Mounds Layer Cake
So, today I made a cake.
And I’m going to tell you something — making a cake with an infant around is NOT easy.
I mean…I’ve seen people who make it LOOK easy, but I have come to the conclusion that they must be living a lie.
I had that epiphany around the time I was scrubbing dried cake batter out of a mixing bowl while my 13 lb infant nursed while I wore her in a sling.
It’s probably a good thing you didn’t stop by right at that moment. I wouldn’t have answered the door, you would have heard the baby fussing and known I was home and ignoring you, and it would have been all weird.
I’m glad we just share cake over The Internets.
It’s better this way.
You might remember that Shelly, Bridget, and I decided that it was Candy Bar Week this week.
For my dessert today, I decided that a Mounds Layer Cake needed to happen.
This cake was my lunch today, so I can tell you with confidence that it is delicious.
Rich, dark chocolately chocolate cake, coconut filling (like the center of a Mounds bar), creamy coconut buttercream, and a smooth layer of dark chocolate ganache.
I really love cakes with poured ganache on top — if you’re not so great at cakes but want something that looks nice, this is really the best way. It covers up any imperfections in your frosting and the pretty drips distract the eye. Plus, a little extra chocolate is never a bad thing.
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup Dutch Process Cocoa Powder (I used Hershey's Special Dark)
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup boiling water
- 14 oz bag sweetened, shredded coconut
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, slightly softened
- 1/3 cup cream of coconut (I buy this in a squeeze bottle with the drink mixers)
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup (you can use honey if you are opposed to corn syrup)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour three (9) inch round pans. If you only have two pans, just fill one pan a little more than the other. You will split the taller cake in half.
- Bake your cake: In the bowl of your mixer, combine sugar, cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add eggs, oil, and buttermilk and beat on medium speed for two minutes. Scrape sides of bowl and stir in boiling water. Divide batter into cake pans (batter will be thin) and bake for 30 minutes or until tops spring back until lightly touched. Allow cakes to cool in pans for about 5 minutes, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.
- Prepare filling: In a large bowl, combine coconut and sweetened condensed milk. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Prepare ganache: In a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and heavy cream. Microwave for about 2 minutes, stopping every 30 seconds to stir until smooth. Stir in corn syrup and refrigerate until slightly cooled and thickened.
- Prepare frosting: In the bowl of your mixer, beat butter, cream of coconut, and heavy cream on medium speed until smooth. With the mixer set on low, slowly add powdered sugar. Once the powdered sugar is just barely mixed in, increase speed to high and beat for one minute until fluffy.
- Assemble cake: Spread coconut filling between 3 layers (if you only made 2 cakes, split one in half). Frost with coconut frosting, and spoon ganache on top to the very edges of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Garnish with a scoop of coconut filling if desired.
Notes
**cake portion adapted from Hershey
Keep uneaten cake stored in refrigerator.
This is seriously one amazing cake.
Now hop over to see what Bridget and Shelly made for Candy Bar Week…
Bridget’s got Ritter Sport Dark Chocolate with Marzipan Ice Cream (SERIOUSLY), and Shelly made Whatchamacallit Popcorn (I’ll take a giant bowl, thanks).
Enjoy and have a happy Tuesday!!
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Seriously. I can’t even speak right now.
Also, nursing while in the sling AND baking a cake. True talent.
Riquisimo se ve tu pastel!!! Felicitaciones!!
Servira para cubrir con Fondant?
UN abrazp
Oh My. Just open up a bakery now & this will be my 1st order.
I used to bake for fun… now I have a 4 month old… but I might have to figure out how to make this!
First, this cake looks IN-credible! So want to hop in my car and drive to Arkansas, but maybe it would take less time if I just followed your recipe. Not as fun, though.
You are my hero for blogging…and looking cute…with a newborn. Anyone who says it is easy must be crazy. I have ONE 14-year-old and still can’t manage to blog AND mop my kitchen. Also, there’s laundry folded and stacked on my dining room table. You’re my hero.
Looks amazing and perfect in every way. I can’t imagine how it is to make a cake with a babe in tow. Can’t wait to see you in June!
Me too. So fun!!!
Gorgeous cake!! Mounds are my fave, so I’m beyond thrilled to see it interpreted into this glorious cake!
You are so brave. ..Baking cake and all with an infant. I think i was brave enough to bake a potato at that stage. You rock! So glad I found you . and Lucy is gorgeous.
WOW! Gorgeous Cake! And of course you gals pick this week when I am not eating sugar. Next week I am only eating candy bars:)
I thought yesterday’s heath triffle was pretty spectacular, you’ve managed to outdo yourself, with a baby no less! Keep on rockin’!
O.M.G. This is absolute Mounds Heaven!
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!! For sharing your recipe that contains seriously 2 of my most favorite treats, chocolate cake and Mounds bars! I can’t wait to make this, and I might even share it!
TELL. THE .TRUTH!!!!
This cake looks like it could possibly be the best thing in the world. Chocolate & coconut – I want it now.
You are so funny! I totally ignore people at the door while my kids are loud and people know we are home. I tell my kids that we are not obligated to answer just because someone rang the bell! The cake looks so yummy! Also, I loved the video you and Shelly made- one of the funniest things I have seen in a long time.
Beautiful!! We would have not wanted to cut into such a beautiful cake!
Holy Moly! I have to make this!
I am loving Candy Bar Week. Your cake looks out of this world and omg, I cannot tell you how much I love your photos.
Can we use Van Houten Cocoa Powder to make it? I think this is have strong taste of chocolate and would be good cause of the quality.
I JUST made this Hershey’s cake recipe last night. And guess what? I was debating on upping the cocoa to a cup and using buttermilk instead of milk!! I pop on here this morning and that is exactly what you have done! That must mean it rocks. What would I do without you in my life? :)
CANNOT wait to try this cake. It appears life changing.
Kudos to you for making such a gorgeous cake while babywearing and nursing! :)
And the ganache is genius!! I never can seem to make pretty cakes, so this would be the perfect solution for me, lol!
This cake looks insane. First of all, it looks like a professional baker did it. So, if you can do it while nursing a baby, then we can all do it, right?! I also love that you approved this as a nutritious lunch. I’m in.
Mounds bars are one of my absolute favorite candy bars! This looks delicious and I would love to make it to share with my grandfather, who is a coconut aficionado as much as I am. One question … where can you find the Special Dark cocoa powder? I haven’t “noticed” it in the stores. It could be there at my local supermarket, but it hasn’t jumped out at me yet.
I always buy it in the baking aisle at Walmart…I bet it’s at your supermarket!!
This cake looks AMAZING. Wow.
Mounds! Yum-O! I HAVE to make this cake! Ir looks amazing…and your brutal honesty is so hilarious! I can so relate!
Seriously?! This is one fabulous cake. I need a slice right now at 6:30am!
Yum! Love Mounds Bars – and your cake is beautiful!
Not sure I could make such a gorgeous cake, and I don’t have an infant! Stunning cake, and love the flavor idea!
This is a stunner of a cake!
Oh. Emm. Gee. That cake looks Ah-MAZ-ing. *wipes drool*
Definitely must make this for my coconut and chocolate loving Daddy. (and myself, let’s be honest.) :D
holy smokes! a think of beauty. the end.
xo
I absolutely must try this cake! It’s gorgeous & looks delicious! Thanks for the inspiration!
You must have been channeling my dreams. Marvelous cake!
OMG – Mounds are my favorite! This looks to die for – thank you!
I am really really in love with that cake platter. WHERE DID YOU GET IT?!
I can attest, making a cake with an infant is hard work. I made a carrot cake twice within a week of each other and I’m still seeking counseling from the stress of it all, lol!
Ooooohhhhhh my. Devine! One question, is there no oil or butter in the cake? I looks like Hershey’s cake recipe, missing the oil….
It is adapted from Hershey with a few changes. There is 1/2 cup oil that i forgot to type in ingredients list — thank you!!!!
There is no vanilla extract as well?
You guys are killing me with this candy bar week!! This looks sooo good, Kristan!!
Ummm, this is a pretty fabulous cake! I’m a sucker for a Mounds candy bar, so, yeah… I’d pretty much hoard this cake :)
You just made the cake I will be makin for my grandpas birthday! He loves coconut and so do I! I actually was at Traders Joes this afternoon and bought a bag of Roasted Coconut Chips! Seriously delish! Any follow coconut lover would appreciate this item!
Thanks for the recipe, it’s beautiful! Rock on Momma, what would we do without those slings!?! Glad you had one to be able to make this luscious cake! I’m sure the little babe is too!
Hi, I just wanted to thank you for mentioning your addiction to Candy Crush. I downloaded it and now am hooked, too. LOL!!!
This sounds and looks amazing. Will definitely be making it soon. This looks like something that would blow the relatives away at next family reunion. Thanks for the sacrifice you made to share with us. So great they have those baby slings these days. :)
Seriously gorge!
There are no words for this cake..I immediately went and checked the pantry to be sure I had the ingredients on hand!
that dripping chocolate is just making me drool! Such a beautiful cake
Wow! This cake looks incredible! I am a sucker for Mounds, so I’m bookmarking this one!
Okay, this is so unfair. You are a new mom and still whipping out cakes that look fantastic. I only have part time skids and my cakes look like do-do.
In case you haven’t guessed I think it looks awesome.
Trust me, when I was nursing that baby in the sling with my unwashed hair…things weren’t looking too good.
You are a genius! This cake looks amazing! All you creations look amazing — and taste crazy good, too! I once had a friend who said she’d made sandwiches for two of her kid’s lunches while nursing a new baby. I was so impressed. However — a gorgeous Mounds Cake trumps a couple of baloney sandwiches any day.
Are you kiddin’ me here?
This cake is gorgeous. I don’t know how you do it, girly!
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seriously looks to die for!
I just made this cake and OMG, I can not wait until tomorrow to cut into it. I added 2 tsp. instant espresso powder to the boiling water – just because it was right in front of me. My frosting worked beautifully – to the person above who had problems, perhaps you didn’t beat it enough for it to come together? The cream of coconut does have a weird texture but once it comes together with the rest of the frosting ingredients it was fine and mine looks just like the photo. Well, except my cakes always lean a little….dang it.
Made your wonderful cake for my hubby’s birthday! WOW! It came out wonderful. It did not look as pretty as yours when I cut into it, but the outside was straight and flat and perfect. I had a baking hiccup and shut off the stove when I went to use the timer, but still managed to bake it correctly. I did not make the ganache and used those silly Almond Joy bites to decorate the cake. I will make this again.
Oh My Word……..This Is Trouble……..:)
Kristan, this is the second time I’ve seen a pin at Pinterest and just HAD to seek out the origins and leave a glowing comment for the baker…and, it was YOU both times. (Last time, your key lime cupcakes.) I just adore this post of yours! (Honestly, you really do make motherhood, candy bar concept cake baking and blogging look ridiculously easy.) About the cake and your photography…get out! Cannot believe you are not professionally trained as a baker, food stylist or photographer. LOVE the dripping chocolate ganache down off the pink cake pedestal, too. Gorgeous! I’ve made Mounds Brownies before (way back 15 years ago) but never Mounds in a layered cake. BRAVO, girl! Oh, and your baby girl? Totes adorbs! She looks just like you with pretty wide-set eyes…smiling. Without a doubt, I am sure you inspire many, many other moms. xo
I love this site but it is difficult to print a recipe from this….and awfully hard to write down when it’s a long one!
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This just came across my FB feed and really got my attention. It’s gorgeous and has to be delicious. Baking a layer cake from scratch is a big project for me, but I am so going to try this one.
This really looks good!! I will be making it soon!
This looks amaaaazing… Do you have a butter cake recipe that I could try? I’m a bit anti-box cakes… But I really want to give this recipe a go! Thanks! I love your blog!
This is an excellent recipe. I made it this weekend for my mom’s birthday, and she raved about it. She usually finds homemade cake dry, but she thought this was super moist. The cake is delicious, it looks impressive, is relatively simple to make and assemble and really does taste like a Mounds bar. I will be following and using this blog all the time! Thank you so much for the great recipes!
Best news ever!! So glad she enjoyed her birthday cake!! Thanks for reading :)
This cake is amazing. I made it for Thanksgiving. I made a small change to it though. I added sliced toasted coconut and almonds to it. It was alot like that “joy”ful candy bar that seems to always call my name in the checkout line. good luck with the little one. She will be right there beside learning to bake before you know and living it as much as you do.
Mounds cake absolutely delicious. Have you published a book of sweets? If not, you should…..
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I looked up “mounds” and I live in the uk and its exactly like bounty which I dont like but your cake looks rlly nice but if you did a galaxy cake that wud be really nice or cadburys
HI! I plan on making this cake for my hubbys bday on Thursday. Mounds is his fav candy bar!
I’ve made ganache before and never used corn syrup in it and it was fine. Can I omit this ingredient or is it necessary in this recipe?
Thanks!
You can omit the corn syrup and substitute honey. It makes it more pourable and adds some sweetness.
I just made this yummy cake today, and all I can say is WOW! So delicious and moist. Love coconut and Mounds candy bars are my favorite. Just curious where would I find the calories, fat content, etc?
I’m looking for a birthday cake this month, and this could be it!
Just HAD to share this decadent cake on my recipe page! .. The outside looks like the Chocolate Chip Chiffon cake with Marshmallow Frosting that my grandmother used to make:) …
One of the most elegant cakes I’ve seen in a long time. And there are no imperfections that I can see regardless of the chocolate ganache.
Hi,
I really reeeeeeeally want to make that yummylicious cake but can’t seem to find cream of coconut anywhere.
I’m from Durban – South Africa…. even our liquior stores don’t stock it only the Pina Colada mix is available….
:-(
I don’t know if you ever found a substitute since this is an old post, but if you can get your hands on a can of coconut milk I bet you could just take of the thick cream on the top of the can of milk, leaving behind the more liquid stuff, then beat that in with the frosting, maybe adding a little more sugar since cream of coconut as far as I know is sweetened. It won’t be exactly the same but should work fine, adding the taste of coconut to the frosting a little without messing it up.
Your photos are beautiful and were the inspiration for my birthday cake baking over the past weekend!
I made this cake for my mom’s birthday today. It came out great and was easy to make. My only issue was the frosting didn’t seem to firm up as much as I would have liked
Kristan, I just made this cake last night and it has been massively popular at work today! I tell you, I was eating the coconut fillng by the spoonful :) Thanks for a great recipe.
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I want to make this cake but I need to know what size can I need for the sweetened condensed milk? I have 2 or 3 sizes in my cupboard lol! And thanks! I can’t wait to make this.. looks so yummy I’m drooling! :)
p.s. Can you reply to my email so I’ll be sure to get it? :)
This is OFF THE CHARTS delicious! I do have a question though. The pic shows a WHITE, super smooth, buttercream icing. How did you achieve this? Mine turned out yellow looking because of…butter. :) I love how it looks like a huge marshmallow with chocolate drizzled on top. Adorable. I also added vanilla bean paste and 1 T of cold brewed coffee to the batter as it compliments chocolate so well. Then added 1 t of coconut extract to the frosting to bump up the coconut flavor. New favorite..thanks for sharing!
ignore this
Sorry about the previous post. It was a test to see if something was going to pop up again on my computer. LOL It wasn’t meant to say to ignore this recipe or my previous comment. :)
My cake definetly does not look like yours. It is shorter and the frosting is yellow. Don’t know how you made it so smooth. After all of that the cake tasted awesome!!!!
I made this cake for a co-worker’s birthday and omg he had trouble getting it out of the office… delish, easy to make and beautiful. This recipe has made it to my go to book!
Hello! I saw this cake just before Thanksgiving and KNEW just from looking and a brief description that it would be AMAZING!!! So much so, I hinted to my Mom that I would LOVE to have it for my birthday (which was a few days away and short notice!) She and my Dad made it together and it really, truly was THE BEST cake I’ve ever had! Love it! Absolutely believe that the buttermilk makes that cake super moist!
One thing, we felt that the coconut layer was fairly crumbly – when we were cutting it, it kinda fell apart. Do you have that problem normally? Or add a bit more condensed milk or less coconut? We couldn’t believe we could find all the ingredients – even the coconut paste.
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This is truly one of the best desserts I’ve ever made, thanks for the recipe :)!!
That makes me so happy. It’s one of my favorites, too. So glad you enjoyed it!! xoxo
I just wanted to say THIS CAKE IS AWESOME!! Easy to make too. My son asked me to bake a cake for Mothers Day (what a nice guy!!) and I said yes, what would you like? He asked his girlfriend what she wanted – she didn’t know. He asked her what things do you like? She replied Chocolate and coconut! So for 4 hours I looked and then I found his. It was a HIT! My youngest son can’t stand coconut and had the biggest piece and took the l/o home! There went my Mother’s Day Cake. I’ll make one for me and my friends next week!! I’ll keep l/o’s! I give it a 10!!!
I made this cake yesterday, for the first time, to take to my sister’s for a family get together. As good as it sounds and looks, it is far too sweet. We all enjoyed the first bite or so, then it got a bit sickening. The white frosting layer is too salty. The ganache really never set up even in the fridge for one hour. The body of the cake was excellent and the filling was fine too. This is the opinion of about 8 people; only one person thought it was good from top to bottom. I will make the cake part again, but modify it by leaving off the frosting layer totally. I will either locate a better ganache recipe or lessen the whipping cream in this recipe so it thickens better. I think I will merely use ganache over top since Mounds doesn’t have anthing close to the white frosting included in this recipe. It wound be as good with 2 layers as with 3. Thanks for posting the recipe even though it wasn’t 100% with us…I always make a new recipe, as is, then modify it to our likening second time around…
I’d like to make these into cupcakes (portion control for my diabetic dad’s birthday). What changes would need to be made for a cupcake recipe?
Thank you!
Mounds are one of my favorite chocolate bars!! So good and in cake form, even better! I need to make this!
Dear Kristan
I just made your Mound cake last night, for a staff meeting today. Even though I don´t know Mound bars,(wee don´t have Mound bars in Denmark) but I think it similar to Bounty!? I have one question. The ganache were fine until I poured it over the cake, then it was like it turned gritty, if you can call it that. What do you think went wrong?
Best regards
Henriette
just got done making this cake. Everything tastes good but my cake does not look like the picture LOL
I’ve made this cake 4 times already. It’s always a hit and requested again. Doesn’t slice well but is delicious!
Thank you for a well written blog post with tasty pictures. It inspired me to make this for my dad’s birthday cake for his birthday tomorrow. Excellent cake recipe, too! My house smelled incredible while it was baking. I may or may have not snuck a couple bites and wow. =) Beautiful outcome, I am very pleased.
I will start following you. Love supporting other breastfeeding, babywearing mamas! Keep up the great work.
What is this “uneaten cake” that needs to be stored in the fridge?
??? kind of like the elusive “leftover wine” LOL
This recipe just hit my Facebook feed and looks absolutely Devine! Can yo suggest a way to make it into cupcakes for a church bake sale?
Sure! Cut a hole in the center of each cupcake and use the coconut filling in the middle. Top with frosting and ganache. Yum!!
Beautiful and looks delicious. Shouldn’t you credit Hershey with the cake recipe? I don’t know baking etiquette, and this Hershey’s cake recipe (without your yummy garnishes!) is found in many places so maybe a shoutout isn’t needed? Thanks for a really fun recipe.
Hey! I’ve used this recipe (or at least partially) on several recipes on my site and am always very open about the fact that the cake portion is from Hershey — it’s my favorite, and I’ve tried a lot! This post is four years old and when I transferred recipes to this new recipe card format, some notes didn’t move over. I’ve updated the note and appreciate you pointing it out. Have a great day!
Ive made this cake,delicious.
Looks delicious. Need to try it for my husbands birthday. Thank you so much for the recipe
Do I have to use dark chocolate powder? Can I use just regular cocoa powder? I really don’t care for dark. Thank you!
Regular cocoa powder is just fine :)
Thank you! I think I’ll make 2. One for our family get together, one for me to eat after My kids are in bed ?
I didn’t even started baking this recipe but as I read the whole thing my mouth watered. Can’t wait baking it!
Cake was fantastic but icing was way to sweet for my tastes think next time I’ll use cream cheese instead of butter in icing heavy cream and, cream of coconut. I also used butter instead of oil in the cake makes the cake more moisture and I think butter makes taste better.
I’m making it as we speak & was surprised when using 3 9″ pans the layers were really thin when cooked. I think when I make it again, I will use 3 8″ pans..
I just finished assembling this cake. The cake (in batter form anyway) tastes amazing, smells amazing when baking, and bakes into nice stackable layers. The filling is very tasty. The frosting is a complete disaster. Trying it beat butter, and liquids “until smooth” is physically impossible. It does not look anything like the picture. I hope it tastes better than it looks.
I made this cake three years ago for my son’s birthday, he’s still raving about it and has requested it again! This cake is a winner and a big hit at our house! Thanks for sharing it! Birthdays are a HUGE deal and my labor of love is baking my kids an amazing homemade cake each year!
Thank you for this fabulous recipe! I used it as a foundation for a gluten-free version and it was a HUGE hit! Altered the cake (to gluten-free) and modified the buttercream replacing coconut cream with coconut extract and added marshmallow fluff. The filling and ganache were amazing and your presentation suggestion was a great guide!
Chrissie I Have to ask you about the gluten free wondering what kind of flour you used? I was thinking of using coconut extract in frosting so glad you shared about the marshhmallow fluff!!! Wow sounds yummy Thanks Kathy