. Do not over-mix.
  12. Transfer the frosting into a large piping bag fitted with a plain round tip and pipe the frosting on your bottom cake layer. Outline the edge of the sponge first and then continue filling the interior in an even layer.
  13. Repeat with the remaining layers. Smooth some frosting over the entire cake with a palette knife or pastry scraper and chill for 20 minutes.
  14. Add a final layer of frosting over the cake, smoothing so that the layers are still visible for a ‘naked cake’ effect. Alternatively you can cover the cake completely and pipe any excess frosting on top.
  15. Decorate with mini eggs, fresh flowers, pastel sprinkles or decorations of your choice. Best consumed within a couple of days.* recipe adapted from Cooks Illustrated

Nutrition Information

Calories 702kcal (35%) Carbohydrates 88g (29%) Protein 9g (18%) Fat 36g (55%) Saturated Fat 23g (115%) Cholesterol 93mg (31%) Sodium 519mg (22%) Potassium 302mg (6%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 66g (132%) Vitamin A 1350IU (27%) Calcium 128mg (13%) Iron 1.7mg (9%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 702

% Daily Value*

Calories 702kcal 35%
Carbohydrates 88g 29%
Protein 9g 18%
Fat 36g 55%
Saturated Fat 23g 115%
Cholesterol 93mg 31%
Sodium 519mg 22%
Potassium 302mg 6%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 66g 132%
Vitamin A 1350IU 27%
Calcium 128mg 13%
Iron 1.7mg 9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.