My sister sent me a recipe for a Danish Dream Cake she had seen in the Spectator magazine. She was intrigued by the name and wanted me to try out the recipe and see if it was as good as Olivia Potts (the journalist who had written the article and provided the recipe) said it was.
What is a Danish Dream Cake?
Danish Dream Cake is a vanilla sponge with a caramel coconut topping and having tried it I can tell you – it does live up to its name – it is a dream of a cake! It has been a favourite in Denmark since the 1950s when a young girl entered her grandmother’s recipe in a baking contest and won it. I am surprised its popularity has not spread further afield as it is a simple cake to make and is absolutely delicious.
Equipment you will need to make this Danish Dream Cake
As well as the usual kitchen equipment the main item you will need to make this traybake is an 8 inch by 12 inch cake tin such as the PME OBL08122 Aluminium Oblong Cake Pan 8 x 12 x 2-Inch Deep , Silver which is available at Amazon.
My version of Danish Dream Cake
I have made some alterations to the recipe given in the Spectator – sorry again Olivia. The original recipe was for an 8 inch square tin (23 cm x 23 cm) and I wanted to make a traybake in an 8 inch x 12 inch tin (23 cm x 30 cm). I first tried one and a half times the quantities given for the sponge, but this gave a rather thin layer of sponge, so in the end I doubled the quantities. I substituted self raising flour for plain flour and baking powder, and as I always use salted butter I omitted the salt.
I used vanilla extract, rather than vanilla paste, as that was what I had in the cupboard. I made one sponge using buttermilk, as in the original recipe, and substituted fresh full cream milk when I made a second one. I decided there really wasn’t much difference. If you try the recipe I wouldn’t especially buy buttermilk.
The recipe given for the topping didn’t work for me – sorry Olivia! It was supposed to be bubbling on the surface of the cake as it came out of the oven, but it didn’t. It tasted okay but was crumbly rather than sticky and caramelly. I looked up some other recipes online and found they used much more sugar in proportion to the butter in the topping, so I doubled the amount of sugar. This worked beautifully and my topping bubbled as it came out of the oven and when cool had the required sticky, caramelised coconut taste and texture. As I prefer imperial measurements I also converted Olivia’s recipe to pounds and ounces.
Danish Dream Cake (Traybake)
12
servings20
minutes25
minutesIngredients
- Sponge
4 ounces / 110 grams / ½ cup salted butter
4 large eggs
9 ounces / 250 grams / 1.125 cups caster sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
9 ounces / 250 grams / 1.125 cups self raising flour
7 fluid ounces / 200 ml full cream milk or buttermilk
- Topping
5 ounces / 140 grams / 0.625 cups salted butter
6 fluid ounces / 180 ml full cream milk
10 ounces / 285 grams / 1 ¼ cups dark brown sugar
4 ounces / 110 grams / ½ cup desiccated coconut
Directions
- Grease and line a traybake tin 8 inches x 12 inches with baking parchment. Make sure the lining comes above the side of the tin.
- Pre-heat your oven to 200°C / 180°C Fan / 390°F / Gas Mark 6.
- Melt the butter.
- Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract until the mixture thickens and becomes pale in colour. An electric whisk is useful here.
- Sift the flour and fold into the egg/sugar mixture.
- Stir the butter into the milk and fold this liquid into the cake mixture.
- Pour the batter into the lined traybake baking tin and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is set, but not yet golden brown.
- While the cake is baking make the topping.
- Heat the butter and milk over a medium heat until the butter has melted and the liquid is simmering.
- Lower the heat and stir in the sugar. Continue stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
- Now raise the heat to medium and bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in the coconut.
- When the cake is cooked but not browned, take it out of the oven and spread the topping over the surface in an even layer.
- Put the cake back in the oven and bake for another 10 minutes until the topping is bubbling all over the cake.
- Remove carefully from the oven – the topping is very very hot.
- Leave to become completely cold before removing from the baking tin.
- Make a pot of tea or coffee and enjoy a slice of Dream Cake.
Serving, Leftovers and Freezing
The size of traybake tin I have used here will make 12 fairly generous slices but if you would like slightly smaller portions just divide into 16 – perfect for a tea or coffee break. Leftovers can be kept in an airtight tin for about three days. The topping will soften and change in texture, but still taste delicious. You can also freeze any leftovers – again the topping will soften.
You may like these other traybakes
After making some traybakes for my local community orchard’s fund raising day recently I started working on converting some of my cake recipes into traybakes. They are great for fund raising events – quick to make and very easy to portion and serve. So if you’d like to try some of these I now have recipes for a Lemon Drizzle Traybake, a Passion Cake Traybake and a Pear and Walnut Gingerbread – plus of course this Danish Dream Cake.
Next time
Next time I will be making Rock Buns (or Rock Cakes). This old fashioned British favourite seems nowadays to have been replaced by American Muffins. When I was a child it was the first cake I was taught how to make. Rock Buns are quick and simple to make and like American Muffins the basic recipe can be adjusted to make many variations.
So look out for my –
ROCK BUN REVIVAL!!
Until next time
Happy Baking
Tanya
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