While I have never been the recipient of the famous coconut cake Tom Cruise sends to his friends for Christmas, I had one of the famous Cruise cakes from Doan’s Bakery in California a few years ago and wanted to recreate it. You can buy it online for $129 but if you did not make $30 million on your last movie, this might be the better option.

First of all, the famous Cruise cake is made in a bundt pan. Most Southern coconut cakes are towering layer cakes. The bundt cake is much easier, especially if you will have to transport the cake. And be certain to use a large (12-cup) bundt pan. After a bit of trial and error, this is the recipe that most closely resembles the Cruise one.

THE FAMOUS ‘TOM CRUISE’ WHITE CHOCOLATE COCONUT CAKE

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 cups granulated sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup canned coconut milk

3/4 cup whole buttermilk

2 teaspoons pure coconut extract

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

I cup white chocolate, chopped fine

3 whole large eggs plus 2 egg whites, room temperature

FROSTING

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

Pinch salt

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup canned coconut milk, plus more if you need to thin the frosting

3 cups Confectioners sugar

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla. extract

2 cups sweetened shredded coconut for garnish

DIRECTIONS:
Be sure to prepare all of the ingredients before you begin to make the cake. Set out the butter at least 2 hours prior to beginning.

Preheat oven to 325 F.

For the Cake:

Butter and lightly flour a large (12-cup) bundt pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk, coconut milk, coconut extract, and vanilla extract. Set aside.

Using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, beat the butter, oil, and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy; about 3 minutes.

Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs and egg whites, one at a time until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for 2 more minutes on high speed.

Reduce the speed to low and add the dry ingredients, alternating with the milk mixture in 3 additions just until combined. Remove from the stand and fold in the chopped white chocolate.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool the cake in the pan for 20 minutes. Then invert and remove from the pan and cool on a baking rack. Make certain the cake is completely cool before frosting.

For the Frosting:

Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat together the butter, cream cheese, coconut extract and vanilla extract on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

On the lowest speed, add half of the Confectioners sugar. Alternate with half of the coconut milk and repeat. Add the lemon juice and salt. Beat on medium high for 1 minute. If the frosting is too thick, add a little more coconut milk. If it is too thin, beat in a bit more Confectioners sugar until you reach the desired consistency.

When the cake is fully cooled, cover in frosting and then garnish the entire cake with shredded coconut. TIP: if it is a hot day, you might chill the cake for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

When I was a kid, my mom would make us a cake or pie everyday... usually it was pie but on occasion, she would make Apple Dapple Cake... a recipe she got from someone along the way. It was one of the few recipes she actually used and I have a copy of it in her handwriting... a treasured possession. I took that basic recipe and made it into one of my favorite fall desserts by adding the hot caramel because what is more fall than caramel apples? I like to serve it slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

I served this cake to over 300 guests at the after-party following the Hangout's Oyster Cookoff in November to rave reviews. My mom would be so proud.

Caramel Apple Cake is a wonderfully easy cake to make for fall tailgates, festivals, or Saturday morning coffee.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour plus 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped fine

3 apples, peeled and chopped fine

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil (like Wesson)

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

HOT CARAMEL SAUCE

1 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup whole milk

3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)

DIRECTIONS:

Spray a tube pan with Baker’s Joy or grease and flour it. Preheat oven to 350.

For the cake: Sift together flour, salt, and baking soda. Add apples and pecans. Stir to coat the fruit. Mix together oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add to the fruit mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Remove from the oven and sit on a wire rack to cool. While the cake is still hot, pour the caramel sauce over it and then let it cool completely before removing from the pan.

For the hot caramel sauce: Put the sugar in a saucepan over low heat until it starts to melt. Add the butter. Swirl the pan until the butter melts. Add the milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly so it does not burn. Pour the hot caramel directly over the hot cake while it is still in the pan. Be careful- the hot sugar will burn!

NOTE: It is important to pour the caramel over the cake in the pan because it creates this great coating on the bottom, side and top of the cake. As much as you want to eat it, you have to allow it to cool completely before you remove it from the pan. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to help release it.