Raspberry Coconut Lafayettes

These delightful Raspberry Coconut Lafayette Cakes were a beloved staple of my childhood, created by our family bakery, Sugar & Spice. I haven’t tasted them in years, but the memory of their irresistible flavors stayed with me, sparking a desire to recreate them—and even elevate the taste I remember.
The cake itself is moist and buttery and is infused with vanilla and a hint of almond. It’s filled with a delicate and luxurious raspberry vanilla pastry cream, that holds a whole raspberry "heart" in its center. The exterior is coated with raspberry jam, sprinkled in unsweetened coconut, and finished with a cloud-like whipped cream frosting, topped off with a plump, fresh raspberry.

About Sugar & Spice Bakery

When I was a kid, my dad’s bakery, "Sugar & Spice," felt like pure magic. From the cheerful jingle of the doorbell when you walked in, to the sweet, warm scent of vanilla in the air, everything about it felt exciting and joyful. And that display case—shimmering under the lights, packed with cupcakes, brightly colored sugar cookies, cakes, and pies of every kind—made me feel like I was the proverbial kid in a candy store.

Components for Raspberry Coconut Lafayettes
- THE CAKES - A simple, vanilla-almond butter cake that is baked in "Dariole" moulds. These moulds give the cake their iconic, charming bell-shape. But you can make them in a popover pan (they will just be a little less angled on the sides) or even as cupcakes, if you prefer.
- CAKE SOAK - A basic simple syrup drizzled on the cakes before decorating them makes them extra moist.
- RASPBERRY PASTRY CREAM - A cooked vanilla pastry cream brightened with a concentrated burst of flavor from freeze-dried raspberries is such a delicious addition to this dessert.
- BAKERY STYLE WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING - Heavy cream whipped with powdered sugar and vanilla with some added unflavored gelatin to keep it perky.
CAKE INGREDIENTS

CAKE
- UNSALTED BUTTER SOFTENED
- GRANULATED SUGAR
- LARGE EGGS
- ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
- SALT
- BAKING POWDER
- VANILLA EXTRACT
- ALMOND EXTRACT
- WHOLE MILK
CAKE SOAK
- WATER
- GRANULATED SUGAR
Detailed directions to make the cake and the soak can be found in the recipe card below.
Dariole Molds

DARIOLE MOLDS :These darling little molds date back to 17th-century France and are used for individual desserts or savory dishes like custards and soufflés. Not only are they charming but they contribute to quick and even baking.
Dariole molds give Lafayettes get their iconic bell shape and there are lots of options to purchase them on Amazon (one is linked above). However, you can alternatively make the cakes in a popover pan (they will just be a little less angled on the sides) or even as cupcakes.
About the Raspberry Pastry Cream Filling

The raspberry pastry cream in these cakes is heavenly and a lovely textural and flavor contrast to the cake. The cream is an adaptation of a vintage family recipe and is flavored with a concentrated burst of freeze dried raspberries. Click here to find the recipe.
The original Lafayette cakes didn't have any filling at all and were delicious! You can absolutely keep the vanilla cake simple and just coat them with raspberry jam and coconut if preferred.
Bakery Style Whipped Cream Frosting
Ever wonder why bakery whipped cream stays so stable and homemade sweetened whipped cream wilts and loses its structure? The addition of liquified unflavored gelatin is the key! It's such a game changer and the simple addition of unsweetened gelatin creates a much sturdier product without changing the consistency or flavor at all.

Decorating Directions
Okay, we're finally ready for the fun part...assembling and decorating the Lafayettes! Here are the items and tools that you will need to make assembling and decorating the cakes easy and enjoyable. Take a few minutes to set up your station.

Here are the supplies and tools you will need:
- Unmolded Cakes
- Cupcake Corer - You can purchase cupcake corers, but you can use an wand style Apple corer or a mini biscuit cutter or anything that is cylindrical.
- Cake Soak (I put mine in an inexpensive squeeze bottle, but you can also just put in a bowl and spoon it over your cake.)
- Raspberry Pastry Cream (either in a pastry bag or in a bowl with small spoon)
- Raspberry Jam (seeded or unseeded depending on preference). My favorites are Stonewall Kitchen and Bonne Maman.
- Unsweetened Coconut
- Stabilized Whipped Cream (In a pasty bag fitted with a star tip makes them look extra beautiful!)
- Whole Fresh Raspberries
Okay, you got your stuff ready? Here we go!
Step by Step Assembly and Decorating Instructions


- Using a cupcake corer or another cylindrical object, twist gently in the center and tilt the corer on the way up to pull out some of the center. Save this as you will use it to plug up the hole on the top. If you would like a deeper well, just use a small spoon to pull up more of the cake and discard that part.
- With a squeeze bottle or a small spoon add some of the cake soak to the center and edges of the cake to boost the moisture of the cake.


3. Using a pastry bag or a small spoon, add a little of the pastry filling to the well of the cake.
4. Add a whole raspberry to the center of the cake and push gently to ensure that it is nestled into the cream and the cake's center.


5. Add a little more raspberry pastry cream on top of the whole raspberry, ensuring that you still have a little room left to add the "cake cap."
6. Gently add the "cake cap" to cover the well and tap it into place to reveal a flat top.


7. Using a pastry brush and/or a small angled spatula knife, spread a thin layer of raspberry jam on the top and around the perimeter of the cake, leaving the bottom plain.
6. Sprinkle coconut on the top and around the sides of the cake.


9.. Using a pastry bag fitted with a star tip, pipe a circle of whipped cream on top of the cake.
10. And the grand finale? Add a fresh raspberry in the middle of the cake.


Raspberry Coconut Lafayettes
This recipe is a nostalgic tribute to one of my childhood favorites from my family’s bakery, Sugar and Spice. It’s a moist vanilla almond cake, filled with a creamy, luxurious raspberry pastry cream that holds a sweet, whole raspberry “heart” in the center. The cake is then topped with a layer of raspberry jam, a dusting of coconut, and finished with a dollop of whipped cream and a fresh raspberry. It’s a bright, flavorful, and utterly delicious treat that’s sure to delight!
- Yield: 6 Cakes
Ingredients
CAKE
- 1 stick or 113 grams of room temperature unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup or 100 grams of granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon or 4 grams vanilla paste or extract
- 1/2 teaspoon or 42 grams of almond extract
- 3/4 cup or 100 grams of all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon or 5 grams of baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon or 1.5 grams of Kosher salt
- 1/2 cup or 160 grams of raspberry jam (can be seeded or unseeded depending on preference)
- 1 cup or 85 grams of unsweetened dried coconut
- 12 whole fresh raspberries
CAKE SOAK
- 1/2 cup or 100 grams of granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup or 120 grams of water
BAKERY STYLE WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING
- 1 cup of heavy cream
- 1/4 cup of powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 package of unflavored gelatin
- 4 teaspoons of cool water
RASPBERRY PASTRY CREAM
Instructions
CAKE
- Preheat oven to 325° F.
- Use baking spray with flour to thoroughly spray the interior of 6 dariole moulds and set aside on a baking tray.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter on medium/high speed for about 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl.
- Add the sugar and beat for another minute.
- Add the eggs and extracts and beat for another 30 seconds until fully incorporated.
- Combine the flour, baking powder and salt into one bowl and add at one time, using the lowest speed on the mixer until just incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to scrape up any remaining flour on the sides o the bowl and mix gently.
- To ensure your cakes are all the same size and that you get as many cakes as possible out of this batter, I recommend measuring the batter with a food scale. I measure 65 grams of batter per dariole mould, which yields 6 cakes. You can alternatively fill the cakes about 1/4 of the way, keeping an eye to make sure that you are filling them all at the same level.
- With the batter-filled moulds on a baking tray, place the cakes in the oven on a middle rack for about 20 minutes, You can check them at about 15 minutes with a cake tester.
- Once they are cooked through and lightly golden on top, set them aside to cool.
- Once they are cooled, use a thin knife to trace the edges of the cake around the mould and loosen them. Unmold them upside down on a sheet of parchment. The flat surface tends to flatten the base of cakes so they will sit flat, but if you have a particularly rounded cake bottom, you can trim it slightly to ensure it stands flat and even.
Assembling Cakes
See the detailed photos and tutorial above for step-by-step instructions.
- Using a corer, twist slightly in the center, angling it as you pull out the cake’s center. Set this core aside, you’ll use it again to cover the cake’s center. You can use a small spoon to dig a little deeper into the cake’s center.
- With a squirt bottle or a small spoon, drizzle cake soak (roughly about a tablespoon per cake) into the center and around the edges. It will absorb immediately.
- Using a pastry bag or small spoon, fill the cake’s well about half way with raspberry pastry cream.
- Add a small to medium sized fresh raspberry to the center and gently push into the cream.
- Trim the reserved “cake cap” with a knife so it is flatter and gently tap it into place to seal the filled well of the cake.
- Place your filled cake on a parchment square to catch the mess and use a pastry brush and/or a small angled palette knife, spread raspberry jam on the top and around the edges of the cakes leaving the bottom plain.
- Sprinkle coconut anywhere there is jam.
- With a pastry bag fitted with a star tip, pipe a circle of whipped cream around the top and add a fresh raspberry to the top of the cake.
CAKE SOAK
- In a small saucepan, add water and granulated sugar at the same time and stir on low to medium heat until it starts to simmer and all sugar is dissolved. Let cool.
- Transfer it to a squirt bottle or a small bowl until ready to use.
BAKERY STYLE WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING
- In a small ramekin add 4 teaspoons of water and sprinkle entire gelatin packet on top of the water. Let it sit for a few minutes.
- In a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy whipped cream on medium/high speed for until it just starts to look like whipped cream.
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat for another 10 seconds.
- Take the gelatin and put in the microwave for 10 seconds.
- Once it is liquified, drizzle it into the whipped cream and turn on the mixer one last time on medium speed for just about 5 seconds to ensure gelatin is worked into the cream.
- Transfer the whipped cream to a bowl, covered with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
RASPBERRY PASTRY CREAM
- Category: Cakes