Coconut Cake & Fruit Parfaits

Last Updated on April 6, 2021 by Chef Mireille

Coconut Fruit Parfait with Red Velvet Cake and Coconut Pound Cake – These delightful Coconut Fruit Parfait’s with Marscapone Cream, cake and fresh fruit make a great summer dessert.

Make these for Memorial Day or as a July 4th dessert. You can use only fruits colored red and blue to make it more of a patriotic themed dessert.

This post also includes recipes for my version of a classic Red Velvet Cake and a Coconut White Cake, but you can use store bought cakes for Instant quick and easy versions of this delicious Dessert Parfait.

Whenever we think of the American Independence Day, we think of red, white and blue. A bunch of red, white and blue themed desserts satiate the blogosphere. However, in today’s political climate I think it is important to represent what makes America great – it’s diversity. The diversity of people who come from all over the world – “This land is your land, This land is my land”.

Everyone was made to feel welcome here. In this country, my Mom came from a small Caribbean island that isn’t even on some maps and became a nurse and a lawyer. In this country, my dad escaped living under a harsh dictator with his life at constant risk because he was a political activist.

When people say they want things to return to the way they used to be, so do I. I want it to return when everyone was welcome and while there were instances of bias, they were isolated and not an everyday occurrence. But at the same time, you are living in a fantasy world if you want to return to yesterday. Think about all the technology that make our lives easier. None of that would be in existence if people did not want to develop and progress.

In my small way as a food blogger, I want to express the diversity and the people of all colors and all faiths that coexist here that enrich our country. Instead of sticking to red, white and blue themes, colorful desserts as colorful as its people is what represents the best of America!

Now I went all out and gave you the recipes for two awesome cakes to go into this parfait. However, whose going to know if you turn this July 4th treat into a semi-homemade version. Buy the cakes or if you like those box cake mixes, hey no judgements here! Maybe you don’t event like Red Velvet…although I can’t fathom why 🙂 so here are some other cake ideas you might like to try!

CAKE RECIPES

• Italian Orange Cake
• Chocolate Cake
• Sweet Potato Pound Cake
• Dutch Spice Cake
• Lemon Lavender Tea Cake
• Coffee Cardamom Pound Cake
• Brazilian Banana Crumb Cake
• Passionfruit Coconut Tea Cake

There are two ways of presenting this dessert. You can either serve it completely assembled topped with lots of colorful fruit or you can serve it only until the flaked coconut layer. Then put out a platter of colorful fruit so everyone can top their own parfait as they desire.

How to Make Cake & Fruit Parfait

First we make the Red Velvet Cake

Then we make the Coconut White Cake

Cakes our made. Put together the Coconut Marscapone – Note that you are going to have extra cake that you can serve on its own!

Now we put our parfait’s together!

You can serve it in one big dish like a trifle and spoon out servings, but I prefer the idea of serving it in individual portions!

It is a delicious summer dessert with varying textures – cake, creamy marscapone and refreshing fruit!

I know it looks like a sinful dessert, but with all that fresh fruit, how can that be a bad thing? – DONT GET SCARED by the calorie count. It does not take into account that you have a LOT of leftover cake with these parfaits and you can just serve the sliced cake on its own as another option at your party!

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Coconut Marscapone Fruit Parfait…with Red Velvet and Coconut White Cake

Total Time2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course: cake

Cuisine: Continental

Servings: 6

1x2x3x

Calories: 1478.25kcal

Ingredients

• Red Velvet Cake Ingredients:
• 1 cup buttermilk divided
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons red food coloring I used Tulip Red soft gel paste
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Coconut White Cake Ingredients:
• 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
• 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 1 ¼ cup coconut milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
• 5 egg whites – 2/3 cup + 3 tablespoons
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
• Coconut Marscapone Ingredients:
• 8 oz. marscapone cheese
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Parfait Ingredients:
• strawberries quartered
• blueberries
• sweetened flaked coconut
• assorted fruits I used plum, nectarine, kiwi, banana

Instructions

• To make Red Velvet Cake, preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9″ cake pan with non stick spray.
• In a small bowl, combine half of the buttermilk with the vinegar and cocoa powder. Stir to combine. Add food coloring and mix until thoroughly combined.
• In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Mix to combine.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and sugar. Beat until creamy.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add vanilla and beat until thoroughly combined.
• Add half of the flour and mix until thoroughly combined.
• Add plain buttermilk and mix until thoroughly combined.
• Add remaining flour and mix until thoroughly combined.
• Add red buttermilk combo and mix until thoroughly combined.
• Place in prepared cake pan and bake for 40-50 minutes, until an inserted tester comes out clean.
• Let’s prepare the Coconut White Cake. The oven will already be preheated and still on.
• Spray and flour a 9″ cake pan really well.
• In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Mix to combine.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine sugar and shortening. Mix until thoroughly combined. Batter will look crumbly.
• Add half the flour and mix until thoroughly combined.
• Add half of the coconut milk and mix until thoroughly combined.
• Add the remaining flour and mix until thoroughly combined.
• Add remaining coconut milk and almond extract. Mix until thoroughly combined.
• In a separate bowl, beat egg whites for 1 minute until bubbly. Add cream of tartar. Continue to beat until soft peaks form.
• Using a rubber spatula, fold egg whites into cake batter.
• Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 60-70 minutes, until an inserted tester comes out clean.
• To make the Coconut Marscapone, combine marscapone, coconut milk and sugar in a bowl. Using an electric mixer, mix until smooth and creamy.
• Let cakes cool completely and chop into cubes.
• Now it;s time to assemble our parfait’s.
• Place the diced red velvet on the bottom. On top, pour a little of the coconut marscapone. Next goes the blueberries. Add the diced white cake on top. Then we sprinkle some chopped strawberries on top. Now comes the flaked coconut. Finally, an assortment of mixed fruit on top.

Notes

DONT GET SCARED by the calorie count. It does not take into account that you have a LOT of leftover cake with these parfaits and you can just serve the sliced cake on its own as another option at your party!

Prep Time is reduced to almost nothing if you buy the cakes!
Most of the ingredients do not include quantities as it is per taste, however the Coconut Marscapone is enough for about 6 parfaits, but you will end up having lots of leftover cake. Now how is that a bad thing? Share it with your neighbors or take it to your local homeless shelter!
Be sure to press down on the layers as you assemble the parfait, so there are no empty air sections!
If using fruit that oxidizes (banana, apples, pears), toss with a little lemon or lime juice.

Nutrition

Calories: 1478.25kcal | Carbohydrates: 194.81g | Protein: 27.1g | Fat: 68.12g | Saturated Fat: 36.26g | Sodium: 1080.74mg | Fiber: 4.18g | Sugar: 112.71g

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