Coconut Mousse Cake

 

What cake is better than an ice cream cake in summer? For my money, I’d say a mousse cake. Something as refreshing, delicious and amazing, but lighter, smoother, fluffier and it could look a little more elegant. Most importantly, a mousse cake makes you feel a little less fatty and guilty when eating it. 

The funny thing is that when thing comes in a mousse form, it sounds like 400 pounds lighter! And when you eat it, it does feel like you are eating air. I normally go for at least two slices of mousse cake compared to one for a regular cake because of its irresistibly delicate texture.

I like to explore different mousse cake flavours – mango, chocolate, matcha, pumpkin… And as a coconut lover, I was kind of questioning myself why I’d never come up with a coconut mousse cake until now.

The cake base is my go-to coconut cake. I skipped the shredded coconuts in the cake for the smooth texture of the whole dessert. For the mousse, I did infuse the coconut milk with some more unsweetened shredded coconuts to enhance the coconut fragrance. This coconut mousse cake is a prefect do-ahead dessert for party. I decorated mine with some toasted meringue on top. But it will be simple and elegant to serve the cake as it is, or with a sprinkle of oasted coconuts.

 

Ingredients (one 8-inch layered cake):
Coconut Cake
3/4 cup and 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 large egg, room temperature
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Coconut Mousse
2 1/2 teaspoons unflavoured gelatin
1/4 cup water
2 cups coconut milk
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconuts
2 cups heavy cream
Meringue Topping
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large egg whites
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons toasted shredded coconut

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a bowl of standing mixer with a paddle attachment, mix coconut milk, egg, oil, vanilla and vinegar on medium speed until well combined.
Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and let cool completely.
To prepare coconut mousse, sprinkle gelatin over the water in a small bowl, let stand for 5 minutes.
In a saucepan, warm coconut milk, sugar and shredded coconuts over medium-low heat until sugar is dissolved. Stir in gelatin mixture to dissolve. Remove from heat. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Let cool completely.
Whip the heavy cream until it becomes stiff. Add the cream to the cooled coconut mixture and fold with a spatula until it becomes one liquid.
To assemble, line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
Place in the coconut cake layer. Then pour the coconut mousse mixture over the cake. Juggle to lightly level the top.
Chill in the refrigerator overnight.
To prepare meringue, combine sugar and egg whites in a large heatproof bowl. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat on high speed until foamy for a minute. Set bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Beat on high speed until the mixture is hot to touch. Remove from heat, continue beating meringue until it becomes stiff and glossy.
Remove cake from the refrigerator. Transfer cake from cake pan to a serving plate. Peel off the parchment papers.
Pipe or smear the meringue on top of the cake. Using a kitchen torch, lightly brown the meringue. Sprinkle toasted coconut on top.

20 comments

    1. I haven’t tried coconut whipped cream, but I guess if coconut whipped cream is stiff enough to hold the mousse base, then why not?! :)

  1. I tried making the coconut mousse… When we warm the coconut milk it becomes fairly thin like milk. How do you”fold” cream to such a thin liquid?

    1. Hi! Like what the recipe says, after the coconut and gelatin mixture is cool completely, it will become thick, that’s the time you fold in the whipped cream.

  2. Really thank you for this amazing recipe.
    All my friends are like it.
    i just changed the the topping meringue into strawberry and frambois, they’re also match.

  3. May I know if the coconut milk is the one from the milk section and not those Asian ones in the can? Thanks!!

  4. Can I make and keep in freezer ?

    Is the coconut milk the drinking kind from the carton or the can one?

    1. Hi Adva, I’ve never tried to freeze mousse, so I can’t give you any suggestion. You can definitely freeze the baked cake base though.

  5. Thank you for this, I tried the recipe and it is absolutely amazing.
    Everyone loved it, even the non-dessert eaters had to have two pieces!

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